All posts tagged: Thailand

Dreaming Of A Thai Getaway

For the last post in my Thailand series, here are some books I stumbled across during my stay to help you with some inspiration when planning your Thai getaway. Thailand’s Best Restaurants by Thailand Tatler.  A yearly guide to who’s the best around to satisfy your taste buds. Thai Street Food by David Thompson.  Enjoy the delights created by the head chef from Nahm restaurant. Kenneth Barrett’s 22 Walks In Bangkok.  Explore the city’s, historic back lanes and byways around one of my favourite cities in the world. For the insider’s guide to Bangkok, keep an eye out in the shops and cafes for BK Magazine.  It’s a free weekly guide with information on what’s happening in the city during the week, from shopping to eating, to events and discovering the nightlife. Bangkok’s Top Street Food Stalls by Chawadee Nualkhair.  Soi 38 is mentioned in here and is on my list to try next time I’m in town. And finally the trusty old Lonely Planet – Thailand.  Always a helpful reliable guide and a starting point for researching your …

A Balancing Act

Having been active all my life, travelling was bound to upset my weekly exercise routine.  There will be no Pilates classes three times a week and the ease to go for a run won’t be as appealing when the temperate is 30 degrees outside with 90% humidity.  But for me exercise is ingrained in my DNA and after a week without it, I start to become irritable. Heading to Thailand and India where Pilates classes are scarce and yoga classes are in abundance, it’s time to head on a yoga journey.  Having only tried yoga a handful of times I’m keen to explore it more.  I’ve also recently started meditating, having had my first introduction only a little over a year ago.  I had an amazing one on one session with a lovely lady named Lani at the Gaia Retreat in Byron Bay.  She was the perfect teacher to set me off on a new spiritual path and journey.  It was a huge help for me last year as I tried to cope with grief and …

24 Hours To Shop In Bangkok

I always spend a few days in Bangkok before I exit Thailand ensuring I give the credit card a good work out before I head home.  I like making the most of different brands and stores on hand that aren’t available in New Zealand.  It was absolutely torturous roaming through the streets of Bangkok, knowing that no power shopping would be occurring on this trip with months of travel ahead of me. I did manage to make one small purchase which I knew I could get away with, the Labradorite bracelet from Mina Code.  I could justify the purchase as it was small to pack and it hasn’t left my wrist since.  It accompanies my Marc by Marc Jacobs Standard  Supply bracelet which was a leaving gift from the Viva team. If you only have one day to shop in Bangkok, here are my picks: Head straight to Siam Square where you can visit easily three malls, Siam Center, Siam Discovery and Siam Paragon which cater for a variety of tastes and budgets. Siam Center is a great place …

Urban Delights

I never tire when in Thailand of the endless flow of Thai food.  It’s always fresh, flavoursome and light.  Accompanied by a nice cool relaxing beer, lunch and dinner times never seem to be a chore.  I was fortunate to eat and drink at some great places during my three-week stay thanks to recommendations from friends. Here are my tops picks from my stay: Fizz Beach Lounge, Sairee Beach Koh Tao.  With a great location on Sairee Beach, this bar is a lovely place to chill and soak up the ambience. Bean bags are sprawled across the beach and large deck making it the perfect place to start your evening with a cocktail by the sea while enjoying great music. Bar Next Door, Chalok Ban Kao, Koh Tao.  We had a fun night out at this bar. Perched on the beach in Chalok Bay, this was our pick of the bars on the strip.  Be entertained by fire dancers while drinking the night away.  You just need to be able to stomach what was the worst …

I Love Bangkok

Bangkok would have to be one of my favourite cities in the world.  From temples, to shopping, to lady boy cabarets, the city offers something for everyone.  I could people watch for hours on end hustling and bustling on Khao San Road.  Senses are always awakened by the pungent street smells rising from the humid pavements, and navigating through the busy streets often becomes a game of dodgems (mind your head), as you count the near misses from the seriously low electricity cables. No matter how dirty the city is, there’s just something about it that always leaves me wanting more. This was my third time in Bangkok and having visited the major tourist attractions on previous occasions, it was nice to spend my final two days in Thailand as more of a local.  Hailing from Melbourne, expats Georgie & Joseph kindly allowed me to stay in their apartment in Sukhumvit.  From travelling on the Sky Train to strolling through Lumphini Park, it was great to get their recommendations on things to do in Bangkok.  But …