"Est-ce qu'il difficile a fermer?" Or some sort of rhetorical-esque French question came at me with a laugh as I was sitting on top of my suitcase pleading with my zippers. My new purple suitcase was international carry on size and in my mind had truly looked expandable. So much for putting everything in one bag and checking it so I had no carry on.
(Just today at Don Mueang, the airport that I flew in and out of with Air Asia (the underwear airline) suspended carry on bag screenings because of delays. I am super thankful I missed this what looks like a fiasco. http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/628440/don-mueang-drops-carry-on-bag-screenings-amid-delays )
A few facts about Bangkok: it is the capital of Thailand with a population of 8.2 million (census 2010) with a total of 14 million if you include the adjacent areas. It's full ceremonial name is: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit, which is the world's longest place name and means "city of angels" and a few other things.
My cab driver arrived early for my 11 pm flight. The traffic was impressive, especially since he said it wasn't bad. On the drive we passed a double decker karaoke bus in full on karaoke mode. These people were having the most fun I have ever witnessed in a moving vehicle.
I got to the counter to check my bag and was told "I am sorry you are late. You flight is closed." Turns out my 11 pm flight (I still have no idea where I got that idea cemented into my head was at 9). Off to the reservations counter I went. They started making calls. The one guy put his hand over the phone and asked, "Can you run?" I told him it there is one thing I can do it is run. He handed me a priority screening pass and said to follow him. We checked my bag and then went to screening which was labeled monks and priests and in a private part of the airport. The screening people in an extremely thorough moment of security lost their mind about my toenail clippers (interestingly I flew all over Thailand with mace and had discarded it when I finally discovered it). I begged them to please take the clippers which they didn't want to do (maybe if they ran my bag through the scanner 6 times they would disintegrate?). They finally decided enough radiation and let me go. I was escorted through immigration and was told "Now we run." So I took off. I heard the guy somewhere behind me. Finally I got to the woman with my name on a sign and waited for him to catch up. On arrival, out of breath, he says "you can run."
I made it (so much for airport this food and spending the rest of my baht). Off to Dubai for super high security screening before boarding the next plane and then on to Dulles.
I met two guys at the temples in Cambodia who talked about a quote that says, "Life is a book and if you don't travel you only read one page." I am not sure I agree with this exactly (plenty of people have amazing books who don't travel),but every trip i have taken has shown me something amazing beyond fantastic sites, tastes, and sounds. Alfred Lord Tennyson's "I am part of all that I have met has always deeply resonated with me.
The Dalia Lama recommends that once a year you should go somewhere you have never been before. I read this as do something different even if it is just leaving my town or engaging in a new activity. This is advice I plan on continuing to take.
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