2002-02-11

Going home

I am making my final entry on board a 747 over the Pacific. Thailand was incredible. It was wonderful to see Botter again. Thailand was like a grand feast set out before me but there was only enough time to sample a few dishes. It was just enough flavor of the country to make me crave more.

The best time to visit is the cool, dry season between mid-November and mid-February which, as luck has it, is exactly the time when Seattle is at its worst. The weather during this season reminded me of summer in Seattle. The days are warm and the nights are cool.

If you're visiting for the first time you will probably want to see Bangkok but if you're like me you'll soon escape the larger cities and get out into the countryside. I had no strong desire to visit Bangkok on this trip.

Some have said that northern Thailand is a motorcyclist's paradise. It might very well be true. If you want to rent a bike and explore northern Thailand I can recommend Joe's Bike in Chiang Mai (phone 053-251186, email is tole@loxinfo.co.th) They probably won't remember me but tell them I sent you anyway.

Keeping this journal updated has required a lot more time than I expected. Taking the photos, sometimes more than a hundred a day, is the easy part. Sorting through them to select the most interesting examples and editing those for the web page takes, on average, an hour a day. Composing the text takes about the same amount of time. Even though I tried to do it in the evenings I know that it inevitably took time away from gathering the experiences themselves. On the plus side there was pleasure in knowing that I was taking my friends and my family along with me every step of the way and it helped me to feel connected.

I travelled alone which gave me the luxury to go when I wanted to go and write when I wanted to write. That won't be the case on the largest segment as I will be travelling with ten or eleven others. It may not be possible to update the journal in the same manner but at the very least I will take photos and keep notes along the way.

A journal, even a book, can't mention everything. I didn't describe the great reverence the people feel for their king and queen. Everywhere you go, in any office, any store and almost every home, you will find their portraits. This is no cult of personality. The affection the people have for their king and queen is deep and genuine. They accept that politicians and military may be corrupt but their king and queen live only to improve the lives of the Thai people. Though the monarchy holds no constitutional power their moral authority is absolute and beyond question. But like any moral authority it must be exercised with discretion lest it weaken so the king intervenes only in moments of greatest crisis. Do not insult or even joke about the monarchy in Thailand.

Another item worth mentioning are the internet cafes in Thailand. These are usually just three or four old computers networked together and sharing a single modem connection. The connections are slow and unreliable but the ability to keep in touch wherever I went was comforting. I hope to find the same thing on the rest of my journey.

I never once felt fear for my possessions or personal safety (with the exception of the traffic.) Crime is not unknown in Thailand but you are safer here than in almost any city in the U.S. Once you get out of the larger cities the traffic eases up and isn't dangerous.

The people were always friendly and likeable. I was treated with kindness and generosity every where I went but the most wonderful thing about the Thais is their complete lack any pretense to formality. They are honest and direct in a way that is pure and seems almost childlike. It is refreshing.

I've learned more about the elephants. They have a lifespan and working years that are practically identical to humans. Biologists consider their intelligence to be on a par with dolphins and whales. The relationship between driver and elephant is one-to-one, for life. They build a strong bond as they grow up together and work together. It isn't unusual for an elephant to refuse to follow instructions from a different driver.

That's it for now. If you got this far and whether you enjoyed or disliked the journal let me know. I'm also interested in knowing if the format is working. Some pages have a many large pictures and it may be too much for people with slow connections or small screen sizes.