Auspicious Omen #1 - following landing at Don Muang International Airport, passing immigration, customs, and gathering our luggage, we were met by a contigent from the University. The first thing they did was to put wreaths of jasmine blossoms around our necks. If you read my posting on this blog from 15 March, you'll know just how big of a fan I am of jasmine. Indeed...
The final 1/3 of the flight was quite pleasant, much more than expected. I fell asleep shortly before takeoff and didn't wake until about an hour and a half before landing. I attribute this pleasantness to the fact that I had an entire row of seats to myself. We landed at about 11:30 pm.
Following the Auspicious Omen described above, we took our first steps out of the airport. That is when everyone who comes to Bangkok hits "The Wall." It doesn't matter if it's your first time or your 1000th time, "The Wall" will nearly knock you over. "The Wall" I discuss, of course, is Bangkok's air. A combination of the 88 degree temperature (and remember, this was midnight,) 90% + humidity, and air pollution that ranks with places such as Mexico City, Los Angeles, and Shanghai, create this wall. When one hits "The Wall" is when one truly realizes that they've arrived in Bangkok.
Thus far, things are going pretty well. Following about an hour in the bus to campus, we were treated to a little snack of lychees, bananas, mangosteen, and oranges, we had a few beers and chatted into the night. Everyone has been quite friendly thus far. Seems like things are going to be good.
I am a bit jet-lagged, and I fryed my electric razor with the 220 volt cycle plug ins, and I'm sweating a lot. But other than that, nothing to complain about. Hail progress!
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