We went to Wat Arun, the Temple of the Dawn, which is Bangkok’s most distinctive landmark, located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. Wat Arun is one of Bangkok’s oldest temples, built in the days of Thailand’s ancient capital of Ayuthaya. The highlight of Wat Arun is its central prang (pagoda) that is completely covered in thousands of porcelain pieces, seashells and chinaware decorations. The prang has steep steps built into its four sides, for visitors to climb to the top, which offered amazing city views.
Although I never thought I had a fear of heights, after reaching the top and looking back down at what was a near drop-off, with impossibly narrow steps, I started to freak out that I wouldn’t be able to get back down – that either I’d freeze up or fall. We joked that if Wat Arun was in Hong Kong, there’d be a 7-11 and a Sogo Department Store as well as an express escalator on the south side of the prang. Not so in Thailand. Adriana employed the sit and scoot method on the way back down, while I listened to Melinda coach me not to look down and to take deep breaths. Wat Arun, my Everest.
It was with heavy hearts, sunburned skin and exhausted spirits that we boarded our plane to Hong Kong. Although we experienced some bad turbulence approaching Hong Kong and had to circle the airport after a first failed landing attempt (gotta love typhoon season), Air Asia pulled through at the end of a long weekend and got us safely back to HK, where I discovered, under my training visa I’m considered a Hong Kong resident until the end of August! I can’t read, speak or write the language (I feel an MSU joke coming on…) but I can be a resident. After a whirlwind 36 hours, even though I was longing for more Thailand, it felt good to be home.
It was with heavy hearts, sunburned skin and exhausted spirits that we boarded our plane to Hong Kong. Although we experienced some bad turbulence approaching Hong Kong and had to circle the airport after a first failed landing attempt (gotta love typhoon season), Air Asia pulled through at the end of a long weekend and got us safely back to HK, where I discovered, under my training visa I’m considered a Hong Kong resident until the end of August! I can’t read, speak or write the language (I feel an MSU joke coming on…) but I can be a resident. After a whirlwind 36 hours, even though I was longing for more Thailand, it felt good to be home.
PHOTOS FROM SUNDAY at Wat Arun...
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