One Sandal

I learned about the earthquake the same way the rest of you did - from CNN. So I didn't feel it, but I was quite far inland and north of the epicenter. It's really awful that Indonesia is suffering these back to back disasters. I've met a few people who've backpacked through there, and they say the poverty can be quite severe (along with overcrowding and pollution) before all of this.

One last crazy night with the Austrians, the Japanese guy and the Canadian girl in Chiang Mai. Let's just say that while it is possible to put 7 people on a tuk-tuk (plus driver), I wouldn't recommend it. However, what I can say about Chiang Mai is that it is possible to get very good, very cheap, pad thai ($.50 with chicken!) at 3 in the morning if you find the right tuk-tuk driver. (I can even say it in Thai, pad thai kai!)

I survived the 7 hour bus ride here to New Sukhotai (on about 4 1/2 hours sleep). I was having too much fun in Chiang Mai, and it was actually a little sad to be leaving my group of friends that I made there. Unfortunately, it will probably be a long time before I make it back here to SE Asia (if at all), so if I want to see any of these sights in my lifetime (and I do), I can't dilly-dally too much.

I've been doing a lot of observing of late on the pros and cons of travelling alone versus with a partner, versus with 3+ people. Some of the advantages are obvious: for example, when you are alone you never have to compromise on decisions about food, destinations, etc. When you have a companion, you are less likely to be lonely, but also more likely to get into petty cat fights. On the other hand, you are also somewhat less likely to meet new people as well. But the one thing I've discovered on this trip is that it's hard to keep a good pace up on your own without getting rather lonely. It's amazingly easy to meet other travellers wherever you go, but sometimes the same conversation about (a) where you are from, (b) the details and duration of your trip leave one rather unsatisfied. It's typically easy to get past that on the road when you meet a new person, but it usually takes a couple of days, or even a few hours. And that's what's annoying about uprooting yourself yet again. I guess that's where I am right now, Sufferin' Sukhotai.

Old Sukhotai is about 12 km away, so the plan is to get up early, see the sights in the ayem, then jump back on the bus for another 5 hour trip to Ayuttaya. I'll also probably spend a night there, see the sights, then back to Bangkok for a flight to Cambodia on Friday or Saturday. And yes, I am taking my malaria medication. However, I think that I might be getting a cold, which would not make me happy.

And thanks for the concern, Sarah and Steph.