In Vancouver

What can I say about Day 2? Thank goodness it is done.

I have never wanted to be back in Canada in my whole life. And now being back in Edmonton can't come soon enough.

And this mini blog is now wrapped up.

Thanks for the support, everyone.

Day 1 in Bangkok

This first day was pretty eventful I would say. I didn't go out in Bangkok to try and do touristy things but just stuck to what was around Chan's place.

Chan, Nuck (his wife), Windy (daughter), and Rintoo (son) came back to their home around 11AM. The two kids are so opposite. Windy is 9, mild mannered, very polite, respectful, and acts older than her age. She is very intelligent. She knows 4 languages, plays 2 instruments, swims and plays hockey, and is at the top of her class. Rintoo is 4 and very rambunctious, jumping on anything he can, constantly running around, and never listening to his parents. He accident my threw Wind's phone is the pond we were at, but Windy didn't get mad at him or anything. The two of them are a fun combination.

We went out for supper to have real Thai food. Here's an interesting fact: coconut rice is not Thai at all! I asked two separate people and they has to ask me to explain what I meant. However, their desserts are all coconut based! Yum!

After supper we played a couple of fair type games as a market had been set up in the outdoor mall due to it being Thai New Years. I also poured water over some Buddhist statues which is supposed to guarantee the person a spot in heaven!

My Dad is doing well, but rests a lot. Tomorrow we go to his apartment to retrieve all his belongings. I'm sure that will be interesting.

Hope everyone is Canada is doing well.

Pictures: coconut cream/milk based dessert, fish for supper, Rintoo and Windy (Chan's kids), flowers that Rintoo kept picking for me 

Coincidence?

I don't think this was just a coincidence.

When I was walking to my seat for the 13 hour flight, I realized that this plane was huge. There was easily 300+ people on this flight. I found my seat at the back of the plane and sat next to a girl named Nuch. She was doing her MBA in Victoria and was going home to Thailand for a couple of weeks. And, we were catching the same flight to Bangkok! Here's the thing though. I'm sure that isn't that unusual because I bet the timing worked the best with the timing of the one flight landing and the other taking off. The unusual part was that on this flight to Bangkok, she was sitting directly in front of me. Our whole section had empty seats but there were about 2 other sections filled with people, but we somehow ended up next to each other again. It was nice to have a friend on the flights and have someone to tell me about Bangkok and wait with me while Chan picked me up at the airport. Some things are just too unlikely and work out too well to be a coincidence.

Traveling to Bangkok complete.

Time To Try Some True Thai!

The beginning of this trip starts in the middle of it all.

Flights booked less than 3 days ago. Travel insurance, Thai Baht, visa stuff that wasn't needed, a semi plan. It's pretty amazing that I have had support from family, friends, and work to do this needed trip.

I usually plan trips for months before anything comes to fruition. Having to plan an abroad trip in under 3 days was definitely more on the stressful side, but now that I'm in Vancouver, I feel relaxed. Of course, my Broham and Dad's friend helped make this happen.

This trip will be unlike one I have ever taken. I have not done any research as to what I'll do there for the 2  days. The flight from Vancouver to Hong Kong will be a whopping 13 hours, which I have never experienced. I wonder how much sleeping I can do to kill some of that time! What an adventure this will be and it will be great to see my Dad in a country he loves.

For now, all I think about is the present as everything feels too surreal. So I will wander Van. Intl. Airport with my yellow  backpack which has assisted me to Machu Picchu, accompanied me during my Env. Health program, and now acts as my sole piece of luggage holding everything I'll need on this trip. Next on my list to do in the airport: walk the duty free with their sparkly black floors which make me feel like a movie star, get some food that will be safe to eat once I'm in Hong Kong, and make sure I know how to use a Thai toilet.

Here is food for thought: if I were to stay in Bangkok which is 13 hours ahead, will I actually have lived 13 hours less when compared to other Thai people, when using age as the measurement?

--> I think so, right?

Pictures: Ben and I right before I take off to catch my first flight, movie star walk way, and my trusty backpack.