If I have a tag cloud of my life, ‘Travel’ would stand out in font bold, 72 point, or even bigger. Even when I am not on the road, I feel like moving all the time. Then, why am I moving? Why can I just sit where I was supposed to and be happy with what I got? I could easily stop making troubles, thinking a world map as a cool wall decoration, but I can’t. It is my choice of a life style, to find out what matters to me, what makes who I am. Most importantly I think travelling is the way to find the home. My home, not meaning of ‘a place you are from’, as ‘a place you feel like’. Nationality is nothing to do with where I want to be or something makes who I am. It matters but it’s not that important anymore. I don’t feel home like where I am right now, and I haven’t found my home yet. I’m still moving and trying to find it. Well, still I have long list of places to go, and plenty of time to find out.
On that note, my ideal house becomes a bit of reality in my little trip to Bangkok, Thailand.
Place my family lived in was a small, three or four stories complex building and my place was like that too. I’ve never been lived in apartment and I am not planning to. I could never feel like home in a place like that crowded. Long time ago, I set some boundaries of a house I’ll get or build. And on the way to find out myself, I added more qualities to it. The basic theme is, a place with fresh air and natural lighting. I don’t like air conditioning system or a super dry heating system. The house should have at least one wall of entire window, it should have many wide open windows so I can feel breeze inside of the house all the time, sky window is a must because I want to watch night sky, I want to have many trees or ocean in front, and would be great to have a high ceiling. It doesn’t have to be big and fancy, at all, and not necessarily all those things are at one place, but that’s just pretty much general idea of my dream house.
Stephen (the man who’s behind @BohemianTrav ) came up with the idea to visit Thai home of Jim Thompson, and said “You are going to fall in love with this place!” and he was right. When we were there, I saw a little bit of my dream house to be. It was the definition of a place full of fresh air and natural lighting. Jim Thompson was a US born artist, an architect, and a gifted silk designer. He devoted himself to reviving the craft and gained further renown through the construction of this house combining six teak buildings. Each has a different character but it simultaneously get along really well with each other. The house and the art collection soon became such a point of interest that he decided to open his home to the public with proceeds donated to Thai charities and to projects directed at the preservation of Thailand’s rich cultural heritage.
It’s traditional Thai architecture yet very international at the same time. Must be his unique eye toward art collections. One floor was made by Italian marble, all the floors and houses are filled with arts from all around the world. All houses are wooden, and all house is elevated a full story above the ground to prevent any damages from flooding or rainy season. He had his own front yard that could be called as jungle, and several ponds.
Among all the amazing artistic decorations, his living room draws my attention. That was my favourite part of this huge house. The entire wall is wide open to the side-and there’s a canal in front-, nice little windows on the back, sofa in the middle, and beautiful wooden floor. I could picture myself sitting there, sipping ice coffee -or mojito-, reading and quietly chatting. Ah, that’s a life. In the moment, my little ideal house became a reality. And you know what? If I want to have millions of windows, I should have a house in some place generally warm, right? Jim Thomson must be really happy here. Well, this place is too big for me, smaller replica would be perfect.
It was my first afternoon in Bangkok, Thailand. I saw a positive prospect of my future home to be from the beginning of my little trip. And reminded me once more, that why I’m here and why I can’t just sit around.
Jim Thomson disappeared in 1967. He went to Cameron Highlands in Malaysia and never return. It’s Amelia Earhart all over again! Wherever you are Mister Jim Thomson, you made a girl really happy and you are doing a great job to Thai society. Bravo!
So, yes. Utopia IS exist and ideal can be reality. Why not? Thanks to Stephen for the suggestion. It was a superb choice for the first day in Bangkok.
