Sawadikaa…Thailand

So Thailand was meant to be a break from adventures and family time! It was nice seeing my parents for the first time in 4 months. Looking back, I left home in June not knowing what was ahead of me. So many things have happened since June. Summer Camp, New York, Semester at Sea. 4 months seemed like a year! Yes, I missed my friends and family. But I didn’t miss being at home. Wouldn’t trade living on this ship for anywhere else in the world.

First day in Thailand, Alex and I headed to Pattaya. Now Pattaya, I was familiar with. In May, the sailors and I spent a week in Pattaya racing in the Top of the Gulf races, and almost every night, we’d be at walking street…walking.

Yes..Alex and I went to the ping pong show. I call it the circus. Not only were there ping pongs, there were needles, a cigarette, whistle and things beyond your wildest imaginations. It was a circus alright.

On our way back to the hostel, we passed this roadside stall selling meatball soup noodles. The smell was so irresistible that I had to stop and get a bowl. Thinking about it now still makes my mouth water... After that, I got 2 ice creams, and a crepe. It is impossible to not gain weight in that country.

The following day, we took a 2 hr long bus ride to Bangkok and I headed straight for Arnoma Hotel where I met Daddy and Mommy, while Alex went elephant hunting in Kanchanapuri.

I missed my parents…It was a nice change to be pampered and not have to worry about money, or how to get from here to there or dirty toilets. I was soooo exhausted from all the planning and traveling that all I wanted to do was recharge and chill.

The first night in Bangkok, they took me to Chinatown for local food, then for Thai massage. So…all these times, all those business trips in Thailand…this is what they really do….living the life. Then, it was more shopping the next day for shampoo, food and all those necessities, plus a haircut and a facial before heading to Pattaya again and back to the ship!

Updates from home – brothers got a new girlfriend, the other brother had an annoying Taiwanese exchange student come stay at the house with him for 2 weeks, we might be moving into the new house in December (yay!!), Jennifer went back to Philippines, bird flew away..everything else pretty much was status quo. This trip, my parents got to come aboard the ship and see my cabin, where I eat, where I have classes at, where I sit around and chill. Daddy said he wouldn’t live on the ship even if someone paid him to. Claustrophobia, he said. I on the other hand would live here forever if I could. Well, if only I could choose who I sail with, then that’ll be perfect!

6 days of intense intense academic responsibilities before India!