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When the opportunity arose for me to do some summer traveling, my first urge was to southeast Asia. Being budget-conscious, I eventually decided on Thailand.
I’d been introduced to the country by the well-received 2010 Thai film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, which sleepily brings out a land in which a dreamy sense of the unknown is so obvious and superstition(迷信) is not only a natural response, but a wise one.
On the warm and rainy island of Phuket, I found the best way to access Thailand’s treasures was by motorbike. I rented one for four days for about 200 RMB and went on a tour guided mainly by fantasy.
The Thailand I saw by motorbike was one where religion is ever-present. Though Buddhism is the country’s official religion, the footprints of other faiths can be found all over. Statues of the Hindu gods Shiva and Ganesha aren’t uncommon in the country’s large number of Buddhist temples, and Muslim places of worship are splendidly equipped in communities in Thailand’s south.
My motorbike allowed me to do more than just see and feel Thailand’s rich cultural heritage, it also allowed me to taste it. Tourism is a leading industry in Thailand, so in top destinations like Chiang Mai, Phuket and Bangkok, there are plenty of restaurants that appeal to international visitors with easy and familiar eats, especially around hotels and hostels. Finding something that tastes truly authentic, fresh prawns cooked in yellow curry and served with spicy beans, for example, is made much easier with a motorbike.
More than anything, my motorbike allowed me to escape the shabby, crowded spaces Thailand is famous for. Deep in the mountains, with the sound of my 125cc engine melting off into the jungle, I found the Thailand I wanted, calm, fascinating and steaming with an ancient temptation.
Thailand is a place thick with mood and myth, and if you’re wiling to walk in, you’ll be rewarded.