Thailand: Bel and Bam

I met Bel/Hen in Bangkok where we rented a scooter.

Typically in Thailand, tourists either go North or South. We found out where Thai people go on vacation: West. So, like Fievel (Thai-vel, if you will), we headed west to explore various villages and National Parks.

And away we went! Headed towards adventure!!

Perks of a scooter: spontaneous roadside stops! This was a market outside of a temple.

Safety first. Markets second. Temples third.

Getting pampered by daily Thai massages.

We stopped in the quaint town of Amphawa, famous for its floating market and natural congregations of fireflies. There, we accidentally drove our scooter onto a single-lane, rickety pier. Thankfully, a lovely group of Amphawans helped us to retrieve it just before it (we) fell into the dark, murky water.  And then, for less than 15 dollars each, we hired a private boat to take just us down the river at night where we watched thousands of fireflies illuminate bushes like perfectly decorated Christmas trees. It was one of the most magical experiences of our lives. Truly unforgettable.

Two Amphawara’d Women on a floating market  #imwithher

The next morning, we had a traditional Thai breakfast complete with Thai specific Heinz products (go Pittsburgh!) before walking the pier on foot. While laughing and chatting, we were swarmed by a pack of wild dogs who barked and nipped.  Fun fact:  the guide books for Thailand warn about the wild dogs of Amphawa. It became clear that being stuck on a narrow boardwalk with a wild pack of dogs is a great way to face your fears. #yolo

Additional fun fact: the temples in Thailand (and Cambodia, but not Vietnam) sparkle.

From there, we continued on our journey to Erawan National Park to see gorgeous, seven-tiered waterfalls that contained wonders at each layer: monkeys running wild, massive fish eating dead skin off of our feet, majestic birds flying overhead, and humans (us) being constantly awe-struck by Thailand’s natural beauty.

Wild, Wild West.

Repping the Arcade Comedy Theater! And hats!

Free pedicure.

We went hiking and exploring in the bush.

Entrance to the coolest, most chill ferry boat ride. We drove the scooter onto the ferry which only departs once it is full. Set your watch to that!

We pulled over for gorgeous views.

And woke up in incredible locations.

Thanks to the luxury of our scooter, we were able to stop whenever we felt like eating Thai food (always) or ice cream (always) or if we thought a place might have air conditioning (rarely). We even stopped for karaoke and butchered some Thai pop songs. The sun is unforgiving in Thailand and our scooter offered us no protection. Nighttime driving was the only thing scarier than the threat of sunburn.

In our experiences, one of the telltale signs of a developed nation is the availability of ice cream. Stay with us. The logistics required to send frozen food all over a country and the security of guaranteed electricity to keep it frozen to then sell to customers, all adds up to a well-oiled network of infrastructure. Ice cream was everywhere in Thailand. Quality, delicious, frozen ice cream. Even the tiniest roadside stands and gas station houses always had a massive selection. We tried them all in every shape and flavor.

Pad Thai for breakfast. Best phone case ever.

City of Nice People!

A sugar-cane drink stand.

Drinking that sweet sugar cane. Yummmm!

AdventureSam in the wild! New blog cover photo.

Traveling and taking in the sights.

Stumbled upon this view after visiting a temple in a cave.

Chasing waterfalls.

Thailand’s currency is the Baht. We spent most of our many hours on the scooter singing Baht-based puns. Here are some standouts:

You’re Unbahtlieveable
I Wanna Dance with Somebahty
MMMBaht (for the Fansons)
Started at the Bahttom Now We’re Here
I Like Big Bahts and I Cannot Lie by Sir Mix-a-Baht

Ready or Baht, here we come,
Behl and Bahm