Singapore was wonderful, but also very expensive, so staying another week wasn’t in the cards. It was time to move on to our next destination: Thailand. We’re really hoping to love it, considering we’ll be here for five weeks and then coming back for another two with my family later in March. No pressure, Thailand.
Our first stop was Bangkok for New Year’s Eve. Before you get too excited, please know that we were all fast asleep by the time 2026 arrived. Living wild over here. Thankfully, we managed to keep our yearly countdown tradition alive by connecting with our friends in Ottawa. Huge thanks to Madrid, Enki, Vero, and Martin for bringing all the enthusiasm at 8 a.m. and filling your house with confetti on our behalf.
Since it was our first time in Bangkok, I wanted to squeeze in some meaningful cultural experiences for the kids. The Grand Palace and Wat Pho are two of Thailand’s most iconic landmarks, and I knew my best chance of success was to do them both in one day. After that, the kids (let’s be honest — Joey) would have been fully templed out, and I would’ve been voted off the family trip.
We started at the Grand Palace, and once inside, it really is overwhelming — in the best way. Golden spires, intricate carvings, sacred statues everywhere you look. While the kids probably didn’t grasp the full cultural significance of this massive, gorgeous complex, they were very into the glittering roofs, giant monkey gods, mystical figures, and the soldiers walking around the grounds. After lunch, we headed to Wat Pho, home of the Reclining Buddha — a very relaxed, very golden, 46-meter-long Buddha. The kids were amazed by the sheer amount of gold, and Teddy was especially impressed by the endless rows of Buddha statues scattered throughout the temple.
The next day, the kids wanted a chill day at the apartment, so I finally did something I’d been looking forward to: getting a cheap Thai massage. I booked one because, well… it was $12, which in hindsight should have raised several important questions. I walked in expecting a bargain version of bliss. What I got instead was a very small woman with the strength of a forklift and the calm confidence of someone who had absolutely wrecked people before. It started politely — some pressing, some stretching. I thought, Okay, firm but fine. Incredible value for twelve dollars.
Then she climbed onto the table. Not figuratively. Literally. Suddenly there was an elbow in my back, a knee near my spine, and my legs were being folded in ways I did not think were physically possible. Every time I flinched, she calmly said, “Bad today… good tomorrow,” while somehow increasing the pressure. At one point, she pulled my arm behind my head and sat on my shoulder like she was settling onto a park bench. I stared at the ceiling, reminding myself that I had paid twelve dollars for this and therefore had no legal right to complain.
That’s when I realized something very clearly: Joey would not have survived this. Joey would have tapped out five minutes in, apologized repeatedly, and escaped while pretending he left something important outside.
When it was finally over, she patted my back and said, very matter-of-factly, “You very tight.” I stood up feeling slightly taller, deeply humbled, and like I’d just completed a low-cost endurance challenge. I did not relax the way I had hoped — but I did leave believing her.
That evening, we went to see a cabaret show, which the kids had asked for as their Christmas gift. It was located at Asiatique, an area filled with street food vendors, markets, and all kinds of touristy fun. We wandered around before the show, soaking it all in. The show itself was… fine. Definitely not the world-class entertainment it advertised. The lip-syncing was very obvious, a bit tacky, and the song choices felt slightly outdated. But the costumes were great, the light show was fun, and it featured transgender performers, which I thought was a really positive experience for the kids. More importantly, the kids loved it, so this was a win.
After the show, we struggled to find a Grab back to the apartment. While standing on the side of the road, a tuk-tuk pulled up, so we jumped in. Instant highlight. The kids (and adults) loved it. They’re colorful, beautifully decorated by their owners, and not something you come across easily outside Asia. But most importantly, according to Teddy: they go fast.
The next day, we tackled one of Bangkok’s many malls (Asia clearly loves its malls). Choosing one was an adventure in itself. Some malls have amusement parks, water parks, massive indoor playgrounds, interactive cities for kids, full-on theme parks… and more things I didn’t even know could fit inside a building. We, however, chose the mall with the cheapest and most delicious food. Very on brand for us. We’re talking spicy basil pork for $1.10, shrimp pad thai for $2.18, and coconut ice cream for $0.50. Absolute heaven. Honestly, we could have stayed there all day just eating our way through the food court. Since we’re traveling with the same luggage for the next few months, shopping mostly consisted of browsing and saying things like, “That’s cute… but where would it live?” So we admired, wandered, and focused on the important things — eating.
Later, we made our way to Khao San Road, which truly comes alive after sunset. The street transforms into a giant outdoor party where travelers from all over the world gather. We mostly went for one reason: the unusual street food. Scorpions, spiders, worms, caterpillars, frogs, and even crocodiles were all on display, just waiting for someone brave (or impulsive) enough. We tried very hard to convince the kids to eat a scorpion, but it was a hard pass. However, the kids and I did manage to eat a worm — which, surprisingly, was airy, crunchy, and… actually delicious. We stayed long enough to see the neon lights flicker on, soak in the chaos, and confirm that we were not quite adventurous enough for scorpions. Then we called it a night.
Chatuchak Market is the biggest weekend market in Bangkok—and Thailand—and of course we were curious to check it out. We arrived early to beat both the crowds and the heat, which felt like a small parenting win. The market is massive: around 15,000 stalls spread across 35 acres. It’s impressive, overwhelming, and dangerous for anyone who enjoys shopping a little too much. Honestly, it was amazing. I could have bought an entire new work wardrobe… and maybe a backup wardrobe just in case. Being forced to limit myself to only a few items was deeply disappointing.
I could have happily spent the whole day wandering, but as the crowds grew, the rest of the family hit their limit after a few hours. So we headed back to our room for some schooling, relaxing, working out, and game-playing—the glamorous reality of long-term family travel.
On our last day in Bangkok, we visited Chinatown. But first, Joey made a very important stop at yet another IT mega mall. Naturally, he went alone. When he came back, he was practically glowing with pride and immediately showed me his purchase: a ridiculously long selfie stick. I laughed, assuming this was some kind of joke. It was not. You see, since we don’t have a drone—and most places don’t allow drones anyway—Joey decided the logical solution for taking higher-up photos was… a selfie stick the length of a fishing pole. And when I say long, I don’t mean a couple of extra feet. I mean TEN FEET. Over three meters. This thing could double as a flagpole. Can you imagine how completely ridiculous he looks walking around tourist sites holding what appears to be a piece of equipment borrowed from a professional window washer?
Once I accepted that this was now part of our luggage and our lives, we headed to Chinatown. We took a boat along the river to get there, which is always a win with the kids. After answering approximately a thousand questions from Teddy about Chinatown, he asked if we could visit “Canada Town” instead. I thought it was very clever. He was far less impressed when he learned that, sadly, it does not exist.
Chinatown turned out to be far more impressive than I expected. It was packed with a bustling, very affordable market, glowing neon lights, and endless street food options. The kids loved the pomegranate juice, rambutans, and dumplings. They once again declined the scorpions.
Bangkok ended up being a good kick off to our time in Thailand: loud, colorful, chaotic, exhausting, fascinating, and full of stories we’ll be telling for a long time. The kids tried new foods, learned a bit about culture, asked excellent questions, and confidently drew the line at scorpions. That said, as much as we love the energy of the city, we’re also very much looking forward to trading traffic and neon lights for sand, salt air, and a slower pace. Beach mode is coming in a few weeks, and we’re already dreaming about quieter days, fewer schedules, and meals that don’t involve navigating crowds. For now, Bangkok gave us the perfect, unforgettable start—and we’re ready for whatever comes next.
Be the first to comment.