Thailand Trails....

Traveling to a destination you've never been to can be both exciting and intimidating. Intimidating is probably a harsher way to put it. Let's call it daunting, especially if you're a vegetarian and the place hardly has anything to offer when you're gonna be rummaging through it for a few days! One such destination that took me by surprise was Thailand, an extremely colourful, picturesque, fun and naughty destination but a challenge when it came to 'fishing' for vegetarian food during our week-long stay. The non-vegetarians are sure to feel like kids lost in candy stores, considering options ranging from street food to glitzy restaurants!

Here's a quick guide to a vegetarian's survival in places like Bangkok and Pattaya:

Fruits stacked neatly in the local market

• Whether you're checking out tourist attractions or simply strolling away on a colourful Thai street, you are bound to find several '7-Eleven' stores and we practically survived on flavoured yogurt, sugar-coated crackers and cheese-sandwiches (simply placed a slice of cheese between 2 slices of bread), picked up from there, considering it is difficult to read the local language and ingredients on packaged food. Even chips are flavoured with fish or some other protein. 

• However, if you're the health-freak kinds, and you happen to pass the local vegetable and fruit markets, it is quite a delight with luscious fruits neatly stacked or cut and packed. 

The perils of  the Dangerous Market

• We took a trail to this interesting place called the 'Dangerous Market' - a local market in Bangkok running on either sides of a railway track. The specialty is that the vendors wrap the market up within second before the train arrives and it is up and running once the train has crossed - all this in a span of seconds! This exercise is like a big attraction and a must watch if you're anywhere close to the place. 

• Whether it is a boat ride exploring the floating market or a walk down the beach in Pattaya, you simply cannot miss packs of colourful fruits and it is bound to make you feel fresh and cheery! 

• Indian restaurants are extremely expensive and if you want to order Thai food at any of the local restaurants, be very clear about not wanting meat, fish sauce or oyster sauce in your food. You can do this by keeping a few words of Thai handy:
• Neua - Meat
• Khung - Prawn
• Nam plaa - Fish Sauce
• Nam Man Hoy - Oyster Sauce
• Kai - Chicken
• Plaa - Fish
• Mai Sai - Don't want/ without
• Mai Ow - Without
• Jay - Vegetarian
• Khaw Suwai - White rice
• Khaw Path Jay - Vegetarian Fried Rice
• Naam - Water
• Kua - Salt - you may want to ask for Kua separately since they do not add too much salt to their preparation



That's right... It is called the Drinking Street in Pattaya!

• Bia - Beer - available in plenty.... Probably seen more than a bottle of Naam! 

So if you want to order a "Som Tam (Papaya Salad)", make sure you tell them Mai Sai Khung/ Nam Plaa - 'you want the salad without prawn and fish sauce' 

The jolly-good time we had at the Jollyfrog Restaurant

If you're backpacking and you've found yourself in Kanchanaburi, don't forget to peak in to the Jollyfrog Backpacker's Restaurant - ridiculously cheap western food and good taste - value for money in an otherwise expensive-for-food-Thailand! 

ขอบคุณ (Kappunkaa -Thank you!!!)