Moving to a New Guesthouse in Bangkok
October 14. Hello again from Bangkok. Today was the day to leave the guesthouse where I had been staying and move to another one in the city.
I began the morning by tidying up my room. To my surprise, it only took about ten minutes to finish packing. Traveling light has its advantages—if I had carried more belongings, I would have needed at least thirty minutes. With my few items neatly gathered, I felt grateful once again for the freedom of minimalism.
Returning to Long Luck
Before heading to the new place, I made a stop at a guesthouse I had stayed at before. About ninety percent of my luggage was still there, stored safely for nearly five days. The kindness of the staff at Long Luck touched me deeply. To allow me to leave so much behind without worry—it was more than I could ask for. I silently said, thank you, Long Luck, as I carried my bags away.
Observing the City by Train
I boarded the train and arrived at Ratchathewi Station in just ten minutes. I love comparing train designs, station structures, and the overall style with what I know from my own country.
“Why did they build it this way?” “What inspired this design?” I find myself asking these questions often. The creativity of a city is visible everywhere—in the streets, in the buildings, in the signage. These details shift depending on the environment in which people are raised. With more than 190 countries in the world, the variety of ideas and creativity is endless. This is one of the things that excites me most about traveling.
An Unexpected Reunion
As I stepped out of the station, I heard someone calling, “Hey! Hey!”
To my surprise, it was a Korean traveler I had met months ago at a guesthouse in Shimonoseki, Japan. For a brief moment, I mistakenly thought he might be someone asking for money, and I felt guilty about that. But then I recognized him—and I was glad I had taken a photo back then.
He looked thinner than before, and seeing him here, in Bangkok of all places, made me realize how small the world can be. Travel is full of unexpected encounters like this, and that is what makes it so fascinating. Although I didn’t have much time that day, we promised to meet again tomorrow.
Letting Go of Heavy Belongings
Back at the guesthouse, I sorted through my things again and came across an old one-touch tent and sleeping bag. They were expensive when I bought them, but they had become too heavy to carry forward.
On a journey, the value of an item is not in its price but in how much it helps you move forward. These two things, though once useful, had turned into burdens. They slowed me down instead of supporting me. So I made the decision to leave them behind.
Letting go felt liberating. The road ahead seemed lighter, easier.
Cycling Through Bangkok
The staff at Long Luck kindly saw me off as I set out for the new guesthouse. I rode my bicycle through the city streets, and after a while, I could feel the strain on my body again. Strangely, the presence of large trucks beside me sometimes gave me a sense of safety, even though their loads rattled dangerously whenever they stopped.
Eventually, I reached a wide main road. With fewer cars around, cycling became smooth and refreshing. By the time I arrived at the guesthouse, I felt relief wash over me. Once again, I was grateful that they allowed me to park my bicycle—such a simple thing, yet so important for someone like me.
A Café Full of Cats
Not long after arriving, I headed to a nearby café to get some work done. To my surprise, it turned out to be a cat café. Local students filled the room with laughter, making concentration nearly impossible.
But there was an unexpected gift—a Thai man who had studied in Japan and could speak Japanese. He looked at me and said, “If you need anything while you’re in Thailand, just let me know.” That one sentence gave me a sense of comfort.
And of course, the cats were adorable.
Meals, Markets, and Night Strolls
After enjoying the company of cats, I realized I was hungry and went to a food stall. The menu was written in Chinese characters, so I thought it might be Chinese-style food. But the dishes were the same as usual—simple Thai street food. Rice with side dishes cost 70 baht (around 313 yen). The portion was small, but enough to satisfy.
Later, I wandered the nearby market. I love the atmosphere of markets—the variety of items, some of them so unusual that you wonder why they’re even being sold. Markets hold a charm that never fades for me.
In the evening, while walking through the streets again, I found a seafood restaurant. The rice was served in the shape of a heart. I had seen this a few times before—perhaps it is common here?
With fish dishes filling my stomach and the energy of a new place surrounding me, the day came to a close.
