First Steps in Chiang Mai

Uncharted Terrain 1/26/16

Would it be cliche if I told you I’m reading Kerouac? It’s just too enticing.

Though… I haven’t spent much time on the actual road. Mostly, we’ve been cramped on planes or waiting in the Skylounge.

A friend gave me a bottle cap with the words “Be a traveler, not a tourist”, and it’s hard to figure out exactly what that means.

We’ve arrived in our AirBnb. On the 4th floor of an apartment on Sirimungklajarn Road. We’ve eaten the local cuisine, in a restaurant lacking a single English word. And in a few short weeks we will depart for the next city on our list. But where does the distinction lie? Are we travelers?

My gut tells me it’s a state that you have to sink into. Slowly descending, almost unconsciously. Until one day you look back and can’t quite recall how you got there.

I’m hopeful that one day, reading this back will offer a clue.

Compared to our two week jaunt in April of last year, the pace is lazy and stoic. With things being open-ended, there is no rush to see everything. We are letting things come to us.

Also, the time change hasn’t really plagued us severely. It’s as if our minds beat our bodies here. We have been looking forward to this for quite a while.

I’ll continue to write, regardless if you continue to read.

Quick Hits

• We ate a feast of a breakfast, eggs, bacon, coffee, club sandwich… the works. It cost 240 baht, or $6 and change.
• I bought a sim card that gets me 12gb of data for the month. It cost $25
• VOIP (voice over the internet) really works.
• Starbucks is pervasive. 7–11 and Shell Oil are everywhere.