Amy leaves; we are still friends; future plans

Bamgkok, August 17, 2006

It is with sorrow that I note the departure of Amy two days ago. By now she should be home from her hellish crossing (almost two complete days in length between Bangkok and Boston).

After travelling with your friend for a month spending almost every waking moment together, you get to know them much better. I can recommend with confidence to anyone who doesn't know Amy this well, you should, and if you ever have the opportunity to travel with her and you turn it down, you're missing something great. I'm sad that I won't have her insights into the cultures I explore next or her navigation prowess to draw upon. Somehow she managed to endure my somewhat more relaxed pace of travel with grace (as well as my impulse to photograph everything), and I am happy to report that we are still fond of each other. She even threatens to meet up with me wherever I am at Winter break (assuming I'm not back in the states by then). I miss her already.

Additionally, she let me win three games of Iron Dragon, beating me eight or ten times in the process. Anyone who has ever played any strategic game with Amy understands I report this statistic with a puffed up chest.

Right now I'm in Bangkok again, working on blog entries, relaxing a bit, and getting the details of the next stage of the journey (India) set. I've put my visa request in motion, and it should be done a week from today. So, tomorrow I fly back to Chiang Mai (my favorite place so far) and from there I'll move on to Pai, the place that Amy saw and loved but I missed, and hike for a bit. I fly back to Bangkok on the 24th to pick up my visa, and then on the evening of Saturday the 26th I fly to Delhi.

I hope to be caught up on blog entries soon- I know it must be confusing when these things get posted out of order. There's still at least two entries coming for the Angkor temples, but there's so many photos to choose from.

Right now I'm back in the land of searingly spicy, tofu-laden vegetable based food, and my body is loving me for it.

Long Live the King!