Computer sunsets

Three days of travelling can render the mind and body completely numb. It's a process of on and off, up and down, from one bus to the other and then some. The flight from Tokyo to Bangkok was fairly ordinary but I watched the Japanese woman next to me eat with precision and deliberation. As each dish ended she would neatly re-assemble the container until her tray ended up looking no different from when she began. This was, of course, in contrast to my haphazard tray that looked as if a whirlwind had blown through it. All this to say that I've noticed a neatness in asian people's manners thus far. They hold themselves upright and seldom make loud comments or opinions. I'm so used to the western way of loud commentary and large gestures that being here will certainly alter my reality.

My sister and I returned to Theawez Guesthouse where we chatted till the early hours. The bathrooms here will also be something to get used to. It's a "wipe with your hand" and then a spray with a water gun. Eek.

The next morning we headed down to Trat on a bus where we caught a ferry across to Koh Chang island. After a short van/car/trolley rise we then arrived at the Treehouse Lodge, a series of bungalows right on the ocean. It's gorgeous and idyllic and ends up costing 120 baht a night, the equivalent of $2/night for both of us. Amazing. We're in an adorable two story bamboo hut with a mattress on each floor. Very simple but we wake up to the sound of the crashing waves and we have a hammock right outside our front door. Soon after we arrived we came here to check our email right on the ocean. As I glance past my time ticking computer, I see a gorgeous sunset receding below the horizon. Paradise. And now off to a relaxing dinner by the ocean.