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My crossing back into Thailand was evidential that geographical proximity bears no neccesary reference to cultual similarities, as the shock I received, was apparent:

-- Border crossing: Huay Xai Laos to Chiang Khong Thailand --

In the morning, we stamped out of Huay Xai and went across the river to Chiang Khong; the border on the Thai side. The friendly immigration official on the other side stamped our re-entry visas and arranged for two motorbikes to carry us free of charge to the bus station. The buses were all full and so we purchased tickets on the local bus to Chiang Mai. Seven hour journeys have become a thing of normality and we were happy to board the bus. What we did find bizarre however, was the reverse culture shock we were experiencing. After a whole month in Laos, Thailand (a developing country) suddenly seemed.... developed, orderly and industrialised. Jeez. Shops, roads, houses, banks..

Thailand; round two

Asha Patel
2006-08-23 10:40:55

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way. Kat thought the day's events were all too much and decided she needed some pampering. Back in town, she spent no less than three hours at Shewa Spa getting facials, waxing, massages and manicures. I joined her for part of the pampering but soon got bored and left for more conversational depth with the German lads.

That night, our last in South East Asia (and for Kat, the last in a 12month travel feat), we dined at an exquisite restaurant, washing our food down with Mai Tai cocktails. Dessert was street stall banana and chocolate pancakes with three scoops of vanilla and tamarind ice cream. The evening took a pleasant unexpected turn when I realised that my favourite guitarist was back in town! Chilling to the mellow sounds of his strings, we sat in the bar past 11pm at which point the bar turned into a nightclub. Sort of. It was a weird set up, but, with music as good as that, nobody was gonna stop me from strutting my stuff! Others followed suit and we soon had a swing going. Hour upon hour we agreed how it'd be sensible to go home. Then didn't. We eventually left well past midnight and en route home we stopped for a speciality that can only be experienced here in SEA - another foot massage, out in the open air, en route home from a nightclub, for half an hour, and half the price of a bar of chocolate back home. I'm gonna miss Bangkok. We shoved our belongings into our sacks aggressively, pushing everything in until it all fit. By 3am we were done. We showered, dressed into our clothes for the morning, and rested our heads until 5am when our airport taxi arrived.

Thursday 08 June 2006. Bangkok International Airport.

Arrived at BKK airport, tongue thick and mouth parched. My eyes were heavy and my head throbbed in sync with the waves of nausea that motioned through me. Weeks of physical endurance, emotional turbulence and mental stress were combining to send my body signals that I needed rest. We had breakfast together: hot chocolate and blueberry muffin in the stillness of the early morning. Although our final farewell held tears, they were short and held the assured brievity of knowing that we'd meet again, for more than just a travel companion, in Kat I found a friend. She has been as sparkly as the summer sun and definitely brightened the duller days of my trip. I have made far too many Canadian friends over the course of my travels not to make a trip there and in any case, the pair of us may well be working in Asia togther next year. Once she'd gone, I lay my head down on my luggage, closed my eyes, and, in the now busy, noisy, bustling bkk airport, I slept, dreaming vividly of all my memories in the region. As she boards her plane homebound for Canada, I bid farewell not only to Kat, but to my whole South East Asian experience. Having grown accustomed to it, that acclimatisation soon develops into a level of unshakeable attachment as the initial blow dealt to the senses soon heals and develops immunity to the unpleasantries that are first felt. So, despite all my initial qualms, I do love it. As with India, I share a love/hate relationship with SEA such that I am somewhat sad to leave. Sad but very, very, excited to be going to a city that instills an instinctual sense of attraction, without my having ever been there. Hong Kong, here I come...