SWEAT

After about 12 hours of flight we arrived in Abu Dhabi via Etihad Airways. I must say that their service was awesome, infact the best I've ever experienced. We were served decent food and free drinks throughout the entire flight and had access to tons of movies and TV shows, so the time went by quicker. All the same I don't really like being stuck in a small space for hours on end, not being able to move much, and breathing in recycled air that dries out my skin.

Abu Dhabi was a short stop and then we hopped on our connecting flight to Bangkok, which was another 6 hours of flight. We arrived at 7am, 11 hours ahead of the time we're accustomed to.

Stepping out of the airport we felt the hot humid blanket of air wrap itself around us. A rush of nostalgic emotion hit me as that familiar feeling of being in another country came back. I had forgotten what it felt like to be in the Philippines or India... I forgot that the rest of the world exists outside of Canada.

I think it's just starting to hit me now that we're in Thailand. We're really here. And we don't really have a plan. And that's cool because I actually feel more relaxed without having to worry about time restraints or deadlines.

We met some fellow backpackers on our bus ride from the airport to Khao San Road. They had just come from India and had some cool stories to tell. We spent our first day hanging out with them, walking down the streets, shopping in the market (resisting the urge to buy everything), eating lunch, and just chilling.

Chris and I got a traditional Thai massage near the end of the day for about 180 baht each, which is around $6 canadian. The women used their bodies to manipulate ours in odd ways. It was painful at times, though very relaxing and afterwards we were ready to crash.

We stayed in a hostel called the Merry V, not sure what the V stands for... We basically slept on top of the bed without any sheets because it is soooo incredibly hot here! Sweat has literally been pouring out of me and I can't keep up with drinking enough water to replace my fluids. Feeling this hot and sweaty is really uncomfortable and it kind of makes you feel like you don't want to move or go outside. But, there is so much to see and discover...