Out of Bangkok

So Bangkok was a bit overwhelming, and I'm still working through the jet lag, which is pretty all-encompassing. On top of being sick, I'm tired and rather apathetic. As much as I'm enjoying traveling alone, I have little drive to pay for a taxi alone, go to a landmark alone, and take pictures alone. And that's what you do in Bangkok when you're alone.

While doing the daily baby check (Natalie should have it any day now!), I told my mom of my intentions to hop on a bus and get up to Chiang Mai. How long is it, she asked. 12 hours. Well what about a train? 15 hours. You should take a plane. Yeah mom, but that's like 60 dollars.

Hang on. Think about this. On hour number 9, I'm probably going to say to myself that I would have paid AT LEAST 40 extra dollars to not be blowing my nose on a cramped bus full of other people blowing their nose. So I flew.

Getting online and purchasing a ticket for a flight 4 hours later is rather liberating. I took a taxi to the domestic airport, checked in, and received a receipt as a boarding pass. Freakin' awesome. I've forgotten how awesome an hour long flight is, just a hop, skip, jump away. AND they gave us three pieces of sushi as the airline snack. The airline is Nok, the low-cost subsidiary of Thai Airlines, and I'll probably do that for the rest of the time here in Asia.

Now I'm in Chiang Mai, where the activities abound and the backpacker scene flourishes. This is where I'll go kayaking, and fight the urge to attend every single class available to me. Thai cooking? Meditation and Buddhism? Thai yoga massage? Muai Thai boxing? Weaving?? The opportunities abound. The money... not so much.

If anyone would like to sponsor a thai massage or cooking school for me, please send a check to my family, and you will forever have a cooked meal or limber body when I return. Good investment for both of us...