Matt: Solo in Bangkok (aka Tribute to my former travelling buddy/Peace Corps crutch)

Today was my first day travelling alone since I left mom and dad in Denver. From the moment i landed in Seattle Nick was there to pick me up and from there our adventures began. I put him on the cab yesterday and to be honest it felt a little surreal, a little like it wasn't really happening. It felt kind of like it did when I left El Salvador a month ago... I didn't really feel much. And I can't explain why. Maybe it is because for the past three years Nick and I have been seeing each other and saying goodbye for a few weeks, then seeing each other and saying goodbye, repeating this over and over, so I feel like the same will happen now, though I know it won't. Nick is off to Seattle then Alaska to start med school and I will be in Indiana trying to jump-start my life again. Needless to say, I miss the guy.

He has been the best travel buddy. The boy is fearless. He made this trip an adventure because he, like me, likes to try new things. And that's why we travelled so well together. That and because we don't mind going with the flow in developing countries where everything is uncertain and things quickly and often go awry. From his unbelievable cravings for burn-your-culo-spicy food, to his no-holds-bar form of bartering on the streets which often led to extremely pissed-off OR extremely amused sellers, to his impeccable knack for finding a good deal, his gift as conversation-starter and crowd entertainer, Nick has kept me happy and on my toes this whole trip.

Hopefully he is doing well up north in Chiang Mai. All I know is that today in Bangkok, it sucked. I woke up and did the routine morning rituals: showered, looked for food, shook off 18 different people trying to sell me suits, trinkets, and sex, and then back to my room to plan my day. I grabbed a random city bus seeing where it would take me, and it brought me to the busiest market in Bangkok, The Chatuchak Weekend Market. It supposedly has over 200,000 visitors a day, though all the merchandise that is sold is geared towards tourists and middle-class Thai. It wasn't the humongous market I was expecting to see that supplied all the lower-class with their basic living items, like I was so used to in El Salvador. Needless to say, I had to peruse and piddle about by myself. I tried a new soup, which was quite good and very authentic. In fact, I could not name even one of the five ingredients that were in that dish. They all looked and tasted completely new. I don't know when that will happen again. And I have only been used to eating new things with Nico. There was no one to share the experience with, and that didn't feel right. I finished the mid-day ceremonies by grabbing a cab back to the hostel, fast, because my stomach was achy and I barely made it to the bathroom in time. Now I am killing time until it's time to eat, and then time to watch the USA v England game at 1:30 tonight. I will cheer alone :(

So a toast to Nick, the best support I have had away from home for the past three years. I miss you buddy. Travelling without you is about as fun as sitting on a bus in San Miguel as the cobradors search for passengers and I sit and melt in the depressing 110 degree heat, wondering when this thing will move and I will be going home.

Safe travels.

and go USA!