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Published: January 30th 2006
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The Kata Delight
If I had known while sitting in Bangkok that this was what was waiting for me in Phuket, it probably would have helped lift the fog I felt I was living in. After a solid 24 hours of travel, I have finally made it to Bangkok. To say it was or wasn't what I expected is difficult because I don't really think I had an image in my mind of what I thought Bangkok would be like. In any case, from what I did see on the ride to the hotel, it seemed very third-world in parts.
Getting out of New York ended up being QUITE the feat. I dashed out of work on Wednesday and nearly ran onto the subway and home through the snow which had started to fall. First stop was the ATM to take out $100 in cash and then over to a corner bank to trade in my 20's for a "crisp, new, $100 bill" which I was told I would need to enter Burma. Then, thinking I had everything under control, I realized with complete panic that I had forgotten to get the extra passport photos I needed to bring with me. THANK GOD I LIVE IN NEW YORK! Where else in the world could you go out at pretty much any time day or night and find a zillion places able to do passport photos in very short order? So I got my photos done, ran back to the apartment, collected my bird and somehow managed to carry her & her cage outside and to the corner where I hailed a cab and got myself over to a friend of mine's apartment over by Penn Station who had agreed to bird-sit for me.
I continued to feel rushed, hurried, and generally anxious until I found myself at EWR, all checked in, and in the Continental lounge where I let out an audible sigh of relief. I had managed to get everything done that I needed to get done and didn't think I had forgotten anything but a razor which I was sure I could pick up somewhere along the way. Finally it was time to board my 11:10am flight. I got on, settled myself, took an Airborne and a couple of Tylenol PMs determined to sleep my way to Japan. The layover in Japan was pretty short and then boarded my next flight on an airline I've never heard of before. Having used frequent flyer miles to upgrade to first class on the EWR to NRT flight, I had unfortunately discovered my upgrade didn't carryover onto this 8-hour leg where ended up stuffed into the middle seat in the center of the plane between two relatively large gentlemen who seemed to think that every armrest belonged to them. A couple more Tylenol PMs later and I didn't so much care what they did. Finally, we touched down in Bangkok and I was thrilled to step off of the plane.
I can't even describe the joy I felt when I saw my bag coming down the belt at the baggage claim. I know that probably sounds silly, but I honestly was afraid that it might not make it - and what a wretched state of affairs that would have been! But it came...
The hotel is nice enough, but pretty plain. Not that it matters - all I needed to do was sleep, and sleep I did. I woke up around 5am (having turned in at midnight) but I feel pretty rested which is probably partially a result of my body's internal clock being screwed up and of sleeping so much on the planes getting here.
I took a shower under what can best be described as a very large drip, it was really more of a tease than anything - akin to what I would imagine Chinese water torture to be like... Now I'm killing time before I go downstairs and catch the shuttle b ack to the airport for the flight to Phuket.
Trying hard, but right now I just can't shake this foggy feeling...
22 January 2005 This could be the last entry I can make for awhile as I have no idea what the availability of Internet will be after leaving Bangkok... Sorry for the rather quick sign-off from the last time, but as I finished writing, there was a knock on my door. Outside it stood Steve & Katie (two of the people on my trip who were also in the same hotel). They wisked me off for some rather odd breakfast before we collected our things and grabbed a cab back to the airport for our flights to Phuket. Right now I have some time to kill and I found a convenient little internet access point here so I thought I'd jot down just a few notes.
We should be arriving on Phuket around 11am and then boarding the boats in a few days - I can't wait to be out on the water again.
That said, I also should admit that I'm a little scared... I know there's a HUGE discrepancy between what we were hearing it's like on Phuket via CNN & what our contacts in Phuket are saying it's REALLY like; and of course I believe our contacts or I wouldn't be here - however there's still a part of me that's a little uneasy which I think is understandable. I'm sure I'll be fine once I get out to the island and see it for myself.
I will save my other thoughts and reflections for later - consider this just a vital signs check in.
Until later...
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