Here I am, back at the Rainbow Guest House at Khao San Road, Bangkok. I had meant to spend these last couple days catching up on stories from China and everything I missed in Vietnam, but I instead spent it wandering and reflecting on where I had been and how I had changed in these past two months.
Mostly, I was just plain tired. Two months living out of a backpack and crashing in hostel dorms and air mattresses just about bled my energy and comfort levels dry and right around the end of my time in Beijing I was very ready to go home. This was partially the result of the physical stress of traveling, but mostly I had reached a point where I was tired of traveling being the only thing that I did. I began to feel uncharacteristically unproductive and longing just to DO something. Anything.
I realize that this will be the only time in my life where my only responsibility is finding the next cool tourist site to visit, but despite how much I've loved it, it grew thin near the end. One important thing I've learned about myself in these past few months has been that I could never be one of those people who simply does nothing. It's nothing against those people; it's just not me. I missed my desk and computer and cup of coffee in the morning. I missed afternoon runs. I missed studying or working on something. And I think that's a very good thing.
Over the next couple weeks I'm going to work on telling all the stories that I have missed and I'm excited (because there are some really good ones). But to sum it all up in an irresponsibly similar format...
Things I've eaten: pad thai, all kinds of curries, Burmese noodles, the freshest fruit and juices I've ever had, scorpions, crickets, chicken hearts, chicken heads, pho, chao, com, stingray, squid, dumplings in the best restaurant in Asia, and all kinds of authentic Chinese food that absolutely destroyed my stomach
Things I've ridden: planes, trains (regular and insanely high-speed), buses, vans (with maniac drivers), tuk-tuks, my motorbike (miss you, Nixon), elephants (miss you too, Lotus Flower)
Things I wish I saw more of: southern Vietnam, Shanghai, soccer, the Angkor temples
Things I saw too much of: Bangkok
I maybe could have done a bit more but I definitely could have done a hell of a lot less, and the fact that I'm ready to go home is an indication that I made the most of my time. I may return some day. I may not. Either way, this place will always be a part of me. And I'm glad for that.
