Among my first impressions of Bangkok is the smell. My memory is the pervasive smell of car exhaust mixed with the sweeter aromas of propane and the grilling of octopus. The underlying drone of durian, whose smell is like a nostalgic nausea, wasn't to fully join this nasal jamboree until Phnom Penh. I expected the heat - but its burden was the more noticeable for its alliance with the scents of the city.

This picture is from my second day in Bangkok. This is the street my sister used to live on when she lived in Bangkok. I believe her building lies immediately to the left outside the frame.