Just uploaded a gallery full of pics from Bangkok’s Golden Temple and Grand Palace. Tweaked the files for color as little as I could to preserve the hazy light of morning. Here’s a link.

Just uploaded 2 full galleries of street food and food food photos. Be ready - plenty are creepy to those who are easily creeped out. Here’s a link to the photo section.

M: We’re here, just picked up the dog. It is taking everything in my power to type this post coherently. After another grueling plane ride, we’re home.

It is nice to be here.

Thanks to the Barberas for picking us up and getting us pizza. It’s delicious pizza.

Sigh.

We’ve done it up right me thinks. Made some friends. Just finished a HUGE plate of coma enducing Pad Thai. Heading upstairs to pack, shower and crash. Its been amazing. Sorry that AMAZING is kind of a weak word when you think about it. Its the ugly sister of “Awesome” and “Super.”

Every breath we take we are trying to memorize the smell. Every picture I take is going to be “The one.”

Upstairs in the mini fridge are out last 2 Schweeps Manao Sparkling Lime sodas. We will toast our good health and our good luck. Sure we are turning a page, but that just means we have yet to see what is written on the next one.

Get ready for all the posts, pics and videos that we couldn’t get up upload, download or sideload here.

J&M

J: What a night. Wandered and found a bar in the back of an alley on the backside of a backstreet south of where all the crackers hang out. WOW. 100% (save us) Thai 20-30 year olds. Only three things on the menu. Whiskey, Heineken and Singha. Had the best time. Sat and just listened to the sounds of maybe our first REAL Thailand experience. All the same safety and such that we see everywhere. Amazing. Can’t tell you the name because there was no sign. No pics because a flash would have disturbed the groove. Can’t tell you how to get there because we were lost the whole way there.

Speaking of lost - I almost lost my wedding ring. Washed my hands and since there is no paper towel I tried to shake them dry. The ring FLEW off into the night. Instantly a waiter was with me on my hands and knees searching the darkness. Thank you kid. Thank you.

Time to pass out.

J: Second to last night of the trip and the shine is gone. We’ve seen the sights. Eaten the spicy food. Bought the $3 shirts. Cried about the elephants. Gotten drunk with an ex-pat. Avoided the Tuk-Tuk scams. Ridden the night train. Feed the fish. Gotten a tat. Made the Thai ladies laugh. Took a bus like a local. Got you a gift. Uploaded some vids. Raided the mini fridge. Went to Burger King. Tried to buy Valium for the flight home. Saw a fight. Made some friends. Seen lots and lots of Wats. Pet a puppy or two. “Honeymooned” a couple times. Lost some weight. Let it all go. Wanted it back. Relaxed my crack. Swam alone in a bay. Met a ladyboy. Avoided buying a suit. Wore an orchid. Accidentally killed a butterfly at the butterfly farm. Overpaid. Understayed. Got lost. Ate too many English breakfasts. Took 2k pics. Fell in love with Mangosteens. Threw up out of a mini bus. Gave directions to a tourist newer than me. Haggled. Snuggled. Watched B.O.’s first prime time press conference in the morning over pancakes. Defended America. Threw America under the bus. Got massaged. Climbed up a mountain. Slept in a treehouse. Internetted. Blistered. Tanned. Peeled. Healed.

Its time to come home or stay forever.

See you at the Town Hall Pub on Sat.

J: Another open letter to the vendors of Thailand.

Stop jumping on my ass the second I stop in front of your booth. I know you are trying to screw me on the price and thats something I can live with. Don’t make the transaction a pain as well. This whole trip, I recall Mr. Moore as James Bond pushing that Wooden Elephant selling Thai kid out of the boat and wish I could do the same. And to the ladies with the frogs. Here’s a trick. If the woman standing in front of you selling the same frog couldn’t make a sale - what makes you think you can 10 seconds later? Also if you want to us to believe you are from a tribe in the mountains - hide your cellphone and don’t wear a shirt for “Power Diesel 150 Super Additive.” There is just so much “show” going on that you push me away. It makes me love the Chang Mai Sunday market even more.

Enough

Elisabeth, who is taking care of Remo while we are gone just sent this pic. I had to share. This is Remo, Ralph and Radar.
Me thinks Remo is going to miss them more than he missed us:

M: It’s Tuesday here in Chiang Mai, we’re sitting at an internet cafe until our 2nd class, fan only train leaves for Bangkok. We get in at 5:30 AM on Wednesday morning, then we have all day Thursday for last minute enjoyment and then Friday at the crack of Bangkok’s ass, we leave to come home.

Things are winding down, cameras are reformatting, memory cards are full, the flower festival stage has been taken down.

And I’m conflicted, I’m not going to lie. The joy of traveling is something in my blood I think. I’ve always been adverse to too much responsibility and when one is traveling, all one must worry about is oneself. It’s very freeing to be responsible only to you and to the country you’re in.

I hate to leave. I really do. Although there is much waiting for me at home, a furry dog free of fleas who needs us, a new president, a new part time job and two weddings, a trip to Martha’s Vineyard, a trip to Vegas and a trip to Miami…all in my future.

But I have this fear, this dark fear, that this is it for us, that we will never travel like this again, with nothing but our backpacks and a couple of train tickets.

But it is time to continue on with life at home, time to watch hours of 30 Rock and BSG, time to watch springtime happen in my favorite city on earth.