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Asia 2006 Thailand

A Day in Limbo

Gosh today felt so strange! I did decide to spend last night in Bangkok to see my friend Chris off to the airport at 3am. So basically, I only got 2 hours of sleep before getting up for him to get out the door (I got him a taxi and watched the guy turn on the meter…often at that hour, taxi drivers refuse to use the meter or ask for money above it). Then I went back to sleep for an hour and a half before getting up at 5:15am to get breakfast before catching the Sky Train to Victory Monument and got the van back to Hua Hin at 6:30am, arriving here shortly before 9am. I tried sleeping on the van ride…may have slept a tad bit. After I got back I slept for an hour and a half before class. Then I went to school and came home around 5:30pm, with the intention of napping for a couple of hours. I woke up at 9pm when my cell phone rang! And now I’ m up again, and will hopefully be able to sleep tonight.

As with my experience in Sukhothai, Bangkok is rather interesting at 5:30am. I saw monks wandering around barefoot for their alms as the sun rose above the Sky Train tracks on Thanon (Rd, Ave, Blvd, Dr, etc.) Sukhumvit. I understand that the monks are supposed to be beggars and that it’s traditional for them to walk about barefoot, but it seems like it is a bit contradictory. You remove your shoes when entering a Wat because they are considered filthy. Monks also walk around barefoot at temples. So aren’t they bringing filth into the temple? Especially in a city as dirty as Bangkok. Well, who am I to question tradition?

The other downside about my sleep pattern last night is that today I really don’t feel good at all. I’ve got the whole getting a cold sensation…sore throat, runny nose, etc. Maybe I’ll feel better after a decent rest….or perhaps this was coming all along. I’ve been feeling funky for the past month though. Is this another phase? We’ll see how I feel in the morning.

Next weekend I’m taking it easy. All I’ve got planned is this field trip for my Thai class on Friday. We’re going to Phetchaburi to visit a couple of Thai schools, visit these famous Buddha-filled caves, and have dinner at a Thai restaurant. Other than that, I’ve got a paper to write over the weekend.

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By Aaron

Hey there! I'm Aaron and this is my travel site, where I document my adventures to all corners of the world. My love for travel started at the ripe old age of four, when a midlife crisis uprooted my family to Ecuador for five years. Since then, I've been to countries on 4 different continents. When I'm not blissfully on the road, I reside in New York City, where I become the ultimate travel junkie and spend my days dreaming up my next great adventure! Read More...

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