It's been like a dream so far...
I remember the San Francisco airport. I remember the group of China Airlines stewardesses passing dressed in regal purple with their porcelin faces almost as if they were flower petals blowing by perfuming the wind as they went. In that moment I loved them. I remember another guy my age looking at me incredulously when I told him that it was a 13-hour flight. What did you think? You're crossing the entire Pacific Ocean. Then I don't see him until I find him in the middle of Taipei airport shotgunning beers at 7 a.m. with some Chinese guy he'd just met.
The flight was pretty much a blur. I drifted in and out of consciousness. Waking up long enough to watch X-Men 2 and select between my two breakfast options: french toast with sausage or rice and nasty shrimp in a weird broth (they had another name for it).
We crossed the international dateline chasing darkness so even though I never saw the sun I left late in the night on Wednesday and arrived early morning on Friday. My old ex-navy roommate used to tell me about the things they would do to people the first time they crossed equator; I envisioned something of the sort with the other passengers throwing rotten fruit and insulting us in Chinese. But nothing, not even a funny feeling in your stomach as you cross the line.
Anyway, I've arrived safe and sound in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. Where I'm staying is in the old part of the city. Originally it was surrounded by a wall and a moat. The moat remains but only bits and pieces of the wall are still there. It's such a dense and twisting network of streets that I have yet to venture more than a few blocks from where I'm staying without getting lost. I'm feeling rather relaxed after having a traditional Thai massage at a government center that teaches blind people how to do massage.
So far, it's a little disorienting. I'm used feeling very confident in my ability to get around. Here if it's not in English there is no way know what it says; Thai script might as well be Chinese characters to my eyes. I walked by one restaurant that had the word "Menu" on their menu translated and nothing else. I thought, that's helpful. At least you know whatever you order is probably going to be good.
I remember the San Francisco airport. I remember the group of China Airlines stewardesses passing dressed in regal purple with their porcelin faces almost as if they were flower petals blowing by perfuming the wind as they went. In that moment I loved them. I remember another guy my age looking at me incredulously when I told him that it was a 13-hour flight. What did you think? You're crossing the entire Pacific Ocean. Then I don't see him until I find him in the middle of Taipei airport shotgunning beers at 7 a.m. with some Chinese guy he'd just met.
The flight was pretty much a blur. I drifted in and out of consciousness. Waking up long enough to watch X-Men 2 and select between my two breakfast options: french toast with sausage or rice and nasty shrimp in a weird broth (they had another name for it).
We crossed the international dateline chasing darkness so even though I never saw the sun I left late in the night on Wednesday and arrived early morning on Friday. My old ex-navy roommate used to tell me about the things they would do to people the first time they crossed equator; I envisioned something of the sort with the other passengers throwing rotten fruit and insulting us in Chinese. But nothing, not even a funny feeling in your stomach as you cross the line.
Anyway, I've arrived safe and sound in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. Where I'm staying is in the old part of the city. Originally it was surrounded by a wall and a moat. The moat remains but only bits and pieces of the wall are still there. It's such a dense and twisting network of streets that I have yet to venture more than a few blocks from where I'm staying without getting lost. I'm feeling rather relaxed after having a traditional Thai massage at a government center that teaches blind people how to do massage.
So far, it's a little disorienting. I'm used feeling very confident in my ability to get around. Here if it's not in English there is no way know what it says; Thai script might as well be Chinese characters to my eyes. I walked by one restaurant that had the word "Menu" on their menu translated and nothing else. I thought, that's helpful. At least you know whatever you order is probably going to be good.
Labels: Thailand
posted by Hobbs at 9:35 PM
3 Comments:
Okay, what I want to know is why there is no mention of Zoe anywhere in your blog. Don't you think that people would want to know about that? And it seems that Zoe and I are the only ones reading your blog therefore I would think that it would be appropriate for the said audience to be included. (Me too)! By the way August might like to be mentioned too. Thailand is great and everything and we deeply care about your experience however we want to see our names in print dammit! Get on it bitch!
love Hollie
By the way, just get used to this, there is more to come. Much, much, much, much, much more.
Affectionatly,
Hollie
sounds like your trip is off to a good start! I can't wait to hear more..
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