Thailand

I have arrived safely in Thailand (but not terribly happy at the moment, because this keyboard is HORRENDOUS, and I am paying by the minute!). I kept expecting my stomach to start doing flip-flops as I was on the plane, for this is the first place no one was going to meet me or house me or feed me. I am totally on my own. But, much to my amazement, I was totally calm. I probably was just still asleep...

Upon arriving in Bangkok, the pilot got on the intercom and said, "Welcome to.......... Well, honestly I cannot pronounce the name." I don't know why not... the airport is called Suvarnabhumi. I mean it just ROLLS off the tongue! I was delighted to find that my backpack made the 40 minute layover in Doha and was waiting for me past immigration. I hopped on the bus to the backpackers' area of town (with lots of other backpackers from all over, it sounded like), and we came into Banglamphu. I couldn't help thinking it felt a bit like the Amazing Race, as I assumed that they would also all be searching for rooms as soon as we got off the bus.

I started wandering down alleys off the main road, following wherever I saw a sign that said Guest House. I think at the 4th or 5th place they had a room. At $7, I grabbed it. So what if the window actually goes into the bathroom, or that as I was checking in at 9 am, a bunch of very drunk people were just coming home from the night out. It had a bed and a pillow (and that is ALL it had), so I crashed for two hours. Then I headed out to find some food and water (it is amazing how the whole Wants v Needs thing is forefront in my mind now), and went back to one of the other guest houses to see if they had a room yet. They did, and so in a few minutes I'll be switching to a nicer, quieter, cheaper (if you can imagine!) place.

I have a lunch date for tomorrow with an elderly friend of my aunt. She is coming to collect me at some hotel nearby. It was comical trying to spell the name of the hotel or her trying to write down my phone number. Might be a miracle if we actually meet!

I think I need to find a new keyboard as soon as this coin runs out, because I am rapidly developing carpal tunnel syndrome (or however you spell it)....

Anyway, sawat-dii from Thailand!