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Sawatdee Kah!

I am writing to you from Bang Tao, Phuket in Thailand. The weather is a muggy 31°C (88°C) with hardly a cloud in the sky. John and I started our journey to Thailand almost a week ago now, but it feels like it's been so much longer. We woke early last Tuesday, after very little sleep and set off for the airport at 4 AM. The subsequent 32 hours consisted of 3 planes, 2 layovers, 4 movies, and countless awkward sleep positions. By the time we arrived in Bangkok at 11:45 Thai time we were slightly delusional and probably bit smelly. The joys of travel…

We spent one night at a hostel in Bangkok and spent the following morning preparing for the rest of our trip and exploring the city. That evening we boarded a night bus heading south and got more of a trip than we bargained for. About an hour into the ride, the AC broke. With 50+ sweaty bodies crammed onto the double decker, the lack of cool air was quite noticeable. After an hour of slow-roasting, we stopped at a gas station so the driver could call a repair man. About another hour passed before the unit was fixed and we were back on the road. At 6 in the morning we reached Surat Thani, switched buses, and drove another 5 hours to Phuket. Once on the island we found our way to Nok and Jo's Restaurant in Bang Tao, where we met with my program instructor to get set up in our apartment. Our place is no Hilton, that's for sure.

The shower does not have a hot water heater but who wants a hot shower in the summer anyway? There's no toilet seat, no dining room table, no couch or living room area, no microwave or toaster, no cups, pans, or cooking utensils. Our kitchen does have a fridge, plates, bowls, silverware, a stocked spice/sauce cabinet, and a propane stove. So meals feel kind of like camping, it builds character or something like that. Our bedroom is the nicest room by far: king size bed, a big wardrobe and a vanity, and a fully functional AC. We'll make do! The good thing about living in a third world countries that things are cheap. I spent $8 at the minimart down the road and purchased all of the following needed items: an aluminum frying pan, a spatula, two plastic cups, two keychains for the house keys, a marker, a roll of tape, a pair of scissors (which came with two exacto knives), a bottle of dish soap and a can of Raid for the cockroaches in our kitchen. Impressed? I was.

The past few days in Phuket have been spent exploring the town, strolling along the beach, trying out every Thai restaurant (and every item on the menu), and getting settled in to the apartment. Much to John's delight, we are within walking distance of 10+ Italian restaurants and an authentic Italian supermarket. He didn't even make it a full 48 hours before ordering spaghetti. Needless to say, we are doing just fine.

Classes start today, updates on this and John's job next week!

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