Day 55. Here we go, Thailand

Funny how fast the world is flying by.

Tomorrow, we port in Thailand, a country that was not on my radar before this.

Thailand is a proud country. It is the only one in Southeast Asia not colonized by a European power. Also, it's the first country on our itinerary not colonized by a european country, so what you see is really what you get... it's authentic Thai through and through.

Thailand is a constitutional monarchy, and the king is highly revered by the nation at large. We were warned many times throughout the past few days leading up to thailand to always be respectful towards the king, and to never make deleterious comments toward him. Thais are so patriotic to their country, in fact, that when you go see a movie, the national anthem, by law is played before hand while the audience rises.

In the words of our professor who spent a year in Thailand, Thailand is a treat for all of the senses, not the least of which is taste. Thai food is supposed to be incredible, and I plan on gaining at least 7 pounds over the next 5 days in their world renowned pad thai noodles alone. I am so excited.

My itinerary is as plans:

Day 1: SAS Trip: Pattaya Elephant Village, hang out in Laem Chabang (where the ship is berthed) at night
Day 2: SAS Trip: Sri Racha Tiger Reserve, then hop a cab north to BANGKOK
Day 3: Bangkok. Hopefully meet up with the UVA med students and tour different ultra-modern hospitals in the city
Days 4-5: All of the sights in Bangkok, riding the famed Chao Phraya river, seeing the grand palace and golden buddha among hundreds of other unique opportunities in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

I should also note that in the past few days the exchange rate has swung in the dollar's direction: 1 USD is equal to 1 Thai Bhat.

I am so unbelievably excited to get off the ship to see the Thai culture. Unlike other places, this doesn't seem like a challenge to my enduracne or my safety, and I can truly relax and soak in a people that are proud of who they are, and proud of their differences.

Today at Logistical Pre-Port, Les and Luke made great points. We are over halfway finished with our voyage, and we can start to see what's happening. Things are changing, they have been, and it's becoming evident. We no longer look at a language barrier as a challenge, but a welcome opportunity. I no longer worry about where I'll sleep in an unknown city, instead, welcome the ability to plan on a whim and take whatever opportunity comes my way. And in traveling, it seems to be opportunity after opportunity.

Thanks for keeping up with me. Can't wait to share more.

Greg