Right now, I'm sitting in the Bangkok airport being mad at the internet. I'm here early, so early that I gave in and shelled out some baht for an hour of wireless, which I now find only connects to some sites. This must be a sign that I should a)post my final blog or b) continue that mostly internet-free existence I've been living while traveling.
Clearly, it's not option b.
I didn't plan on being at the airport quite so early. I left Ko Chang this morning (9:30) and got into Bangkok at 6, which is a full day of traveling already. The airport was not on my top list of places to be. My flight is at 5:30 am (because why should it be convenient?) and that left a decent amount of time to eat, shower, get some last minute present, and then go get my bags from storage. The eating was definitely a success (I'll miss you cheap, cheap food) and the shower less so (I knew that packet was conditioner and not shampoo. Damn you Thai Man at 7-11 Counter!). I had some kind of blackout on Khao San Road and when I came to I had two more bags of stuff. How? Why?
I sat down and had a fruit shake to recover from my medical episode. After, I felt rested, but I realized I couldn't stand to be in Bangkok for one more minute. The smells were particularly awful, I was tired from the bus trip, and it was just time to go. Bangkok is fun for a little while, if I have things to do, but I can only kill so much time here (especially on Khao San) before I feel like I'm about to twitch out of my skin. It might be a side effect of all the pollution. Actually, maybe that explains my shopping blackout...
So now, after a touch-and-go repacking of my bags after I got them from storage (I'm carrying an odd variety of things onto the plane with me, but somehow I managed to fit it all in) I'm still in Bangkok, but it's the airport and that doesn't really count. The downside of course it that it's four hours before my flight leaves and I can't check my bags in yet so I can't even go to the bathroom. And I will not leave them with a kind-looking stranger. I refuse to get anything stolen this late in game, especially after that near-disaster of packing.
From what I can tell, it's a bit of a tradition to write about the things I'll miss about Thailand (or won't miss) and what I'm looking forward to at home. But my (useless) internet minutes are winding down and I figure I can just tell you in person, so I quickly hit the highlights.
Miss:
Thai food - I know, I can get that at home, but I have my doubts about quality. And paying ten bucks for a meal that I used to buy for 80 cents is bound to result in some kind of stress-induced heart attack.
Bargaining - It's like eating a big meal after you've exercised. You really feel like you earned it.
Miss: The king. He is all that is caring and wonderful. What will I do when I can't walk into any random room and see is benevolent face?
Not Miss:
The Staring - After a while it wasn't that bad, but I never completely got used to it.
Bargaining - Sometimes it really is too much work. But principle demands that you don't let them get away with blatant overcharging.
Farang Prices - A lot of places (like zoos, museums, national parks) charge foreigners more, sometimes a lot more. In theory, my work permit was supposed to save me from most of that injustice. In reality, I forgot to bring it. Every. Single. Time.
Looking Forward To:
Cheese
Beef
Seasons
Not having to dress based on what clothing shows sweat the least
Not Looking Forward To:
American accents - I'm sorry, but it's true. There are very very few Americans in Thailand. 98% of all the American accents I was exposed to were my friends who I saw every day. Katie P. and I realized this a couple days ago, listening to the loud, carrying, overpowering voice of a fellow American: we should apologize to all non-Americans because it turns out they're not lying about it being annoying.
The Dollar - I think I just won't buy anything ever again.
Not going on vacation every weekend - You mean most people don't do this? What kind of life is that?
I had more, but time is out. See you in America!
P.S: Apparently, the internet decided as I was writing that it didn't like this site either. So this was posted in The Land of Internet Freedom (aka America).
P.P.S: After months of Thai beds, which have the give of wood floors, my bed feels like it's made of clouds and cotton balls.
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