As I write this I find myself in Chiang Mai, the northern cousin to Bangkok that moves to an entirely different rhythm. As I explore more of Thailand, I've found genuine joy in getting lost among the countless streets and alleyways that make up this city's maze-like heart.
It's only been a few days since I left Bangkok - a brief 5-day stay that somehow left its mark on me. Already I feel drawn back to its chaos, its endless stream of vendors, and that constant buzz of life that fills every corner. Not that Chiang Mai is quiet by any measure - it certainly has its moments of intensity - but there's an underlying calmness here that I never quite found in Bangkok.
Time feels different in Chiang Mai. The pace is noticeably slower, from the unhurried street vendors to the delivery riders who seem to have found their own comfortable rhythm, so different from their counterparts in the capital. As someone who typically thrives in the energy of big cities, this slower pace has become an unexpected source of contentment - a reminder that sometimes the best discoveries come when you learn to slow down.
I also happened to be visiting Bangkok during the Chinese New Year, having also booked a food tour around Chinatown, entirely a coincidence but a happy one nonetheless.
So you'll imagine my surprise as i went closer and closer to Chinatown and found many neighbourhoods and places awash in red, and the crowds thickening more and more. Arriving in Chinatown was like being woven into a tapestry of shoulders and elbows.
Being on a food tour and amidst the home of so many street food stalls and restaurants, I was entirely taken in by the smells and smoke coming from every other corner. So much so that I was hardly bothered by the glacial passage through the streets and the many difficulties found in navigating human waves, from the slow walkers to the pushy vendors and let's not forget the occasional impeders of ways, stopping for no discernible reason whatsoever but to look around as hundreds are trying to navigate around them. Okay, I may harbour still some minor frustration from the dealers of my biggest pet-peeve, or as I refer to them, the itchy elbow of humanity.
Even outside of tours and Chinatown, Bangkok had so much to offer that I enjoyed, from the floating markets to the gorgeous temples.
I was quite pleased that my Ricoh GR3, easily my favourite camera ever, was coming in handy and I even found that simply wanting to photograph the busy streets was enough to get me on many a meandering walks through the city.
Beyond just being a good reason to walk around, having the convenience of a pocketable camera also meant that I could try to walk around and grab snaps as I went about, hoping to improve in my photography skills. There's something freeing about not having to lug around a larger camera. No need to worry about settings or finding the perfect angle, just point and shoot whenever something catches my eye.
Now that I find myself in more calmer waters so to speak, I aim to be more meaningful in my photography but there is something unbeatable about being able to quickly snap things in an instant. Those candid moments that disappear in seconds - a cat stretching in a patch of sunlight, an elderly couple sharing a quiet laugh, or street vendors arranging their goods in the early morning light - they're all scenes that often vanish before you can set up properly.
I suppose this speaks to a larger truth about photography and perhaps life itself - there's value in both approaches. The careful, considered shots with proper gear and planning certainly have their place, but so do these quick captures of fleeting moments. It's not always about technical perfection or composition; sometimes it's just about catching a slice of life as it happens, preserving those small moments that make up the fabric of daily existence.
As i've reflected on previously, trying to catch and enjoy the little moments of happenstance and spontaneity is something that I am certainly aiming to do more of.
This has been an excellent start to 2025, and while far more travel is ahead of me, it is not lost on me the wonderful opportunities and places I find myself in.
