Farewell Bangkok!

My last morning in Bangkok was the most difficult part of the trip thus far. A real sadness cascaded over me that morning. I've enjoyed my time in Bangkok more than I could've imagined, and my time here makes the entire trip worthwhile (though I still can't believe that I'm gonna see the pyramids in a couple of weeks). The people are ridiculously friendly, the food is amazing, and the city feels completely alive.

Like Robert mentioned in an email to me about astronauts and their inability to cope with a perceived mundane life of Earth after having explored space, I'm terribly concerned about my ability (and more so willingness) to return to my "normal" life in the US. That is in no way a dig at friends and family -- I love and appreciate you all more than you'll ever know. It's just that right now, that materialistic hustle feels incredibly superficial and pointless (though, in fairness, I guess it did afford me the opportunity to take this trip, so it can't be all bad). More than that, I'm immensely attracted to the Southeast Asian culture that I've experienced thus far. I've been thrilled by the challenge of trying to find my way without knowing the language, knowing any people, or where I am. This feeling is so strong right now that it's really painful for me to leave. Partly it's due to me trying to grasp onto the last few intoxicating moments I have here. The other part is knowing that as each day goes by, I'm one step closer to returning to Austin and work monotony.

Upon my return, I'm no longer confident in my abilities to pretend that I'm immensely interested in what sort of functionality needs to be added to a healthcare software application. I thought that this trip would help to rejuvenate my work passion and I'd be raring to go upon my return. Instead, the inverse has begun to take hold. Though I've only been gone three weeks (and I suffered through some severe homesick towards the end of the first week), today, the Austin world seems millions of miles away. I keep returning to an image I have in my head where I return to my job, I'm sitting at my office desk on a sweltering summer day, and I'm staring out of a window while my mind reflects on my travels and I think that I should be anywhere but there.
I didn't feel this way leaving Sydney. I was saddened to leave Sydney for a different reason -- the friends I met along the way. Sydney really just felt like another part of the US, so it didn't hypnotize me the way this place has.

How will this story end? I have no idea, and that's the scary / exciting part. Maybe in another month, I'll be sick of traveling and ready for that "normal" life. Maybe not...

As promised, I was able to capture some final photos in Nana Plaza. 

[I really wanted to buy this dog -- the "owner" wanted $2, but I wasn't sure how I would travel with it ;)]

Farewell, Bangkok and your random animals in restaurants...

Farewell, Bangkok and your delicious food with a flower arrangement thingy after the meal...

Farewell, Bangkok!  Off to Ho Chi Minh City.