Happy Thanksgiving

I haven’t been doing too much except wandering around town, which has been really lovely with the festival on and the streets rather quiet. My room overlooks the beautiful back garden at the guesthouse and I gaze down longingly each morning as groups of trekkers gather for their final briefings before they set off for the mountains. I would love to be joining them.

The weather is as close to perfect as I can imagine. It is sunny and clear, with daytime highs in the mid to high twenties. The evenings are cool enough for a jacket and perfect for sleeping. The air is surprisingly clear and much less polluted than I remember. I wonder if this is because the city is quiet at the moment or if the cooler temperatures give the illusion of crisper air. There is a wonderful, familiar smell to this city; not the stench you’d expect given the dirt and lacklustre garbage management efforts, but a mingling of the incense and flowers being offered in temples with the fresh food on offer in the markets. It’s such a delightful contrast to the often gut-turning stink of Bangkok.

I have been pleasantly surprised by my reception at the guest house. The staff all remember me and have been greeting me like a long-lost family member. It has really been quite flattering.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian readers.