Rush hour in Bangkok.
Just came from the train station, booked a sleeper train north, instead of east. Got here by motorcycle taxi. Considering my previous injuries I shouldn't be touching a bike here in Thailand, but it's rush hour, and the only way to get anywhere in under an hour are the motorbike taxis. He gave me this little plastic baseball cap, which would do absolutely nothing in the event of an accident. But he was careful as he weaved through choked traffic, between diesel busses and tuk-tuks while blaring his horn nonstop. It all went fine until i got off, and he tipped his bike just the wrong way so I had to lean my leg into the exhaust pipe. I have a nice big red farang tattoo now burned into my calf, and another lesson about avoiding bikes in Thailand.
Traveling alone does something odd to your sense of direction. Perhaps it's just the way that i've been approaching the rest of my trip, but goddamnit, since my last missive i've been stuck in Bangkok. I was driven and focused, pointed eastward, ready to jump on the 5am train to the Cambodian border two days ago. It was Pete and Roxy's last night in Thailand, and we were sitting off khao san eating seafood. I'm thinking: "Goodbye Bangkok! See you on my way home!" Carefully planning out my last few weeks here.
Someone we met up north - a Canadian named Shabir popped off the street and told us where he'd been. This happens all the time on Khao San; people appear from nowhere.
"Volunteer work with aids orphans on the border of Laos."
Listening to him talk about it, I could feel myself shifting gears.
I have no excuses. I have no responsibilities. Bump Cambodia to priority two, scratch Angkor Wat for now, turn 45 degrees and go north.
It seems like these kinds of opportunities are in one's periphery all the time, but something else is always happening. It didn't register up front, but i've been looking for something like this. I need to take a step out of my comfort zone, and be away from westerners for a bit. I'm tired of being an observer, tired of sightseeing. I trust very few farang who say they've "seen" Thailand after being here for a month or two.
I haven't yet.
So i'm leaving tonight, after three nights with Bacchus in Bangkok behind me. Going north, towards the acquisition of perspective.
Will update soon.
Love,
Tobias