Our trip to Koszalin, Poland from Berlin consisted of three separate trains, a lay over in Szczecin and a close call in Bialogard.

Although travelling on regional trains requires a lot of patience and the ability to dash from platform to platform to get good seats, financially it makes sense at a quarter of the price you would for a reserved ticket on the Inter City. It also makes the trip more interesting, breaking it up and giving you a chance to interact with the locals.

We stopped at Bialograd, about 20 minutes away from Koszalin, for about 15 minutes waiting for the train from Gdansk to come through. Madzia went into the station for water with plenty of time to spare, but Babcia, Dziadek and Madzia’s Mum have warned us to never do it again because the train simply leaves without warning.

We were greeted at the train station by a flying Babcia, Dziadek and Ciocia (Grandmother, Grandfather and Aunty). Smothered in hugs and kisses and luggage, we made our way home to Babcia’s apartment for some Glabki and Salatka. One warning to any visitors over 6 foot, low flying light fixtures can be hazardous to your health and humourous to your hosts.

It was great to finally arrive and meet Madzia’s wonderful family, and for them to meet our little Zofia (who continues to expand her fan base where ever we go).

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Our arrival at Tegel Airport, Berlin, reinforced the notion of leaving your preconceptions at the door when you embark upon a journey.

After a lay over in Rome with a brief delay and a few espresso’s, we were off the plane, collected our baggage and in a taxi within ten minutes! We had our passports glanced at by a customs official in Italy who seemed more interested in the dinner plans of his colleagues, and from there we might as well have been on a domestic flight in Australia! No armed guards or passport control reminiscent of Checkpoint Charlie.

So we left the airport, and made our way down the boulevards, basking in the clear blue skies and warmth of a beautiful summers day in Berlin.

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Our flight from Bangkok to Abu Dhabi on Etihad Airways went off without a hitch, arriving 12:30 local time. One of the first things Madzia noticed was the opulent fragrance of Oud, and the myriad of sweet Arabic scents that are used throughout this part of the world. One of the first things I noticed was the availability of porters and the amount of luggage that locals brought home from their shopping spress in Bangkok.

We ventured forth into the stifling heat to our coach for the transfer to Dubai. We made our way through a landscape of sandy shades and construction grey, and gradually, like a shimmering mirage, the desert came to life as we neared Dubai. Dubai itself seems as if someone had picked up a strip of prime real estate in Manhattan and dumped it in the middle of the desert, it is actually quite surreal. From the coach we made our way to our home for 3 days, Madinat Jumeirah. There really aren’t enough superlatives to describe this resort, and going from our digs in Thailand to 5 star luxury in Dubai left us speechless, the pictures really do speak for themselves…

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Gaining an understanding of Thai Buddhism will surely have your head spinning. One thing is for sure and that is that Thai culture is entrenched with their faith, traditions and rituals, all practiced on a daily basis. From our short stay here we have come to see the austere side of faith through visiting the Buddhist Temples and our daily monk spotting. The monks are literally everywhere but nowhere. You can see by our photos how elusive these guys are, turning corners, disappearing behind trees. Then there are the ordinary Thai faithful, all 95% of them. Buddhism is a way of life for people here. It is not to say that they are all self denying and self sacrificing individuals. They are mostly accepting and compassionate though. Where you or they are on the path of enlightenment is not important to them and, with the ultimate Buddha offering being that of mental betterment, they are self development gurus!

Some basic googling finds that the primitive people of Thailand practiced Animism, which includes ancestor worship and brings life to all plants, animals and natural forces. In addition there were some influences from Hinduism that came through Cambodia. But when Buddhism came on the scene in 218 BE (Buddhist Era) the Thais took it on as their formal religion, retaining many of the former ways of Animism and Hinduism. This is reminiscent of Christianity and the conversion of pagan tribes in Europe, adopting the primitive traditions as their own. The operative and differentiating word here is converting. That is one big difference between Buddhism and other religions – It does not reject other religions. Further research shows that there are several schools of Buddhism followed today. Thailand, along with South East Asia and Sri Lanka, practice Theravada Buddhism. Also know as the Doctrine of the Elders, it is the oldest and most conservative school of Buddhism. This is the branch that has taken seed in the west. Theravada Buddhism interwoven with the folk religion and its animistic and Hindu belief systems makes for a highly pious and superstitious culture.

