THAILAND: PART 3 The Underbelly of Bangkok

Journey to the "Land of Smiles" for a mutated travelogue of TMNT discoveries. Explore the vibrant country of Thailand in this 3-Part, Turtle-Powered series.

The return to Bangkok, the final days of our trip. Time was of the essence - the moment was here to pull out all the stops in my search for TMNT toys. But after clocking 12 uninterrupted days into this journey, the nonstop action had us running on fumes. Before the final hunt began, recharging our batteries became the top priority.

A trip to the movies was our solution. This would allow us to comfortably rest our feet and enjoy the chill of air conditioning while still experience a slice of Thai culture. It seemed like a surefire solution to rejuvenation.

We squeezed into MBK - a gigantic tourist-riddled shopping mall with 7 levels of mayhem. The entire world seemed to be spending their cash in this overloaded, zoo-like place. Hordes of people mobbed stores and clogged the corridors. We zipped through the nauseating crowds to the top floor, where the theater was located.

THAILAND: PART 2 - Chiang Mai & Pizza Pai

Journey to the "Land of Smiles" for a mutated travelogue of TMNT discoveries. Explore the vibrant country of Thailand in this 3-Part, Turtle-Powered series.

Bye-bye for now, Bangkok. From Hua Lamphong Station, my travel companion & I climbed aboard an overnight train to Chiang Mai. Our cosmic, purple and yellow train would serve as both transportation and hotel. Our car was unlucky number 13 (which would make the superstitious hesitant, but as a fan of Halloween & horror movies, I embraced it).

The engine howled, the wheels thundered, and the next leg of the journey began.

THAILAND: PART 1 - Thailand'ed

Journey to the "Land of Smiles" for a mutated travelogue of TMNT discoveries. Explore the vibrant country of Thailand in this 3-Part, Turtle-Powered series.

The world has mutated into a giant flea market. Each country is a table of treasures, waiting to be rummaged. There's junk to sift through, but hidden gems are begging to be discovered - exotic culture, outlandish cuisine, and most importantly, weird toys.

At some point, my travel adventures evolved from relaxing vacations to a globe-trotting hunt for toys. I feel like an Indiana Jones from another dimension - navigating the most unorthodox course, sometimes dodging danger, to claim the fortune and glory that weird, foreign toys have to offer. But when I do find my holy grail, it's usually made of plastic.

My latest excursion brought me to Thailand - a colorful country boasting diverse adventures at every turn. The trip would last 2 weeks - a short stint to experience a region that offers so much. With a giant backpack bound to my body (appropriately branded with the name Tortuga), my girlfriend, Jess, & I aimed to bury ourselves in Thai culture. The trip would commence in the urban jungle of Bangkok, migrate to the launchpad of Chiang Mai, shift to the sleepy hills of Pai, and return to Bangkok for a final hurrah.

One major question loomed over the journey before it even started - would there be TMNT toys?

THAILAND (3-Part Series)

My latest travel excursion brought me to Thailand - a colorful country boasting diverse adventures at every turn. The trip kicked off in the urban jungle of Bangkok, migrated to the launchpad of Chiang Mai, shifted to the sleepy hills of Pai, and returned to Bangkok for a final hurrah.

A bold itinerary for sure, but the big question - did this far-away land lead to any TMNT toy discoveries? Find out on Monday, August 31st when this 3-Part series takes flight!