Bangkok

Stepping off the plane and straight into Bangkok's heat, the first order of business was food. A Singha beer — noticeably larger than the bottles back home in Japan — alongside a Thai omelette and tom yum kung. Eating alone, I couldn't finish it all, but every bite was exactly what I had imagined for years.

The Grand Palace complex was alive with tourists from every corner of the world. The golden spires and intricate mosaic work were dazzling under the midday sun — a scale and brilliance that photographs simply cannot capture.

A well-earned rest over a plate of pad thai. Simple, perfect, and nothing like the version I used to serve at the restaurant back in Japan.

The reclining Buddha at Wat Pho is enormous in a way that genuinely stops you in your tracks. I wandered slowly through the temple grounds, taking in the quiet atmosphere that somehow persisted even amid the crowds.

An afternoon stop at Make Me Mango for a full mango dessert spread. Sweet, cold, and everything I needed after a long day on foot in Bangkok's heat.

Wat Arun at sunset is something else entirely. The light shifts from golden to deep amber as the sun drops behind the Chao Phraya river, and the tower becomes a silhouette you won't forget. I stayed longer than planned.

The first stop on the Gent tour. A peaceful temple with a striking interior — well worth the journey outside the tourist centre.

A local market with a long history, full of Thai locals going about their day. This felt like the real Southeast Asia — not the curated tourist version. Colours, smells, sounds, and a pace entirely its own.

A temple with a distinctly Chinese influence — the iconography and colour palette felt like a bridge between Thai Buddhism and Chinese culture. An unexpected and fascinating mix.

A calm and unhurried atmosphere set this temple apart. Less crowded, more contemplative — the kind of place where you can actually feel the stillness that temples are supposed to offer.