A Train Ride to Hua Hin

Pronounced "wa hin", just in case it matters.

7 days in Bangkok today and we are headed out of town for a vacation, (a vacation from a vacation perhaps).

I am overwhelmed with where to begin as I sit inside the resin with wind blowing my face..... How cliche it all is. Is it that we have been taught these are the moments of reflection or do the elements bring out the reflections?

We moved into our new home right before we hopped a fairy to catch a taxi to get on a train. It's a great place with a couple (American man and Thai woman). We are on the 3rd floor with a big room. The bathroom resides on the 1st floor. Our room has a balcony and big "windows", a bed, a desk, a chair, and a fan. We have nothing to buy except toilet paper a local cell phone two umbrellas and a bandana (it's sweaty here).

It only took us 2 days to find this place, one encounter with a heroin addict, one encounter with upper class hotels, two amazing meals, a total of 12 hours trying to find our way and getting lost.

So back to where do I begin with reflection, please excuse my ADD as a western doctor would say, as I write of this journey.

Let's go over the basics:
15 million people
A tonal language
2 farangs (white people)
Buses, trains, taxis, tuk tuks, saweangs, and mopeds

It looks like a disaster, total chaos. Except it is not, it's incredibly well organized. This culture doesn't seem to take much personally. With a predominant Buddhist influence everyone keeps it together. As the saying goes Mai bpen rai. "So it is".

In the west we drive like its all ours, as if no one else is on the road or has anywhere to be, sometimes dwelling in the fact that some "jerk" cut us off.

I equate this to an ego battle. To us thinking that our destination is more important than those we share the world with.
We tend to not contain ourselves and our emotions as well as Thai people. We appear a bit more eager to throw our personal shit out there in the world.

Now with all that said..... What is the consequence of a behavior that hides what's going on inside?
Corruption at some of the deepest levels.

All in all we have met incredible and helpful people. I am stoked to be here. And we have already made connections with people that share our intentions or similar ones.

I leave you with food for thought, I hope. Next time you are on the road and a car gets in front of you or a light goes red, and you feel frustrated simply Mai bpen rai. It's no big deal. No one is out to get you except yourself :)
A train ride to Hua Hin.... The perfect time to write!

Sa wut de ka!