Bangkok, Thailand (again)

I arrived in Bangkok after a night in Ho Chi Minh city. Given the amount of time it took us to get through the airport and then through the city to our hotel (crazy traffic), I didn't have much time to see anything, and no daylight hours at all. I wasn't overly impressed, but I suspect I was in an uninteresting part of town. I have heard that Ho Chi Minh city is not exactly the jewel in the crown for Vietnam, so don't feel that I saw enough to make any kind of judgement about the country as a whole.

It's great to be back and I've been walking around with a smile on my face for three days. I was a bit concerned that after three months of first world living I would have trouble adjusting to Asia. Instead, it was like putting on my favourite slippers. I wonder if it is possible for me to be culture shocked any more, or if I've seen enough that I could take anything in stride. I guess I'm still somewhat within my comfort zone here as South-East Asia has become like a second home to me. I'm guessing that India, Bangladesh and much of Africa would still have the ability to send me into a tailspin. I'm not sure if I want that or not, as much as I said in my last blog that I needed to move outside my comfort zone.

On my second night here I went for a foot massage. There is a gas station at the end of my street that closes in the evening. Half of the space is set up with chairs for massages, and the other half is covered with candle-lit tables and serves as a restaurant. It's really quite pretty despite the fact that the tables are jammed in between the gas pumps. The restaurant has a big screen TV that they play concerts and other low-key shows on. I picked up a gin and tonic from the bar and walked over the chairs. I had a fabulous massage as I sipped my drink and listened to a beautiful concert broadcast on the TV. I had found that contentedness that I felt so often in Asia before I left for Australia. I'm not sure what it is about this place, but I just feel so good being here. Bangkok, and more specifically Khao San road should really be putting me off with all it's backpackers and the hundreds of people catering to them, but it has the opposite effect on me. I wonder if it's the constant feel of being on vacation that is so nice - I'm sure if I was living and working here I'd absolutely hate it. (As an aside, the masseuse commented on the strength in my legs, so I guess the hiking in Tassie did some good. Hopefully that will help when I'm stuggling up Everest.)

I have done some sight-seeing as well as all the running around that I had to do while here. I revisited a couple of places that I went to 13 years ago which have been nice but don't have the same power to impress that they did when I was a more inexperienced traveler. Given the requirement for modest dress in Myanmar, I had to buy a new wardrobe, which I did for about $30. I bought some wrap-around pants and several long-sleeved loose-fitting cotton tops which is a bit of a coup for someone my size in Asia. Most vendors see me coming and hide under their tables, but I was able to find one style of top that actually makes it all the way around my back and chest with room to spare. Not the most elegant garb, to say the least, and I think it's safe to say that I won't be facing any unwanted attention from the Burmese monks. Still, I should be comfortable, as cool as can be expected and unoffensive.

I was also able to book my flight to Nepal as well as my guesthouse for the few nights I'll be in Kathmandu before my trek starts. Apparently you can't get to Nepal from Bangkok on any day other than Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, so I will be flying on April 25 rather than the 24th as I had hoped. As a result, I will be spending my birthday in Bangkok rather than Kathmandu. I'll have to try to find something different to do here to celebrate.

I bought a one-way ticket to Kathmandu, and at this point have no idea what will come next. I'll have to see how I feel after the trek and take it from there.

I'm off tomorrow morning for Myanmar. As previously mentioned, I won't have access to e-mail from there so I will be incommunicado until about April 22 when I return to Bangkok. Talk to you all in a couple of weeks.