Thailand Trip Post 1

I finally got off my lazy bum and sorted out my pictures and typed up my journal from my trip to Thailand over winter break. I did keep a detailed journal, which I wrote in every night, so it shouldn`t have taken me this long, but winter cold makes me lazy and reluctant to do anything except sleep and read once I get home. Anyway, this will be take several posts all of which should be posted here pretty soon.

December 28, 2014

I met Victoria in Omiya for a light dinner, and then we started the long train ride to Narita Airport. Our flight was early the next morning, and as it was an overseas flight, we had to be at the airport at least 2 hours ahead of time. It would have been impossible to leave from our homes and get there on time as the trains don`t start running until 5 or 6am. Thus, we started our adventure a day early. We got into our capsule hotel, located inside the complex of train station and Terminal 2, pretty late.

It was very quiet, the signs everywhere insuring that it remained so. There were two doors off of reception, one to the female section and one to the male section. The first area was a long hallway type room full of lockers. We placed our luggage in them and changed into the provided robes. They didn`t look too bad, but you don`t get to pick your size. I was handed an M. It didn`t button over my hips, so I pulled on my sleeping shorts as well. The hallway continued into a bathroom area with a row of sinks and mirrors on one side and toilet stalls with the requisite floor length doors on the other. Once out of this area, you went around a corner and there was a door which led to the capsules. If you continued on, you reached the shower area. The capsules are in a darkened hallway, soft light spilling from the open capsules. There are two levels; the top capsules are reached by their own short ladders. The beds are nice. I could sit up comfortably in mine. There was a plug-in as well as light and background music dials. It was warm enough for my shorts. I pulled the blind down over the entrance, plugged in my phone, got comfortable under my cover, and turned out the light.

Here's my capsule!

December 29, 2014

              We woke up and got to our flight on time. I didn`t have to check my bag! Yay for light packing! It was a short flight from Narita to Incheon, Korea, where we had a 7 hour layover. We took advantage of the time to go on one of the many Free Tours and had a 2 hour adventure out into the city of Incheon, which is near the capital of Seoul. We saw a temple (the first of many), and a memorial for the Korean War.

Big Buddha Statue

Outside of the temple

Our tour group

Korean War Memorial

View of the city from the top of the memorial. Apparently, this level of smog is normal.

              The 5.5 hour flight to Chiang Mai, Thailand was uneventful. I attempted to memorize a few key words and phrases of Thai. Hello/Goodbye is Sawadee-ka (or Sawadee-krab if you`re male). Please is Chern-ka. Thank you is Khob khun-ka, and I`m sorry/Excuse me is khor thot-ka. In case you were wondering.

We got through immigration and customs SUPER quickly. They just waved us through customs without a car or looking at our passports or bags. We got a licensed airport taxi to our guesthouse and arrived about 11:40pm, local time, which was about 1:40am for us.

              We both took quick, sadly soap-less, showers as we hadn`t brought any and had been unable to find any at either airport. The air conditioner didn`t hurt either! It was December, and I was grateful for an air conditioner. What a life!