Vacationing is hard, but comparative vacations to ones taken during years of folly, and their latter mature years in the same location are quite insightful, as they provide a window into our growth. Also, my wife and I have an agreement; fridge magnets must be in the shape of the countries we visit (Turkey is our White Whale) together. So last year (sounds so far away and it’s only February), we decided to take a quick trip to Thailand. I had previously been to the lovely location exactly a decade ago, so it served a triple purpose; quick new location for the wife and child, recognizable place for myself and the chance to add to our fridge magnet collection.
Upon setting foot in Thailand, I was first struck by the biggest change – time. Ten years ago, we landed at 8PM, having taken a transit flight through Abu Dhabi. With child? Direct please! And it began to dawn on me, what else was bound to change?
The presence of technology is a definite plus; whereas the first time around I remember being flabbergasted at stopping a taxi and finding no one in the driver’s seat (they ride on the right side and I did not know that, so it was quite comical) this time all I needed was an app and a credit card to get around. Bonus points; on our very first outing, I forgot my son’s bag in the taxi. Few clicks later, said bag was safely handed to my hotel. So life lesson; embrace technology!
We landed in Bangkok for a day, and that city is synonymous with MBK – Thailand’s answer to The Avenues; a one-stop location to shop-till-you-drop, bargain till you lose the ability to discern numbers, feast on a variety of delectable palates and even stop in for a massage at one of many places. Low on cash? Exchange or withdraw, your choice. Your wallet will leave lighter, and your luggage much heavier. As a married man however, I found myself spending less time shopping and more time keeping my son occupied so he doesn’t throw an I-am-bored tantrum.
Our next stop was the picturesque Phuket. We broke our five-day stay there into two hotels; a “honeymoon cover” in Karon and a sightseeing one in Patong. It is here that I realized the value of the Baht – it is quite strong! Compared to other Asian countries, the Dinar reigns super supreme. In Thailand however, at BHT 96 to the KD, the purchasing power parity is quite close – fast-food meals cost almost the exact same.
So imagine my surprise at paying KD 3 for every ten minute taxi ride that literally lasts for 3KM. in my folly years, I would have said, I can run that distance. With a baby stroller? Take my money, please (sad face).
Building on the last financial point; a quick trip down Facebook memory lane showed me the copious amount of outings I had indulged in; from Island hopping to rafting, to elephant massage and bungee jumping. This time around however, we island hopped as a small family, my water-loving son decided he hates swimming in colorful fish infested corals, and I ended up consoling him on the boat whilst my wife dipped her toes into snorkeling for the first time. The parent trap resulted in an enjoyable time on the boat, and a more miser-y look at prices, as opposed to the YOLO approach of a decade ago. Moral of the paragraph, spend responsibly!
Patong specifically is notoriously known for a different type of tourism; as a bachelor visiting, it was quite appalling to be playfully, albeit physically, pulled towards certain places of ill repute. As an adult, traveling with child, it was insightful to see the same people (not literally but you get the picture) stop me to playfully shake hands with my son. I felt almost invisible this time around. I went from being the center of faux attention, to being the chauffeur of the main attraction!
Suffice to say, the overall trip was enjoyable and eye-opening; traveling with a child is wonderful… everyone should do it… you go from annoyed to indifferent on the plane when a child is crying, silently thanking God it’s not yours!
Like the Rubik’s Cube, Ayman Nassar is multi- colored in his interests, from running to organizing races, stand- up comedy and internal audit, plus a little writing on the side. You can find him on Instagram @lordaymz.
