We stayed in Bangkok for a few more days.
Not because we suddenly became experts at city life with four kids…
But because after day one, we needed a soft landing.
A little time to adjust.
A little time to breathe.
And preferably… a little time without a carpet that tries to move away from us.
We switched hotels to a different part of Bangkok.
This one had a water slide, and a small playground for the little kids.
Perfect for not doing to much.
The Smog Reality Check
Then Bangkok showed us another side.
The smog was intense.
Not “oh, it’s a bit hazy” intense.
More like: Matt would crawl around for five minutes and somehow become… black.
His hands. His knees. His feet.
And if he walked barefoot? Same result.
It was one of those parenting moments where you’re cleaning your child for the tenth time and thinking:
Is this… normal?
Is this… safe?
Is this… what people mean when they say “big city life”?
The Dutch Walking Instinct
As a true Dutch person, I love walking.
Walking is my default.
Need food? Walk.
Need to clear your head? Walk.
Need to survive motherhood? Walk.
Bangkok did not share my passion.
Bangkok is not built for walking.
Sidewalks exist… sometimes.
Then they disappear.
Then they reappear when you no longer believe in them.
And when you think you’ve found a safe crossing?
You’ll spot a zebra crossing—yes, they exist.
But no one stops.
Not even a little.
Not even when you’re standing there with a stroller, three kids next to you, and the face of someone who is trying to stay calm while internally screaming.
The Zebra Crossing That Wasn’t a Crossing
At one point, we stood there waiting and waiting, and it became clear:
This wasn’t a “right of way” situation.
This was a “good luck” situation.
An incredibly kind parking attendant noticed our struggle and helped us cross.
I don’t know how he did it, but he stepped out like a traffic wizard, and suddenly cars slowed down just enough for us to move.
We smiled like grateful tourists.
And then we realized the next problem:
Crossing the road is one thing.
Crossing the road with a stroller in Bangkok is a completely different sport.
The Stroller Obstacle Course
Because once we found a “path,” we ran into this surprise:
A giant pipe/line running across the sidewalk… right where we needed to go.
So there we were:
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one stroller
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three walking kids
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heavy traffic
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and a sidewalk obstacle that required us to LIFT the stroller up and over it
How do I even describe this?
Picture us trying to move a stroller over a pipe, while the city continues at full speed beside us, and the moment you step off the sidewalk…
you’re basically standing in traffic.
It was stressful. It was ridiculous. It was very Bangkok.
And then we realized something else:
For Amber, the heat was too much.
We were all struggling, but Amber was really struggling.
That kind of struggle that makes you stop and think:
This isn’t just uncomfortable. This isn’t working.
The Plan Changes (Already)
Originally, we planned to travel north after Bangkok.
But we spoke to friends who live there and they basically said:
The air pollution up north is even worse.
So bad that they had left themselves.
That was the moment where the “plan” turned into a suggestion.
We looked at each other and thought:
We don’t need another city right now.
We need space. Fresh air. A beach. A reset.
So instead of going north, we started looking for an in-between option.
Somewhere we could:
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breathe
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let the kids run
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and feel like this trip wasn’t going to be one long cough
And that’s how we ended up making a decision we didn’t fully understand yet…
Next stop: the beach.
Or at least… we thought...
