We passed through Bangkok four different times and stayed in the city for around two months. It was during our fourth visit that my assumptions and judgments about Bangkok finally slipped away.

It was complete and utter madness. With all the water and paste and shouting and screaming, it looked just a bit like the end of the world, except that everyone was in a much better mood than I'd imagine they'd be in for the end of the world.

His name was Maximus, and it was said that he was the tallest elephant in all of Thailand. Certainly the was the tallest ele in Elephant Nature Park. Estimated to be in his 70s, Max had an elegance and grace about him that belied his enormous size and defied his many injuries.

I have recently come to the realization that I am cursed. No matter how hard I try, I just cannot get my Pad Thai to taste like it did from the street carts in Bangkok. For the rest of my life, I will be forced to pay $1,600 in airfare every time I want to eat proper Pad Thai.

In Thailand, expressing negative emotions (such as anger, frustration, or as in our case, panic) is simply not done. No matter how bad a situation is, you have to smile sweetly and stay calm at all costs. Getting visibly upset would be as offensive as if you had started spitting and cursing. Fortunately, we’d spent enough time in Thailand that it was instinctive for us. We stayed calm, and we smiled.