Bangkok - When I was invited by the Royal Thai Embassy to join a media trip to Thailand under the theme “Discover Thainess”, I had no idea that it would turn out to be one of the most exciting experiences of my life so far.
It was the first time I had been out of South Africa – and what a lovely time I had.
The country was beautiful and vibrant, the people were extremely friendly and welcoming and not even the fact that we could not speak one word of each other’s languages, interfered with warm communication. Most of the time, everyone smiles – which is why they call Thailand the “land of smiles”.
It was a great opportunity for me to explore a foreign country and I relished every moment.
I discovered a culturally and socially rich country known for its legendary hospitality.
Thailand offers just about everything you can expect of the Far East, from temples with Buddhist monks to bustling markets, exotic food and charming island resorts.
We started the trip in Chantaburi province in the eastern part of the country.
There we visited Suphatrraland fruit farm at Ban Khai, which welcomes visitors from all over the world.
There they grow an extensive variety of fruit which visitors get to taste too.
The country’s variety of scenic beauty and buildings is renowned and its capital Bangkok is a vibrant city that bustles with exciting charm.
During my stay there in April it was the hottest month in Thailand when the Songkran festival, also known as the Thai New Year, is held.
The festival involves people throwing water at each other to wash away the problems of the old year and have a great deal of fun in the heat, too.
People splashed water on each other until everything around them was soaking wet.
I had a chance to pour water on the hands of the governor of the province and ask for his blessing at the start of the new year.
Before the festival starts, Thai people visit a sacred place like the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, a beautiful ancient building in a unique architectural style.
I also joined Thai people in paying homage at the King Taksin Shrine in the Kung Kraben temple.
Thailand has many important rivers running through it and are the country’s bloodline.
The Chao Phraya river in Bangkok is the major river and I was able to take a long-tail boat tour to visit a floating market. Filled with colour and a beautiful array of food, it was a delight for all the senses.
During the 10-day trip we were treated to excellent Thai cuisine. Luckily I love spices and seafood, both of which were plentiful.
The food generally was fresh and lovingly prepared and served.
Time flew and, all in all, the trip was an experience of a lifetime and I would love to visit beautiful Thailand again.
Thobile Mathonsi, Pretoria News