First meditations on Travel
6 March 2003
It's amaing how a few lungfulls of carbon monoxide tinged with sewer stink can bring back a flood of happy memories. Just one step outside of the Bangkok airport and I could feel the transition into a new state of mind: traveling. Worries that consumed my thoughts mere hours ago didn't seem so damned important. Instead I stare dumbfounded into the future, wondering what adventures the next few months will bring.
On Wednesday my friends threw a fantastic going-away party. I'd leave and return every week if it insured having such an incredible gathering. If you were there, you know what I mean and you have my heartfelt thanks for coming. I am one lucky guy to know all of you.
Everything changed the moment I clicked "Buy Now" for my one-way ticket. Suddenly the mountains seemed twice as beautiful, the sky twice as blue. I noticed every Colorado sunset and the smell of pine trees. But really, "Seemed" is not the right word, is it? The mountains really are beautiful and the sunsets are there even when I'm too worried about my latest worry. And my friends were incredible even before I decided to step off the continent for a while.
The Dirt
The flights coming here were smooth and the 24 hours of travel time passed remarkably fast. While on my a 4 hour layover in Taipai, I met Jason from Minnesota who had his guitar with him for his trip to teach English in China. "I don't plan on returning the US," he said. "It's just not the right place anymore." The terminal was mostly empty at 5am, but the few folks who were there got to hear him play an acoustic bossa nova version of Radiohead's "Paranoid Android."
But now I'm in Bangkok hanging out with my new friends Carlos and Kate from New Mexico. Yesterday I bought a towel and today I'll go shopping for tickets to Nepal. Not much has changed here on Kao San road; I swear that I recognize some of the tuk-tuk drivers from before!
There is not much to report, but the air here—sewer smell and all—is humming with possibility!