Lara and I arrived to Bangkok yesterday, exhausted from a long 17 hour plane ride and found ourselves at Suvarnabhumi Airport kindaaaaa lost in translation. After going through customs and collecting our baggage, we managed our way through the exit doors. I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed and a bit frightened. I kept thinking in my head, "who let us out of America?". Two 5'2-4ft, petite, dark-skinned Filipina girls--- who will later be mistaken for Thai women curiously roaming about Bangkok with the sincerest intentions of contributing to humanity.
Who. Let. Us. Out?
Despite my hesitation, I knew that there was something more. Something that will all be well worth this year long planning. Something quite profound and inspirational enough to keep me here. We fall in the queue for a taxi cab. We've been advised by the organization along with several guide books to steer clear from any offers from drivers lingering among the outskirt of the airport. Finally, after getting a cab, our eyes lit us as we drove passed the airport and into the city of Bangkok. We are finally here. We passed several large signs as we left the airport that greeted us in funny squiggly characters that read "Welcome to Thailand, the Land of Smiles". Such an awesome feeling!
I'm alive!
Prior to the trip, we contacted PK who will be hosting us at Isara to ask for any last minute tips and info. He provided us with these helpful cards that will later get us to several destinations.
The hotel we stayed at was in the middle of a university loop. University students with school bags and bundles of books, a myriad of street food sellers, clutched business men and miscellaneous Bangkok locals populated our crowded area. I still continued to think to myself: Wow, I'm really here, not knowing a lick of the Thai language.... andddd still alive! Anyway, Lara already made her judgments about the hotel we stayed at, so I suppose I'll just link it here.
After staying at the hotel for a day (managing to fall asleep for several hours and waking up into a night filled with rampant music in a nearby market outside our hotel), we made our way to Nong Khai via train ride. The train ride here was approximately 12 hours long---almost as long as our first flight to Taipei.
Traveling is so exhausting. -___-
While we were on the train, I sat next to a fellow traveler. A man of Indonesian & European descent, traveling to Laos solo. We did the preliminary salutations and inquiries about how our paths have managed to cross at that very moment. He has a repose to him that anyone would mistaken as an affinity. Dick works for the government of Holland once as a researcher (forget in what) and now currently working with the homeless, fund raising for future expenses to house the homeless along with other retention programs that may help this community as well. We also converse about the adaptation to lifestyles in which we can afford that allows us to do such life changing things like traveling. He reminds me that there are people in the world, who refuse to settle for jobs that reap meager rewards. Conceding to this culture takes a toll on you. I know that it did for me while I was working in finance. I enjoy being reminded that there are still people like this in the world that can work in occupations like this, be able to travel and live a healthy lifestyle.
It's beautiful to know that people live for something greater than themselves.
Here are a few shots I took of and outside of the train station and the train itself. I've also recorded a little video as well.
** for Bryan because I know you hate corn. This cart is definitely not for you. =]
More updates to come! We are off to Isara now! Wish us luck.
awesome!
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