Just a quick check-in to let you know—I’ve landed in Bangkok, the first stop on this new adventure. Last night, I met up with a good friend of mine, Jim, who I used to hang out with back when I lived here from 2005 to 2008. We picked up right where we left off, had an amazing meal, and talked for hours. I was more than a little numb—mind, body, soul and my butt —after 20+ hours of travel, but honestly, what better way to kick things off than with an old friend?
This morning, I was quickly reminded that I am no longer on American time—or American convenience. I woke up at 7 AM, ready to take on the day, only to realize that most cafes don’t even open until 10 or 11 AM. Thankfully, I found a cool little spot called Leap that opened at 8:30 AM, and that was good enough for me.
I wanted to share a few images and some audio I recorded this morning from my hotel room patio here in Chinatown. The owners are friends of Jim, and this place has some serious charm. The disposable lens on my camera really makes it pop.
After my coffee, I wandered over to a nearby temple to check it out—only to find myself smack in the middle of what looked like a massive celebration. It was packed. At 8:40 AM. Thailand, you never disappoint.
As I was making my way out, I met Sok, a TukTuk driver who had that classic Thai cool—just lounging in the back of his ride like he had all the time in the world. We started chatting about my tattoos and where I was from, and before I knew it, for 40 Baht (about a buck), he offered to take me to a temple and bop around a bit. I knew the grift, but I happily went along—partly to kill some time, partly to ease back into Bangkok life. Ended up giving him 100 Baht ($3 USD) because, hey, why not?
He took me to a temple with a smaller reclining Buddha, a mummified monk, and a few monks chanting in the morning light. I recorded some audio of it—have a listen.
Since I ditched Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and pretty much every other social platform, this is where you’ll find me now. Just wanted to keep you all updated on the journey—there’s plenty more to come.
And hey, if you’d like to support these adventures with a cup of coffee, a bowl of my favorite soup, or even an SD card for storing all my photos, consider becoming a paid subscriber—for the very specific and slightly ominous price of $6.66 a month.
Love & Light:
MM
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