5 AM and I just cannot sleep. Can hardly breathe, my sinus is so plugged up. Finally get up, work on the blog a bit and take a shower. The hot shower provides a modicum of relief, but I can't wait until 8 so maybe some kind of shop is open where I can at least get some cough drops, having exhausted the stash I had brought from the States. I find some at a Seven Eleven (yup, that's what they called it), about the size of my kitchen. They're Halls but do not have the menthol that the ones I buy at home do.
9AM, Jim Thompson's place opens up and go shopping, armed with loads of tissues. Jim Thompson by the way was an American businessman who revitalized the Thai silk industry after WWII, concentrating on some of the native designs and textures. In 1967 at age 61 he just disappeared, never to be seen again. His design studio and main sales outlet is adjacent to his former house which is kept as a museum and memorial to him. It is a typical Thai house, very open and airy but larger than most and beautifully decorated. When I first visited his house, few years after his disappearance, it was out in the "jungle" alongside a klong or canal. Today Bangkok has grown up around it and it is immersed in a residential neighborhood.
I purchased several scarves for Christmas gifts for the ladies at home. These scarves are not inexpensive but they are really beautiful and unique. Though a few may have the same colors, no two (that I could find) are alike. They are individually hand made as far as I can determine.
Finally it was time to leave for the airport and my flight home. The hotel arranged for a taxi at a fixed rate, similar to what I had paid before. I had split my checked items into two bags for the trip home as Qatar Airlines allowed me two and one would have been overweight. I had managed to find an inexpensive duffel in one of the markets (Malls) in Bangkok.
With that done I proceeded to the Tax Refund window after clearing security. I received about the equivalent of $60 US in Baht back for the VAT paid at Jim Thompson's. Well I wasn't going to bring home all that Baht so I spent it on more Jim Thompson stuff at the Duty Free. I could probably have saved myself the trouble of going to the original location but I tend to think the selection is better there.
Next I spent a couple of hours at the same Oman Air lounge as my previous visit to Bangkok International. I was the only non middle eastern person in there and it was pretty obvious I was being viewed suspiciously. That's OK, I liked the food and had a beer and was on my way.
The trip home to JFK was pretty uneventful, but long. Seven hours from Bangkok to Doha, and 14 hours from Doha to JFK with only an hour and a half on the ground at Doha. But from what I saw on the travel promo on the flights I think I would like to visit Qatar some day. That is definitely NOT a third world destination.
All in all, it was a great trip on many different levels. My friend, Nathan Horton, is a great photographer and very generous with his talent and sharing his knowledge. We had a really nice group of folks traveling, photographing, and hanging out together. I have gained a better insight into and appreciation for the Buddhist religion and I now have a Facebook friend in Myanmar, Mr. Ko Ko. Thank you all!
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