Soft Focus: Rediscovering Thailand

Soft Focus: Rediscovering Thailand



This
wasn’t my first trip to the land of smiles; it was a little
over a decade ago that I said my first “sawadee ka”. After a year
of endless summer, I had left the continent with freckled skin, a
fresh look at the world, a sixth scam sense and, above all, a
profound love for Thailand. Countless passport stamps later I dared
to revisit. Could it live up to my memories?

The country was as if I’d never left. Even with the soft blur of
jet lag, I felt a tremendous sense of familiarity: the yellow-green
cabs with cheerful drivers, the air wrapping around me as if a
welcoming hug.

In the subsequent days I was often reminded of the happy
memories I made so many years ago – the taste of mango with sticky
rice, the sounds of ping pong balls and frogs dominating
Bangkok’s
soundtrack.

My partner and I chose eco-lodges over cheap guesthouses, sailed
to off-grid islands and plunged into the emerald jungle. We found
peace and tranquillity.

One afternoon, while drifting on water, I thought to myself: “If
I were to relax even more I wouldn’t float… I would
levitate.”

@moniek_kuipers | moniekkuipers.com

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