Here, prayers and rituals envelope each and every day and special occasion. The respect, simplicity and humbleness of these traditions makes you feel apart of something larger. It is actually very similar to being in a country that is solely Catholic, like Poland. There is something bonding and special when people come together to celebrate and mourn days, seasons and events in the same manner. The sameness is very comforting.

Our favourite sight has been the ubiquitous Spirit House and the offerings and trinkets that adorn desks and dashboards. Usually about the size of a giant doll house, just about every house, business and building has a spirit house erected out front, as a little shrine to the spirits about. The inhabitants of the property set out offerings of food and drink, incense and candles. For HBO viewers it is as if you have stepped onto the set of Rome, substituting the Roman Senators for Buddhist monks and brutality for compassion. The parallels between folk religions are interesting. This type of belief system is found amongst most hunter-gatherer, tribal and village cultures around the world. It seems that somewhere along the line we became disconnected.

Then there are the Buddhist temples or Wat. The Wat of Chiang Mai are extremely enchanting and ethereal. To some they may seem overly ornate and at times ostentatious, however they are clearly a reflection of devotion and honour. Chiang Mai boasts approximately 300 Wat, strewn among the roads and soi of the Old Town and beyond. Being a place of prayer, meditation and offering they are also used as a meeting place for the community for ceremonies, discussions and gatherings, fairs and fundraisers, food courts and support groups. You name it. A must see is the oldest temple in Chiang Mai, Wat Chiang Man, and Wat Phan An, where the Sunday Walking Street Market food court is held. There you will most definitely be approached by a helpful tourist guide that will suggest other temples that are a must see within and beyond the gates of the Old Town. Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep up on Doi Suthep is a main attraction within Chiang Mai. To get there requires a beautiful scenic ride up the mountain, and make sure it is a clear day to fully appreciate the view of Chiang Mai and the valley from above. 309 steps later, we made our wishes, circled the Chedi, made our offerings of flowers, candles and incense and had Zofia receive a much needed blessing for protection from the local monk in the form of a white string around her wrist.

The Wat of Chiang Mai can also offer a wonderful place to cool down, reflect or simply relax. In the midst of all the history and the mish mash of cultural influences we found our favourite temple, Wat Lok Molee. Right on the banks of the Old Town moat, it is a gem hidden from the roar of the street traffic. It is peaceful and beautiful… ah the serenity of some family time.

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We chugged into Chiang Mai on the overnight sleeper, arriving at approximately 8 in the morning. The difference in climate was one of the first things that Madzia noticed! The pace was also noticeably slower, as we walked down the platform, preparing ourselves for a barrage of tuktuk touts, and instead meeting a trickle.

A short taxi ride to our guest house revealed a city full of character, with a comfortable, almost familiar feel to it. Don’t get me wrong, it is still fairly hectic, compared to say, Geelong, however it seems like the perfect foil to Bangkok, and we are looking forward to exploring the maze-like soi and various wat.

A surprising discovery on the first day was the UN Irish Pub showing live Rugby, Rugby League, AFL and the Euro Cup! With four weeks here in Chiang Mai I’ll be able to follow the annual rugby lessons handed to the northern hemisphere sides and the beginning of the tri-nations.

So as we settled ourselves into our room, we looked forward with anticipation to experiencing the local cuisine, exploring this city full of temples and being entertained by the game they play in heaven.

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Security, Smiley, Steamy, Street Food…

When we walked through the doors at the Suvarnabhumi airport the reality of what we were doing finally hit home. Up to that point the romanticised version had played out in our minds preparing us for a major culture shock. Although there wasn’t an army of mosquitos waiting for me at the gate, neither Lonely Planet, personal accounts, nor all of the research and reading could have prepared us for the oppresive humidity, the inability to communicate and the crash course in being a fish out of water. The first hour in Bangkok will be imprinted in our memory for the rest of our lives.

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