BKK

After months of planning, booking and quietly building excitement, the day finally arrived. Hutch Fam Trip was officially underway. Yvonne dropped Doug and I at the airport, we met Russ, and just like that we were airborne. Nine short hours later we landed in Bangkok, shuffled our way through an impressively long immigration queue, and jumped in a taxi into the city. A quick pasta dinner with Rob and Wendy was all we managed before calling it a night. An early start was looming.

The 6am wake up was softened by the fact that our hotel had already opened the breakfast buffet. Fried chicken for breakfast? Bangkok, you have my attention. Our over enthusiastic tour guide was ready and waiting and, because it was a Saturday, Bangkok traffic was unusually kind. We slipped out of the city with ease, watching the orange sun rise slowly over the skyline.

Our first stop was the River Kwai Bridge, part of the infamous Death Railway built by Allied POWs during World War II under Japanese occupation. Standing there, it is hard not to feel the weight of history. A place that looks peaceful now, but holds stories that are anything but.

From there we headed to Erawan Waterfalls. Seven tiers, with the top sitting around 2km high. That does not sound too bad on paper, but let me tell you this was a VERY dicey hike. Wendy sensibly tapped out at waterfall two and opted for a swim. Russ, Doug, Rob and I pushed on through the blistering heat until waterfall five, where Doug decided the effort to reward ratio was no longer stacking up. He opted for a dip instead, complete with fish nibbling at his feet. Against all odds, Russ, Rob and I made it all the way to the top. Hot, sweaty, and extremely proud of ourselves. Going down, however, was almost harder than the climb up. Back at the bottom, a cold drink and a traditional Thai lunch never tasted so good.

Next stop was Hellfire Pass Museum and Memorial Walking Trail. The museum, funded by Australia, tells the story of the POWs forced to build the railway through the mountains. Rob had thoughtfully prepared us by making us watch The Railway Man, which gave the experience even more weight. Walking through Hellfire Pass itself, you can still see markings in the rock, remnants of tools, and artefacts left behind. Quiet but powerful reminders of what happened here.

Our final stop for the day was Tham Kra Sae Bridge, clinging dramatically to a cliff face above the river. Stunning views, and a fitting way to end a big, heavy, unforgettable day.

Back in Bangkok it was a quick turnaround. Thai food for dinner and straight to bed.

I had dreams of sleeping in the next morning, but Doug does not holiday that way. Instead, we were up and off to the local markets where we tried mangosteen, a purple skinned fruit with creamy white flesh that tastes far better than it looks. From there we headed into the kitchen for our cooking class.

First up was Tom Yum Goong with prawns. Something Doug and I had seen a hundred times but never tried. Turns out it is insanely simple. Water, lemongrass, kaffir lime, ginger, chilli, coconut milk, a few vegetables and prawns, done. And it was AMAZING. Doug has been instructed to add it to our weekly rotation.

Next came Pad Thai. Which I thought I was doing reasonably well until the chef predictably stepped in to rescue it. This was followed by Penang curry. Just as easy and an instant crowd favourite. But the real star was mango sticky rice. Beyond simple and possibly my favourite Asian dessert of all time.

With very full stomachs and some light negotiation about what to do next, we headed to Chatuchak Weekend Market. Thirty five acres. Over 15,000 stalls. Russ, Doug and I wandered for hours before deciding to beat the heat and head up to a rooftop bar overlooking a Christmas market. The Mahanakhon SkyWalk was right next door, so it would have been rude not to. We went up to the 75th floor where the boys did the tilt. Stepping into a cage that leans you out at a 65 degree angle over the city. I chose to sit that one out, but they swear it was incredible. Then up to the 78th floor for the glass skywalk and uninterrupted city views.

Our Bangkok finale was a tuk tuk food tour. Four hours of zipping through the city, Chinatown, Michelin star food stalls and tiny hole in the wall spots. Highlights, again, included mango sticky rice and charred chicken noodles, where we were taken out the back to see the kitchen. Open flames and all.

Exhausted, full, and completely satisfied, we had officially done Bangkok. Next stop something much more chilly...