5 Things I wish I knew before going to Thailand

Everything isn’t going to kill you.

From the get go, I was nervous with the thought of going to Thailand. But when the horror stories started flooding in, I became a nervous wreck. I think everyone I knew who went to Thailand started sharing their experiences and the first one was always a scary one. Even our doctor in Lisbon, Portugal who we got our immunizations from warned us every single thing that could go wrong medically.

We could get in a horrible car accident and need a blood transfusion, which could be contaminated blood.

Everything and anything we eat could make us sick. No fruit in our drinks, food must be cooked fresh and on the spot, make sure to watch them cook it, and whatever you do don’t eat salad.

We could get yellow fever, dengue, or hepatitis.

We absolutely shouldn’t drink the water.

The stories and the horror crept in.

What we quickly learned though, was that all of the warnings weren’t as horrifying as they were made out to be. Yes, you shouldn’t drink the water in Thailand. That includes consuming ice that hasn’t been filtered prior to freezing. And yes, you should try to avoid food that’s been sitting out and not fresh due to the inescapable heat that quickly grows bacteria. And yes, mosquitos are everywhere, but there isn’t always a dengue outbreak where you’re at in Thailand.

Thailand is a beautiful place with some of the kindest nicest people I have ever met. There is a reason it’s known as the land of smiles. The local food stands cook up some of the best foods and are selling them for what feels like nothing. We searched out the food stands and restaurants that were filled with locals and were never disappointed. If the locals swarmed a place, we knew they were reputable, clean, and the food wouldn’t get us sick. In fact, the only time we got sick from food was when I was eating too many foods with coconut or coconut milk (it’s a diuretic).

What I wish I would have known though is how hot it gets there. The heat was, at times, absolutely unbearable. It was almost choking how hot it was due to the humidity along with the already hot temperatures. The hottest it got while we were in Thailand was ‘real feel’ 117F, factoring in the humidity. I have never been in such humid hot conditions. Although I knew it was going to be hot and in the 80’s, never did I read about the humidity and it reaching temperatures well above 100.

What I wish I would have brought, or brought more of was… -More of my favorite sunscreen. -More bug spray and deet. (Although I brought some of my favorite all-natural bug spray, I needed the deet during peak mosquito times like sunrise and sunset. Thailand sells deet and bug spray, but I didn’t always know what the actual ingredients were.) -Hydration tablets. (This is my biggest one. Although I ended up finding some hydration tablets to add to my water three weeks into our trip, I prefer the ones I have with me while hiking that don’t taste horrible.) -More loose-fitting, cooling clothing. I was very concerned with not offending the locals and brought several long skirts and tops that covered my shoulders. I’m not saying don’t respect the locals, but many of the locals were wearing gym shorts and tank tops due to the heat. I would have only brought one outfit to wear to temples and local events if I would have known other clothing was more accepted. -More of an open mind. I was far too nervous and uptight before leaving for Thailand and the first week we were there. I would have enjoyed my first week far more if I was more relaxed and open to the experience.

Thailand is a beautiful place and if you get the opportunity to go there, please go. Don’t be scared, be prepared for what everyone warns you about. Get your immunizations just to be careful, especially if you’re staying in more primitive areas or hiking. But most of all, engulf yourself in the culture. Talk with a local, embrace the culture, and grow from your experience.