I leave for Madrid, Spain tonight- in a couple hours actually- and I am truly going to miss Thailand. But I think there is no better place to spend your last day here than in the crazy and peculiar city that is Bangkok.

I spent the day riding the sky train around town, just observing the quirky things that make Thailand Thailand. The motorcycles passing the pick-up trucks passing the buses passing the tuk-tuks, all in one lane. The smells- that go from fabulous fried noodles and chicken to the worst aromas ever imaginable, back to great food in the length of a block. The funny advertisements- how Thais value lighter skin (funny to us westerners who are always trying to get tanner!) and so all their ads are for skin lighteners, bleaches, and sunscreen. Passing a shop, I caught a TV commercial depicting a girl who uses some sunscreen while driving in her boyfriend’s convertible while wearing a bikini. At the end, she jumps up in the convertible out of happiness of being still so white, despite being in the sun for so long, and she, at least to a westerner’s eyes, looks so bad- all white and pasty. But that evidently looks good out here. Funny. Next, off to Koa San Road where I had to pick up my plane ticket, and unfortunately had to battle the masses too, and while there meandered around the street front shops. I bartered- purely for the sake of attempting to use my Thai bartering skills one last time- for a purse, and after “fake” walking away from the stand after saying the price was too high, and having the guy call me back and lower his price numerous times, I bought it (half the original price- yeah that’s right!) Back in the Sukohmvit district- where I’m staying- I treated myself to a nice sit-down-real-air-conditioned-restaurant meal- a luxury out here- and had them wrap up the leftovers. The leftovers, true to Thai style, came out in little plastic bags made into an air bubble and wrapped up with little rubber bands and all dumped in another plastic bag. So you have a bag full of food swishing around in little plastic bubbles. I will never understand the Thai food-to-go system. On my way to the sky train I gave the leftovers too one of the many beggars on the street, who looked confused, but happy. I dedicate that good deed to you, mom- always the first to give your leftovers to the homeless. :)

I then mailed yet another package home- I for some unknown reason tend to accumulate endless amounts of random junk- and had to battle the public postal system, also known as chaos. In theory, the act of sending a package should be simple- but it never is. No one follows their numbers (you get cards with a number on them to dictate when its your turn) and everyone cuts in front of each other. And everyone cuts in front of me more than anyone else, which gets frustrating. I’ve come to learn that in places that are non-tourist and purely serve Thais- places like the public postal office- most people disregard the foreigner and go about their business like they’re not there. Even after finally making my way to a service desk (after being cut in front of by three people and waiting for over half an hour) some guy had the gall to come up to my desk and hand some packages to the man helping me, in the middle of my transaction! It’s like, I’m foreign, not invisible! I decided then that despite my acquired love for this country and it’s people, it is time for me to leave Asia.

I will have one last evening here, and will meet up with a new friend for a drink and one last authentic Thai meal. I will miss Thailand- probably more than I thought I would when I first arrived. It has started to feel comfortable- second nature. Adding the required polite “Ka” onto the end of each sentence has started to feel natural. I just got used to looking right when stepping off a curb instead of left. I now feel rude if I don’t remove my shoes before entering a house or store. And I’ve almost gotten used to the heat . . . almost. But, I think it’s time to move on. I’m looking forward to Spain so much, and moving on to the next chapter in my trip. But I will miss this place and all the wonderful and interesting people I’ve met here. I've had some bad times, many interesting times, but so so many good times. Goodbye Thailand, I will miss you!