You've never climbed the stairs?

That's what I asked Tip, my guide and co-worker as we stood at the foot of Bangkok's Wat Arun. As we looked up at the steep stairs, I could feel a swell of excitement growing inside my chest. That could have easily been the high altitude as well. Tip took her customary photos with an iron fist. "Stand here, Move there." After I was manhandled I was ready to climb.

"All right, let's get going."

Tip was being uncharacteristically quiet. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she looked up at the top of the temple and frowned. "Okay," she finally said.

I knew from the get-go that we would have issues. Tip was not dressed for temple climbing. In a charming black and gold empire waisted dress that came two inches above the knee and a lovely pair of gold wedge sandals, I could tell this was going to be hellish for one of us.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked.

"Sure sure, I'm fine."

She was fine for the first set of stairs. That's when she admitted to me that she'd never done this before. Never? But she said she went to Wat Arun all the time. Apparently just to pray and not to get vertigo.

"Are you okay?" I asked again.

"I'm a little scared."

Oh jeez. Behind us, a couple of teenage monks were scaling great heights. They were both goofing off and laughing it up which bothered Tip. She muttered under her breath that people should be more careful. The next set of stairs was set at an absurdly steep slope. Even I was a little nervous about plummeting to my death. One false move. . .

But we held on to the rail and we made it up there. We then circled the top, in intense meditation, three times and then we made a wish to Buddha. I bumped into some German women who were taking some serious photos and quickly resumed meditation. At the end of the third lap, I wished for health and prosperity for all of my loved ones.

But mostly for my safe trip down.

Because going down is the real problem, yeah? Tip knew this all too well.
"Oh it's soo high up. . ."
Yes it was.
"I'm lucky I wear shorts under dress, not panties, yeah?"
I frowned. Shouldn't she be more concerned about those wedge heels? She took those off and hooked them on one finger.
"Oh, it's high."
Yes, I know.
"It's very high. . ."
Yes, dammit, I know!

I talked Tip down the stairs like she was a suicide case. "Don't jump, it's not worth it. Give us the baby!"

We made it down safely and even Tip was proud of herself for doing something new.
"Thank you for supporting me," she said when we reached the bottom. "It was very beautiful up there, I can't believe I see that view for the first time!"

I learned that there's always time to be awed by this city, even if you're not a farang.





Tip and I go to Wat Arun










Quite a hike for these young monks as well.