Made it!

Hi Friends,

I am writing to you from an internet cafe in a huge seven story mall in Bangkok. I'm surrounded by little Thai kids playing computer games. I am very tall. I spent the last 32 hours either sitting on a plane or in a terminal so I was very happy to land at 12:45pm today. I don't know how often I will be blogging, and when I do there probably won't be pictures, but I figure this is an okay way to let people know what I am up to.

Highlights So Far:

Met two girls from WPI (where my brother and my best friend went to college) in the airport in Bahrain.

Saw a woman in a full burqa talking on a smart phone and using a public computer to check her Facebook page. Also, a mom and daughter in full burqa and their husband/dad in jeans and flannel. An interesting meet up of traditional and modern practices.

Figured out how to take the train system to my hotel from the airport with only mild awkwardness.

Saw some amazing, amazing architecture and neighborhoods from the train.  It's really interesting how the water is integrated into the layout of neighborhoods here. Lots of ponds and rivers and streams with houses all around.

Tonight I will search out a restaurant my brother suggested and tomorrow I apply for my Myanmar visa, buy train tickets to Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai, and explore Chinatown. I've got three days here in Bangkok before heading North to Chiang Mai, Pai and Mae Hong Son and plan to do a nighttime river cruise to see the temples lit up, and visit the Imperial Palace before leaving.

When I was on my road trip a few years ago I met up with my mother's cousin in Boulder. I had never met her before, but we had lunch and got along great. Turns out that we'll both be in Chiang Mai, Thailand at the same time a few days from now, so we'll be meeting up for dinner. Small world.

Okay, time is running up on my internet access and I need some ice cream and more weather appropriate clothing.

I love you guys,
Bea