First of all, I need to wipe the slate clean on all the false impressions and assumptions about traveling in Southeast Asia. I feel that simply because Thailand is so far off the American radar, it seems like a risky and far too exotic destination for a single female traveler.

Despite its exotic nature and unfamiliar lifestyles, Thailand is highly accustomed to Western travelers and boasts a well-founded tourism infrastructure that streamlines everything you need to get around. Most anyone who makes a living off the millions of tourists who visit every year speaks English, and the general population is very friendly and welcoming.

Although exotic in nature and quite different from everything back home, Thailand manages to make you feel at home right from the start. Even my late arrival at 2:00 in the morning went over without a hitch and I was able to find a relatively good hotel near Khao San Road, Bangkok’s most famous decompression zone for backpackers just arriving or readying to leave the country.

My plan was to spend a couple days in Bangkok and figure out how I wanted to work my way south to Phuket or Krabi, where I was going to meet my friends Emilie and Shelley after they returned from their tour of Laos and Cambodia. I had been told by many travelers I met in Australia and New Zealand that you can find everything you need and make all your arrangements on Khao San Road. No need planning ahead, just get there and figure it out.

Not only can you make your travel arrangements, buy some new clothes and eat well at some of the cheapest restaurants in the country, but you can also get a haircut and a pedicure for the equivalent of eight US dollars. After just one day wandering the ten-block stretch, I managed to book a flight to Phuket, eat one of the best meals I’ve had yet (fried fish and spicy mango salad), pay a visit to the beauty salon and pick up a copy of The Beach (perfect reading material to get me going – it too starts out with a single traveling protagonist on Khao San Road).

Even though most travelers told me to avoid it, I chose to head straight for Phuket. I wanted to see it for myself and get my own impressions of the tsunami-hit beaches, packed nightclubs and over commercialized scene. After seeing the bustling nightlife and impressive reconstruction on the waterfront of Patong Beach, I’m happy I went – I loved it. It may not be for everyone, but I always enjoy checking the vibe of a big beach town.

A couple days later, I met up with Emilie and Shelley. It was great. I was back in the company of close friends, and excited about our pending adventures in the Far East. This will be a time in our lives to remember forever. As I like to say, these are the good old days.

July 3, 2006