Early Morning Scenes

In a non-tourist town, this is the kind of breakfast you get. I was able to point to the eggs and receive a lovely plate of chow for $1.

I came across these wonderful women exercising along the river. They are doing a type of Qi Jong or Tai Chi but with fans. We had a nice chat afterward and they invited me to try it, but they were about to stop so I didn't get a chance. It looked very complicated and hard.

I'm writing this with my fancy Bluetooth keyboard and new PDA while in a train to Bangkok. I think my father would have loved this idea. He always wanted me to take the Orient Express across China, and this is a budget version. It was about $20 and they serve 2 hot meals and a snack (all meat laden, of course). I now understand why there is only one day train (the rest are all nighters with many sleeping cars). So far, it has been very rural - about 7 of the 10 hour trip thus far filling the windows with coconut and banana plantations - and an occasional sea glimpse. Still, I managed to have a 2 hour chat with a Thai pharmacist.
Imagine me, on a train to Bangkok. It just sounds as romantic as it is. I am filled with gratitude for having this opportunity. I just wish those of you who are reading through all this mind dumping were with me.

Interestingly, the one downside of traveling solo - no one to share the joy with - seems solved by writing a blog. I hope someone I love has the time to read it, but no matter because it is mostly in the expression that delight me. And I surely do not want to "cling" to outcomes :-).

I forgot to mention that I've hooked up with a few solo travelers now. In Samui I spent a lot of time chatting with a German, and then totally bonded with a French guy in an Internet Café when he saved all my photos on the camera's HD card from a horrible trojan virus I picked up at another Cybercafe. I'll be careful before I put this card into another computer. I've also enjoyed chatting with several English speaking Thais on busses and such.

Ciao for now! Tomorrow: Angkor Wat in Cambodia!