Come fly with me: Thai flavours

There is something about the energy of Bangkok that resonates with Mumbai. The scattered lines of shops and stalls on each side of the road open till late, the rather chaotic and yet organised traffic, people — pacing the streets — always on a mission to do something, all spoke the same language as Mumbai.

Of course, instead of Indians, there were Thais; instead of "Namaskar", it was Sawadi ka and in place of Mumbai sandwiches, there were the strong scents of Thai soups. Nonetheless, the many superficial similarities seemed to merge into creating the kind of buzz that can only be felt in Mumbai.

What is entirely unique to Bangkok is seeing the way people live, being a spectator from a boat. Only the sound of the engine could be counted as unwanted noise as I glided in the canals of Bangkok, on the Chao Phraya River which snakes through the city.

There was a large tree hanging over the water, with something called breadfruit growing on it. Then, in one of the larger houses with pots and plants on the balconies, a woman lying lazily on the floor followed our boat with her eyes until we turned. I watched the local Bangkok life stream past, meshed in an abundance of greenery — frangipanis looking into the river, trees and ferns, purple lavender, which I wanted to pick — with a stretched canopy shielding me from the blistering sun and a cup of Thai iced tea to cool me down.

And what made this even more interesting was observing the life within the villages as I cycled through them the next morning (Visit www.spiceroads.com). Starting off near the Grand Palace, our guide led us by the side of the water.

Then, having crossed the river on a ferry, we biked through the narrow streets inside villages in Thonburi, the old capital. Men and women folded their hands together respectfully as we passed them, women sold soup and toast with toppings and motorcyclists at times weaved past us.

We watched as three men hammered a piece of metal so as to thin the gold and make leaves for the Buddha statues in temples. The city was still sluggishly waking up in these small villages.

Cycling and boating allowed me to see the real Bangkok, the city that breathed behind the façade of malls, sky trains and taxis. But to experience the city in this way, a good guide who understands the Thai culture and what tourists want is necessary.

And I couldn't have found a guide more helpful and more thoughtful than Jerry (jerry@nectarasia.com) — so I would definitely recommend him if you are heading that way!