Comments on: Unreliable Bangkok 1: Smell

By: Stilgherrian · “Oh no! Leena’s fallen in the water!”

Stilgherrian · “Oh no! Leena’s fallen in the water!” — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:34:32 +0000

[...] Leena Jangjanya (ลีนา จังจรรจา), fell into Bangkok’s polluted Khlong Saen Saeb (คลองแสนแสบ) canal while campaigning today. It’s more like sewage than [...]

By: Out to Space » Lost in Transportation

Out to Space » Lost in Transportation — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 02:53:14 +0000

[...] I never stopped moving. The result was an extremely intense holiday for him. However, he gave very unique observations on Bangkok different from most tourists or even locals would consider. This SimpleViewer gallery requires [...]

By: Out to Space » Moments in 2007

Out to Space » Moments in 2007 — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 09:09:33 +0000

[...] Thailand Trip. Five weeks was not enough to make up for over six years I had been away my homeland. However, the important parts are done. It helped me gaining back self-confidence and I got a chance to show Stil where I came from. [...]

By: Stilgherrian · Unreliable Bangkok 5: Polite

Stilgherrian · Unreliable Bangkok 5: Polite — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 01:40:53 +0000

[...] between Bangkok and Sydney is that Bangkok isn’t full of arseholes. I’ve already mentioned that Skytrain security staff are helpful. Unlike CityRail’s. But it goes way beyond [...]

By: Stilgherrian

Stilgherrian — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:44:47 +0000

@Nick Hodge: Smells really are the mind-killer, aren't they! Author Ray Bradbury is best-known for the dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451, but I remember that his short story collection R is for Rocket included stories that were about a childhood nostalgia for the age of rockets — and they used descriptions of smells to evoke that nostalgia. The smell of burning rocket-fuel kerosene on a summer's evening, and a son whose father was too modest to wear his rocket-pilot uniform in public convinced he could smell star-dust on the fabric when he sneaked a peek into the wardrobe...

By: Nick Hodge

Nick Hodge — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 04:20:39 +0000

I landed in New Delhi once and it smelt like Adelaide just after a bush fire.

Being the country lad, I was rather concerned.

Until I realised that Eucalypts are grown in India as firewood; and the New Delhi-ans (sic) use our native trees to cook and keep warm at night.

However, the dissonance of bushfire smell in India will never leave me.

By: Stilgherrian · Unreliable Bangkok 3: Bureaucracy

Stilgherrian · Unreliable Bangkok 3: Bureaucracy — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:53:50 +0000

[...] mentioned before that our time in Bangkok wasn’t your typical tourist experience. One day, for example, we [...]

By: Stilgherrian · Unreliable Bangkok 2: Street

Stilgherrian · Unreliable Bangkok 2: Street — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:22:16 +0000

[...] comes to culture shock, little things have the most impact. So on my second day in Bangkok it still smells different, people speak Thai not English, but I take that in my [...]

By: Stilgherrian

Stilgherrian — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 16:39:28 +0000

@Benn Glazier: No, this was my first visit to Bangkok — indeed, my very first journey outside Australia. So I’ll admit, I’m not going to be sure what’s just Bangkok and what’s south-east Asia in general.

We spent a day in Don Mueang, ’Pong’s old patch, which I’ll cover soon. However we were at the local government offices and generally wandering the streets, not visiting the airport.

By: Out to Space » Paul’s Birthday

Out to Space » Paul’s Birthday — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 13:11:28 +0000

[...] we do not get a chance to catch up with him again while Stil is in town. Next [...]

By: Benn Glazier

Benn Glazier — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 11:27:40 +0000

Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City both have a very similar smell. It’s one thing I’ll always remember about travelling in Asia.

The strong overpowering smell — it’s like durian on steroids. The continuous high heat means that the garbage festers 24 hours a day. All that said, I think the smell is far worse in HCMC due to the lack of sanitation services compared to in Thailand.

Now, I happen to like durian — but I guess there’s a reason it’s banned in hotels and on airplanes. Now overlay it with the pollution, the humidity, oh and did I mention the heat? Mmmm….

Also, I’m not sure if you’ve been to Bangkok before this trip, but the old airport Don Muang had a certain aroma to it as well.

Fond memories. How I do love SE Asia.