The humid air wrapped around me the moment I stepped out of Suvarnabhumi Airport. It smelled of something sweet and spicy, foreign yet comforting. Bangkok pulsed with life—neon lights, traffic jams, chatter in a language I only half-understood.
Dragging my suitcase to the taxi stand, I couldn't stop recording.
"Guys," I said into my camera, panning to the glowing signs above me, "this is insane. Zimbabwe feels a million miles away, and honestly… it's already so beautiful. The energy is just… wow."
The driver, an older man with kind eyes, asked, "Hotel?"
"Yes, hotel," I replied with a shy smile, showing him the address Chulalongkorn had sent me. He nodded, and soon we were weaving through Bangkok's chaotic but rhythmic traffic.
I pressed my face against the window like a child—temples glittering gold, skyscrapers towering, street vendors grilling skewers right beside busy roads. Every corner looked like a movie set.
---
At the hotel, exhaustion hit me, but excitement wouldn't let me sleep. I threw my bag on the bed, set up my camera, and filmed:
"Okay, update. I survived the flight, I survived Bangkok traffic, and now I'm here. Honestly? It feels like stepping into the series I always watched. Tomorrow, I'm going out to explore. Wish me luck."
I ended the vlog and collapsed into bed.
---
The next morning, I woke to the sound of temple bells. After breakfast, I grabbed my phone, a bottle of water, and set out on my first solo adventure.
First stop: a street market.
The air sizzled with frying garlic and chili. Vendors shouted prices, the crowd surged, and colors exploded everywhere—red chilies, golden mangoes, rainbow umbrellas shielding stalls.
A vendor smiled at me. "Pad Thai?"
"Yes, please!" I answered eagerly.
She handed me a steaming plate, the noodles glistening with sauce, sprinkled with peanuts. My first bite was heaven—sweet, tangy, spicy, crunchy.
I filmed myself mid-bite. "Guys… I think I'm in love. With Pad Thai. Sorry, Ohm."
Back home, Caro sent me a voice note almost immediately after watching:
"Shelly! You can't just betray your crush that fast. First Ohm, now noodles?"
Clifton chimed in: "Imagine her screaming when she sees Pond—'Sorry, Pond, I already pledged my love to Thai food.'"
I nearly dropped my fork laughing in the middle of the market.
---
Later, I visited a Buddhist temple. Shoes off, silence echoing, incense filling the air—it was serene. I clasped my hands together, whispering a little prayer.
"Please let me do well here. Let me make my family proud. And… if it's not too much, maybe let me meet Ohm someday."
I giggled at myself, shaking my head. "I'm hopeless."
I took photos of the golden spires, the monks in orange robes, and sent them to my family group chat.
Leratho replied with: "It's so pretty! Bring me that gold building!"
Dad messaged: "Stay safe. Proud of you, my girl."
---
That evening, I decided to dive into Bangkok nightlife. The famous night markets glowed under fairy lights. I tried mango sticky rice, coconut ice cream, and browsed clothes I couldn't pronounce.
"Everything here is so cheap compared to back home!" I whispered to my camera, holding up a T-shirt with Thai writing.
When I later uploaded the vlog, the comments flooded in:
"Girl, you're living the dream!"
"Do a reaction video when you meet Ohm."
"Your smile is glowing—Bangkok suits you."
I felt my online presence growing, little by little.
---
Back at the hotel, I lay in bed, phone buzzing with family notifications.
Caro: "You should do a vlog titled: 'From Chitungwiza to Chulalongkorn—with Ohm in my heart.'"
Collins: "Imagine if she goes viral just for fangirling."
Mom: "Ignore them. Focus on your studies."
Dad: "But still, if you see Ohm, tell him your whole family says hi."
I laughed until tears rolled down my cheeks. Even thousands of kilometers away, they hadn't changed at all.
Staring out the window at Bangkok's skyline, I whispered to myself, "This is just the beginning."