Enough of This Planning and Packing

Good Morning, Sabai!

Greetings from Portland where the air is as dry as our humor, and if our Boddhisatva instincts are correct, the ashes falling from the sky can only mean one thing: there’s a forest fire nearby. And that we should go soon.

Enough of this planning and packing, what we don’t have we don’t need. We’ll forge new friendships, build our own support system, and take deep dives into Thai language, customs, food, and waterfalls (feet first and only after a careful reconnoiter of potential hazards and consultation with knowledgeable locals). And if all else fails, there are some really good walking markets in Chiang Mai that sell all manner of travel necessities at affordable prices.

So strap on your money belts, make sure you have that passport one last time, hug your loved ones, and get ready to be the one who wears the elephant pants in your family. Remember what they say, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step (toward the Cathay Pacific Airlines ticket counter at SFO, Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. Pacific). Can’t wait to see you.

Sheldon and Rachel