We set off mid-morning, stomachs rumbling and eyes peeled for some breakfast. After our last trip to Thailand, we reckoned we’d best ease ourselves into the local grub gently this time. So, in true Brit-abroad fashion — waffles it was. Bit of comfort food before we braved owt too adventurous.
Next stop — the amulet market. Proper buzzing, this place, all stalls crammed full of little trinkets, charms, and beads. The Thais are superstitious as owt, and you could see it in the way they handled every charm, whispering blessings and checking its “luckiness.” Some folk were even using magnifying glasses to inspect the tiniest details — we just stood back and watched, proper people-watching. Funny thing — the exact same charm could be sold for 100 baht or 1,000, depending on how lucky it was supposed to be. We wandered through, occasionally ducking out of the way of someone doing a proper hard sell, and couldn’t resist picking up a couple of tiny charms — souvenirs, but the kind that won’t have your wallet crying later. There wasn’t much English spoken in there, but the charm finds you if you are looking to buy. Update: Will appears to have bought a cursed charm, nowt has been going reyt. He has since thrown this.
By the time we’d wandered, gawped, and done our bit of souvenir scouting, it was time to round off the day with some proper food. Democracy Pad Thai — a tiny, one-woman restaurant tucked away on a side street — was just the ticket. Nothing fancy, but she served it spot on. We perched on the little plastic stools, tucked in, and savoured every last bite — noodles, peanuts, lime, and that perfect hit of chilli. Proper way to finish a day of sightseeing, people-watching, and charm-hunting.
With bellies full and feet aching a bit, we wandered back to our hostel. A cold drink, a quick chat about all we’d seen, and a proper early night were just what we needed. Bangkok had already started showing its charm — chaotic, colourful, and full of surprises — and we were ready to see what tomorrow would bring.
Tight Travellers 