my first time in southeast asia, and what an introduction. bangkok was wild. great nightlife, the street food was something else, and getting around in tuk-tuks for the first time was a lot of fun. visited the floating markets and night markets, packed with life and things to try. phuket had nice beaches and a more relaxed vibe. i was surprised by how open weed was everywhere. people smoking at hostels, shops selling it on every corner. i tried it, because when in thailand. met a bunch of great people at the hostels, and everything was shockingly cheap. meals, transport, accommodation, all of it. the people were super friendly, most spoke english, and the buddhist temples added another layer to the whole thing. hard to ask for more from a first trip to this part of the world.