Today didn’t go how I planned. I thought I would get up at 10, hit the pool, and catch some rays before maybe catching a nap and heading out to to dinner with my colleagues. I closed my eyes at 7 am and didn’t open them until 5:15 pm, which left me just enough time to throw on some clothes and a face before we headed out to dinner. 11 of us ventured into the humidity, operating in various levels of jet lag. We headed right into the belly of the beast and into downtown Pattaya. My head was snapping back and forth so much I’m surprised I didn’t give myself whiplash. My favorite form of public transport so far is the Baht Bus. You can stand on the back and ride, so I did. The motorcycles are so close you can reach out and touch them, and although I wanted to, I didn’t. The food was amazing. Rice and morning glory, and chicken curry and soup and green papaya salad. It’s hard not to feel overstimulated. There are tattoo shops and malls and street vendors and little scooters that travel with whatever they are selling all hung up. Pharmacies and smoothie shops and restaurants with names like “Red Ant” and “Fat Belly.” There are so many things that I want to see. So many tastes and sights and sounds. It’s louder and grittier and brighter than I anticipated, and I can’t wait to feel like a local. #thailand #wanderer #seeallthethings