The Eagle has landed

Friday, January 4th. 5:00pm, Chiang Mai Thailand. I left Chicago's O'Hare airport Wednesday 7:50pm and lost 13 hours in the change of time zones.

After getting off the airplane in Chiang Mai I've not a clue as to what to do or where to go. My ex-brother in law advised I wing-it.

" Figure it out when you get there. Don't get ripped off on one of those websites. They'll charge you twice what you should be paying"

 

Worst advice I ever got. My thoughts take me to a vision where I put my hands around my ex brother in laws neck and begin to squeeze until his fucking head pops off but that thought offers me no comfort.

I spent months reading blogs. I thought I was informed but nothing could be farther from the truth.

 

I'm rolling on 36 hours with little if any sleep. I can't make sence of anything. I'm in a forign land half way around the world. I don't know where to go or what to do. I can't understand a word of what these people are saying even when they speak english. It feels hellish and I the fool with no reservation at a place where I can get a good nights sleep. Sleep, I desperately need sleep. I go here then go there to ask about pricing, about rooms. I'm unable to comprehend the simplest things. I grab a brochure with the name of a guesthouse on it and decide to get a cab and give it a try.

 

First I need to get some local currency. I brought two thousand five hundred dollars American money. What I read on-line was to bring hundred dollar bills as they give a better conversion rate to baht. I change in two hundred and get 30.6 to 1. And what I read on-line was true. They convert 100's different than 50's or 20's. This is all the money I have in the world. If I get ripped off I'll be sleeping in the streets or kicked out of the country.  

 

I ask the girl outside for a cab to the guesthouse. She says:

 

"120 baht"

 

"Is that it" I reply

 

"do I not pay the driver"

 

she says, "you pay me and you pay him more"

 

Ok, I  think. I give her 120 baht which is no big deal, $4 in US money. Even if it's a mistake it's a $4 mistake.

 

While waiting for the cab I strike up a conversation with a gentelmen from Canada. He seems like he knows what's going on. I ask him where he's staying and I get the scoop on that guesthouse. --- I change plans right then and decide to give his destination a try. We tell the driver there is a change in my destination. We are both going to the same guesthouse.

 

We drive through a city and traffic is the likes of which I've never seen. my head is spinning with confusion. I feel out of control. The clothes I'm wearing are all wrong. Long sleeved and it's hot out. I'm hot and overheating.

As we drive through the city the canadian points out one massage parlor after the next. I look out the window of the taxi and see nothing. Well, I see but can't comprehend it, not any of it.

 

The cab driver fails to understand my change in destination and takes me to the guesthouse I initially requested. ----------- Eventually we get to the correct guesthouse and I'm both hoping and praying they have a room for me. ----- I get lucky and get a room.

 

This is a nice guesthouse, the Mountain View Inn Guesthouse. They have accomidations for all types of travelers, backpackers and those needing a little more comfort. The only room available is up  front and on the third floor. 450 baht.

 

"Ok. I'll take it"

 

They ask how long and I'm not sure how to respond.

 

"Two nights"

 

I get to my room and collapse in exhaustion but I cannot sleep. My room is up front, facing the very very very very very very very very very very very very very busy street. I'm forced to turn on the AC and fan, then plug my ears with tissue paper dampened.

 

Eventually I fall asleep.