My early worries before the trip were baseless. While my usual planning was as helpful as always; Thailand was more than ready to open its arms to Colin and me. Perhaps even more than western Ireland, the Thai people displayed true hospitality and showed us that they were very happy to have us in their country. Thailand is a wonderful place. Before we began planning this trip, Thailand, Bangkok, and Southeast Asia in general seemed like some of the most distant and exotic places on the planet. Movies I had seen (such as “The Beach”) combined with songs like “One Night in Bangkok” created an illusion of unpredictable dangers. In reality, Thailand, including Bangkok, seemed a lot safer than Chicago and I was underwhelmed by expected challenges. While the sex shows in Pat Pong, markets with
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