WHISPERS FROM ASIA

by BEST OKODUWA (Nigeria)

Making a local connection Nigeria

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Asian films, especially the epic ones are my favorite. I often replay the action sequence in my head, subconsciously hum to the Sonorous songs and get completely immersed in the opulent display of their culture and tradition. It is so beautiful. I will proudly share with my friends and colleagues the incredible sites, discoveries about the temples, food, and fun memories I make on this trip. These will undoubtedly make me the VIP of the moment, I thought as I stare at the beauty of the horizon above the clouds through the window of my economy class seat of Qatar Boeing 777 300ER. Finally, the pilot announced preparation for landing and my prowling eyes lit up with excitement. I thoroughly scanned the landscape beneath, searching for the colorful roofs of temples with dragon heads. I thought since this is the trademark of Bangkok it should be screaming at me already, just a few thousand feet above Suvarnabhumi airport. I was disappointed, not a single temple in sight. I disembarked the aircraft into the warmth of the afternoon in Bangkok and took my time to scan the airport area. I wasn't in a hurry to proceed to immigration as I couldn't bear to miss out on any detail. My gaze rested on a fleet of planes painted white and purple with golden yellow and pink stripes, THAI; boldly written on each of them. They weren't as big as the Qatar plane behind me but coming from a country without a national carrier, my admiration was pure. My excitement was short-lived when I was denied entry by immigration. They requested a document I didn't have. It came as a rude shock as I was certain I made thorough preparation for this trip and didn't even forget to put on a broad smile at every immigration checkpoint throughout the trip. It turned out this document was a short form given to everyone onboard the same aircraft I boarded. How did I miss this? I must have been so lost in my euphoria that I made the wrong gesture at the cabin crew who offered me the form. I experienced my first Thai kindness when a young Thai woman who saw my frustration and anxiety offered me her form and urged me to go ahead. It was an emotional moment for me and while I was still searching within for the best way to express my profound gratitude, she was gone. I was awed at the simplicity and creativity of the road and building Architecture on my way to New Siam Hotel in Bangkok. I knew I needed to rest because the next five days would be the Best days of my life. At night I visited Khaosan road. A quite long and not very wide street, host to most stores, hostels, and street food vendors in Bangkok, a spiral line of bulbs lighting the crowded street from above as seen in typical China town shown in movies. As I snuggle through the crowd, preventing as many bumps as I could, I stopped curiously at every fascinating food stand like the sticky rice and mango, roasted octopus and sauce, Crocodile barbeque, roasted insects and so much more, asking many questions and sampling the foods. The next morning, I visited the WAT PHO temple in the heart of Bangkok. It was a magnificent sight, the golden roof adorned with dragon-like scales and the ancient Thai warriors sculpted around the temple. The monks in their orange attire majestically yet humbly walk in pairs around the temple. The breath-taking magnificence of the Dammakaya temple in Khlong Song, the intricacy of its architecture and attention to aesthetics got me mesmerized, especially when it lights up at night like an evenly distributed flame on a Vietnamese hat. The shrills and chills of the Himmawan Mountain, my experience with meditation at night on the mountain table, the moon setting out beautifully in its full circumference, and the relishing taste of Pathai my favorite Thai delicacy kept coming back in a soft whisper, replacing the humming sound of the giant Qatar bird flying at about thirty-six thousand feet, headed for Lagos, Nigeria my home.