Bangkok
Don’t start. Yes, Bangkok has a rude name and lots of unsavoury associations - ping pong shows, happy finishes, etc etc. But take your minds out of the gutter now, because as a sophisticated traveller I am above such lowbrow things. Pah - you people sicken me. Cultured though I am, this was actually the first time I’d been to Asia and therefore concepts like 30+ degree heat and saturation-level humidity were rather novel. I’d love to say that I got used to this immediately but that would be a massive lie, and instead the scorching blast every time I stepped out from the shade or onto the balcony of our lovely air-conned room always caught me by surprise. The other thing is, well… anyone who even slightly knows me will see through the above ‘citizen of the world’-style boasting as overcompensation for my safety-first, creature of habit personality. Making my way around a chaotic metropolis on the other side of the world without any language skills to fall back on was always goi...