Backpacking In Southeast Asia - the end
Back over the border into Thailand, on way to Bangkok, we stopped at Ayutthaya, a capital of the Siamese Kingdom. Despite the city being razed to the ground centuries ago, dozens of ancient temples are still neatly arranged here. A nice way to see many of them in a day is to hire a bicycle to take around the city.
The ruins have lost the colour, so haven’t preserved what would have been a dazzling display of brightly coloured temples. But it is still remarkable to pass by so many large monuments, amongst Buddha statues standing proudly, as if travelling back in time to an ancient world.
The one upsetting feature in the city was the zoo – although prison may better describe it – containing large animals in tiny cages. I had heard it was cruel – I only visited to witness if it was as bad as reported. It is free, meaning I wouldn’t contribute towards the animals’ horrible treatment by coming here.
It was tough to see these great animals reduced to this. The tigers clearly psychologically damaged by their treatment, panting and pacing up and down their cage. The elephants chained to the railings. They looked as sad as they might do, in the sorry state they were kept in.
The infamous ‘Tiger Temple’ in Thailand was shut down in recent years, after revelations about malpractice there. Southeast Asia is well known for offering tourists to get up close and personal with some amazing wildlife. I would plead with you to find organisations that promote ethical practices. There are countless animal refuges doing good work that need support.
On leaving this abomination, while cycling back to the hostel, I had a chance encounter that lifted my spirits at the time I needed it the most. I happened to spot a friend from the Netherlands – a fellow Spanish student from my time in Salamanca – cycling around Ayutthaya. At 6’9”, it is hard to miss Maarten. Still, it was an almighty coincidence, having not known he was in the country with his new wife. And we enjoyed some great Thai food and beers together that evening.
The final stop was revisiting Bangkok, before I flew out on my second working holiday visa to Australia. I experienced both the good and bad of Bangkok this time. I had more great food when exploring new districts of this lively city. But I had a run in with bedbugs at a hostel. Bed begs aren’t uncommon when backpacking, given the turnover of guests. I also happened to have hotel staff who clearly lacked sympathy (possibly because some of their guests may not be the easiest to deal with). Still, this was one small negative experience, that paled in significance to the positives over the trip..
My time in Southeast Asia had been full of so many enjoyable moments, as well as uplifting and insightful experiences. I felt very grateful to have been able to travel here. The substantial length of this trip was only possible because I have worked in countries with comparatively higher wages, and their currencies go much further in Southeast Asia.
The large tourism industry does mean there are tourist ‘traps’ – as they’re known – designed to allure tourists with money to spend. A tourist from an affluent country may be targeted for buying goods and services that you wouldn’t be approached for if you were a local. You may even be given a higher ‘tourist’ price, rather than the actual price, in some locations.
I think that is a small price to pay for the benefits we have. The extra prices we might pay are a direct consequence of so many of us being able to visit and spend more freely. So, it’s hard for me to begrudge the efforts of people who are trying to earn extra money.
Overall, it is a privilege to be able to travel to these countries, particularly if you can do it on an inflated budget. And even more so when you consider all these countries have to offer; the friendly people, fine foods, culture, architecture, history, wildlife and nature.
Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos are often toured together (you could also include Malaysia, and Myanmar, if the latter is safe and open to tourists) as a common backpacker route. As a result, they can be grouped as one region, Southeast Asia. The geographical closeness and similar landscapes can mask the uniqueness of each country.
Those differences of each country may be subtle, at first, to the untrained eye. Each does differ, most obviously in language and currency. But there are also stark contrasts in culture and customs, their history, food and cuisine, the terrain, and the reasons to visit as a tourist. The varying attractions are the reasons why this area of the world so fascinating, and why visiting these four countries intrigued and delighted me.
