Journey Begins: Hua Hin / Cha-Am

This time, we flew out of Zurich – and I had something special in my luggage: my parents. Taking them to Thailand for the first time was one of those plans I’d been putting off for a while. This time, we finally made it happen.

Via Abu Dhabi, we landed in Bangkok. We used the first three days and two nights to arrive – not just geographically, but physically. Jet lag, the heat, the sensory overload of a city with millions of people – Bangkok gives you everything at once, and you need a moment to keep up.

On our list were Chinatown with its narrow lanes and street food stalls, the Wat Pho temple complex with its enormous reclining Buddha, and a dinner cruise on the Chao Phraya. The river at night especially, with temples and skyscrapers lit up along the banks, turned out to be one of those moments my parents were still talking about weeks later.

From Bangkok, we took a private van to Hua Hin – about three and a half hours, comfortable and stress-free. There, we settled into a private villa with a pool for five nights. After the chaos of Bangkok, it was exactly what we needed: mornings in the pool, afternoons exploring the town, evenings at the night market.

After five nights, we picked up a rental car and drove the short stretch to Cha-Am – less than half an hour, and we were at the beach. Another five nights, this time with even more calm, even more sea, even more time together.

For the return to Bangkok, we took a private van again and spent one final night near Suvarnabhumi Airport. The next morning, it was back to Zurich via Abu Dhabi.

Traveling with your own parents is different from traveling with friends or on your own. Slower sometimes, but more attentive. You see things through their eyes that you would have missed alone. And you come home with memories that go far beyond the destination itself.