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Hi,

Greetings from Chiang Rai.  So glad to be home.  The weather is similar to Culver City.  We didn’t experience too much of the outside world today.  Between the flu and Mr. Lag, a whole lotta sleepin’ goin’ on.

The ‘Old School Friday’ tune was “(Sitting on the) Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding.  For ‘Easy Monday’ you get a challenge:  Name this tune by one key phrase:  “…no need to ask, he’s a __ __…”  Hint:  The singer was known by one name.  

The journey home was one for the books.  Once we checked in at the airline, a wheelchair agent took us to the immigration portion of the process.  Rolling through the people traffic while sitting down is a unique experience.  Fortunately, the young woman pushing me was quick to announce our need for folks to move.  Once you are taken to your destination in the airport, the chair is taken to another assignment.  That meant our stay in the EVA Lounge at LAX left me to stand on my own (555).  The private room we usually camp out in was occupied by 4 guys from Poland, but they graciously shared with us, even giving up a table and getting an extra chair.  Amazing what that wheel chair could do.

The long flight was difficult on several levels.  I was in my 4th day of the flu and a cough was developing.  Lisa was having minor flu symptoms with a sore throat being the most dramatic.  The ‘cold and flu’ meds I’d been taking helped me sleep away a nice portion of the flight.  On my ride through the Taipei airport, I was joined by a Thai woman in a wheelchair.  Our chairs were linked together so one guy could push us both.  During our ride, after she determined that we lived in Thailand, she asked me what I didn’t like about America.  Bold, to say the least.  I was crafty with my answer, considering she asked a loaded question.  It ended up being a discussion of the warm attributes of the Thai people, blah, blah, blah.  There were some flashing smiles that silently told the whole story though.  She reads the news.

Today’s photo shows you part of the coast of Taipei.

One thing I didn’t like about the chair ‘bit’ was having to wait until everyone had left the plane in order to be escorted to the wheelchair.  The fact that I didn’t have to walk the long distances through the three airports was worth any other complaints, though. The biggest weirdness was in Bangkok.  Our ‘driver’ told us that the plane to Chiang Rai had no ‘gang way’, and that passengers would have to climb stairs.  He ordered a ‘super lift’ truck to take us to the plane.  I was beginning to feel like this was too much.  All the buses left for the plane and we were still sitting there.  We got a little upset with this guy, thinking that we could miss our plane.  Finally, a big truck appeared and a lift gate on the back was lowered to the ground.  I was rolled on and Lisa joined me as we were hoisted up to a compartment.  We drove to the plane and then they drove the front of the truck right up to a door and they rolled me right to the door.  Oh my, feeling a little embarrassed that I had held things up, I made my way to our seats, trying to look as pitiful as possible.  The hour flight went by quickly and I volunteered to walk off the plane.  I was done.  I was home, almost.

Gong picked us up at the airport.  Once we got home Daku was one happy dog.  He went for a crazy run and then came in and continued to circle us.  He didn’t understand why we weren’t playful, but I think he’s understanding something now.  Neechanon came in and was shy at first, then burst into a stream of language that warmed my heart.  She has a new thing where she will either tap you to join her, or pull on your arm.  She kept wanting to get my attention while she explored a box we brought home.  Later we learned that she knows colors in English.  Lisa has a series of paintings on the staircase wall and Neechanon knows the main color of each one.  She was very clear and enthusiastic when Natcha would point to a color:  ‘Blue, red, green, purple, and yellow.   It’s good to be home.

Have a Great Week.

               Peace,

                         Danny

“Learn to see things as they

really are, not as we imagine

they are.” 

~Unknown