it's sooooo traffic!

I’ve met many longtime expats in Bangkok who tell me that they LOVE living here except for the traffic, the pollution and the weather (???). Without the heavy traffic, the omnipresent pollution and the hot and humid weather, Bangkok is not Bangkok. To love Bangkok, you have to love all three in some twisted way.

Let’s talk about the traffic…

People make fun of me (and other Filipinos) because I use the word “traffic” as an adjective rather than a noun, i.e. “It’s so traffic!” instead of “There’s a lot of traffic on the road.” I know it’s bad English…but isn’t the expression “It’s so traffic!” just so much more expressive?

Anyway, I find myself saying, “It’s so traffic!” about a gazillion times a day. And I thought EDSA rush hour traffic was bad. Despite all the impressive superhighways soaring all across the city, it is sooooo traffic in Bangkok, sooooo traffic. On my way back to my aunt’s house after my first day at work, what would have been a 20-minute cab ride became a 2-hour nightmare. The traffic is so bad that there is an FM radio station exclusively devoted to traffic news across the city.

Thank goodness I have moved to an apartment within walking distance from my office. Now I don't need to get up at 6am to make it to my 9am call time. I've now graduated from complaining about the traffic situation to complaining about the pollution and humidity on my short walk to the office and back. *Sigh* You gotta love this city.