Don't Have A Cow Man

I arrived in Bangkok safe and sound...but not without many a hiccup....

It started out with me going to the wrong terminal in San Diego. They told me to just jump on the red bus and it will take me to the correct terminal. So I went outside and there was a red bus ready and waiting. Unfortunately there is a difference between THE red bus and A red bus. A red bus takes you to downtown San Diego and THE red bus takes you to the next terminal. Luckily I didn't get too far before I realized the mistake or else I would have inadvertently traded my Thailand vacation for the Gaslamp. I had no idea that San Diego was such a single color town.

Next my flight was delayed so I almost missed my connecting flight in LA. But a very nice young man escorted me to the front of the line so I was right on time for my flight. Thanks guy! This, however, will prove to be a bit of an issue later on...

After an uneventful 18 hours of sitting I arrived in Bangkok. Even though I didn't sleep much (I also didn't pretend to be an 80's rocker or read my Thailand book...I have no idea what I actually did accomplish during that day) I was excited and energized to finally be in Bangkok! However, I soon found out that they didn't show my luggage the same special treatment in LA and my bag was nowhere to be found.

The luggage lady (I'm sure she has a much more official title) kept me there for a while because there was a "contender" that may be my bag. I took that to mean that there was a fighting chance that my luggage was here with me all along! Unfortunately she actually was saying "container" and it turns out what that really means is they have no idea what is going on and they would like me to leave while they figure it out. So I told the luggage lady where I was staying and she said that they would send the bag to me when it gets here. Suprisingly I was not stressed at all that everything I packed was missing. I know that it will get here at some point and until then I will be sporting my pj's around the city.

So off to my hotel. I spent the majority of the bus ride in a daze but luckily looked up just as we were passing my hotel! There is no way that I would have found it otherwise. Lindy gave me a great recommendation and the hotel is simple, clean, and safe. I've spent the majority of the morning exploring the local area, eating delicious food with unknown ingredients, and assuring the tuk tuk drivers that I in fact do not want to take a tour to the Great Buddha.

I've also done quite a bit of window shopping just in case I do have to replenish my wardrobe. I'm in the very touristy part of town so there are a ton of options out there that essentially look like my clothes but are a fraction of the price. I had no idea I was so internationally trendy - or perhaps stereotypical:) I also saw a Bart Simpson "Don't Have a Cow Man" shirt that I almost bought. Both because it's Bart Simpson and because I think that is an excellent theme for the past 30 hours of my life. If I hadn't taken that philosophy I would surely have a whole herd by now.

So to recap - got lost in my home town, lost 18 hours of my life, then lost everything I brought with me, am sweating through my pj's, oh...and I just walked through new fresh paint and tracked it all over Bangkok! But I am still having so much fun and can't imagine it any other way!

Happy Father's Day Dad!