Day 64 - Sunday, April 17 - Bangkok

I took a ride with the annoying American girl from last night to some huge electronics mall as she was looking for a new CD "walkman". We took a tuk tuk and were on our way by 11AM. It was a big 5-story mall with nothing but electronics and music / DVD's. There were computers galore, digital cameras by the thousands, and a few stalls of junk on the bottom level.

We were out of there within 2 hours and I only bought a few things - one of them NOT being a new computer although if I knew that place existed, I would have gone in February and bought a 12-inch Powerbook as there were 2 or 3 stores that carried MAC products. I did manage to find a LARGE suitcase on the bottom floor in the miscellaneous section.

We got a tuk tuk back to Shanti and on the way I realized that somehow the mercury in the last few hours had climbed up to the unbearable to be outside level. I packed my new suitcase and could barely lift it. I can't wait to see what happens when I go through customs at LAX as I hear a few weeks ago they put a ban on WOOD PRODUCTS coming in from Asia as there were some deadly beetles that were being brought into the country unknowingly in various wooden objects.

I then took a walk through the market to the other side of the canal to the flower market as I wanted to buy a few things for the owner and the girls at Shanti for being so great. I found 3 great plants and brought them back and gave them as a token of my appreciation.

By this time, it was so hot and humid that I had to get inside. It was over 100 degrees with ridiculous humidity and it was no time or place for the human species to be outdoors. I hung out at Shanti, shot the shit with Pan and some of the girls and made final preparations for my departure. I went to the market to get some local fruit (i.e. mangosteens and rambutans - see below link) and finally tried Durian. It's not horrible but something I don't want to acquire a taste for. I said I would try it before I left Thailand and I did.

The rest of my few hours in Thailand were spent in the common area (restaurant / bar area) of Shanti just talking to fellow travelers some of whom were also heading home and some that had just started their Thailand adventure as Bangkok seems to be the starting point for most seeing Thailand even if they are mid-trip and coming from neighboring countries.

I said my final goodbye's to Shanti, all the workers and extended family including Rochelle in the travel / internet place and got in the taxi to the airport at 9:00PM.

I'm still not experiencing any of the "sweet" of the "bitter-sweet" feelings that some people talk about prior to returning home from traveling. I've said it numerous times but this really has been the trip of a lifetime and wont forget it as long as I'm capable of remembering.

http://www.samui.org/fruits/