The End Of The Line...

Well, this is it, the end of the line.  My last post from SE Asia.  What happened today...  Well, I left my hotel in Saigon early as I knew the airport would be crazy today since I'm sure most of the flights yesterday were cancelled.  Managed to get a few photos out of the taxi window this morning.  Just a Bahn Mi cart and some traffic.  But, this is what I have from Saigon, so I guess it will have to be ok.  Disappointing, but ok.  Oh, there was a lot of storm damage in Saigon too.  We passed some parks and huge trees down.  I think I counted at least 12 trees down.  So, it was a pretty good storm.  Got to the airport and it was really crazy, just as I had thought.  A lot of people trying to get to their destinations today since yesterday was a no go I'm sure.  Got on my flight and arrived in Bangkok about Noon.  I'm staying at a hotel about 5 minutes from the airport.  My flight home tomorrow leaves at 5:55a.m. so I didn't want to go all the way into the city for about 20 hours.  So, I arrived at my really nice, but overpriced hotel and just had a relaxing day by the pool.  Reading and having a couple really overpriced beers.  When you are used to paying $1.00-$1.50 for a beer, the $5.00 price tag here really hits you. But, they have you as a taxi ride into Bangkok would cost at least $15.00 each way.  So, beers at the pool it is.  That's my final day in SE Asia.  At a Novotel Hotel at the airport.  Not a very impressive end to my journey, but it will have to do.  Tomorrow, the long, long trip home.  I leave Bangkok at 5:55a.m. and arrive in Madison about 3:45p.m. on the same day.  But there is a 12 hour difference here, so it's another round of traveling for about 24 hours.  Not going to be fun.  I still have a cold and on descent into Bangkok I thought my hearing was completely gone as my ears wouldn't pop.  But all is good now.  I hope it is better for the flights tomorrow.  So, that's it.  Thanks to everyone for reading my blog and commenting.  It was great to be so far away from home and still be in contact with everyone.  I've learned some things about myself on this trip.  Yes, the Vietnamese are right, I am old.  Traveling like this may be a young man's game.  But I held my own, and I think I did pretty good.  I'm HORRIBLE with directions.  Maybe it's the language barrier, and most of the streets change names after a couple of blocks in Vietnam, but I did get lost a lot.  The Old Quarter in Hanoi was difficult as most of the streets intersected and changed names in a sort of maze.  But, by day three I think I did ok.  Oh, and as mentioned in previous posts, I sweat a lot.  One of the first things on my priority list, when I get home, is to get into better shape for sure.  Otherwise, I'm really, really happy that I came on this three week adventure!!  I really needed it.  I haven't been traveling like this for a long time and I'm so happy I did it.  My favorite parts were probably Luang Prabang, Laos, and Hoi An, Vietnam.  Maybe because they are smaller towns.  But I had a lot of fun in both places.  The very best part maybe was the motorcycle day.  I loved that day.  So many smiling faces and waves from the farmers and people in the smaller villages surrounding Hoi An.  As my guide and fellow rider that day, Joe, put it, it makes you feel like a celebrity when passing through those villages.  They were so happy to see us and the kids were so excited.  It was a really good day. 

So, again, thanks to everyone for reading the blog and following my adventures!!  I had a great time posting and sharing some of my travels.  See ya back in Madison...

All the best.