slow boat to Thailand

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As many of us were looking to get to Chiang Mai earlier, especially our tour leader Bom (he is from there) we traded our last day near the Lao/Thai border for extra time there.

Crossing from Laos to Thailand is usually done by boat and then connecting to a bus. On the boat ride, I was giving a couple of massages, and then I was asked by Bom to say 'thank you' to the crew on behalf of the group. I asked him why he wanted me to do it, and he said it was because I was a grateful person.

Chiang Mai is exactly how I remember it, busy and fun. 3 years ago I took a Thai Massage course and met a handsome, young, green-eyed Italian called Stefano. He was also in Chiang Mai and when I arrived at the hotel, he came and whisked me away on his scooter. I returned to say goodbye to my friends the next day as they were departing for Bangkok, with promises to meet a couple of them in a few days. Stefano and I spent some time catching up, massaging, and shopping in the most incredible night market in SE Asia. On the night bus to Bangkok, I became pretty sick and vomiting a lot (thank Shiva there was a toilet on the bus!) Arriving in the early Bangkok haze, I promptly bought 2 fresh coconuts (for the water) and within minutes, was feeling heaps of relief!

When Stefano departed for the airport, I was still sleeping off my sickness. When I awoke, I went out to find my friends. They were in the Irish Bar (surprise) and still feeling a bit green, didn't stay too long and agreed to meet up the next day. Realizing the 4 month mark of my journey was creeping in, I was feeling the need to come home. I called Angie (best travel agent ever) and changed my flight to leave for San Francisco a few days earlier. I was going to head south for some beach, but hell, it was still rainy season, and I live 6 blocks from the famous South Beach..

So once again I depart Thailand wanting more...but so relieved to be crossing the Pacific.

13 or 14 hours of travel later, I arrived in SFO airport. The customs guy stopped me. Looking at my full passport, he asked me my reason for travelling. I answered 'experience.' He wanted to know how much money I took with me. He wanted to know what I did for a living. I replied 'massage therapist', and he asked me how long I was doing that, I said '3 years'. As he was typing I let him know I would be in town for a week if he needed me. He laughed, handed me my passport, and said 'welcome home'.

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