The Final Countdown

Upon our arrival to Bangkok from Chiang Mai, it became real.  We had 3 more nights and then we were starting a dreadful journey back home.  We both had pretty bad colds so we were knocked out the first day in Bangkok and took it easy.  We spent the next 3 days shopping, eating at our favorite establishments, and doing very little sightseeing, because, after all there isn't much to see in Bangkok!  At 10 PM on the 17th, we hopped into a taxi and headed for the airport.  We had slept only a few hours the night before, and we were going on a 22 hour journey through Shnghai and then to LAX.  In total, since we do not sleep on airplanes, we were up for 42 hours with a couple of 2 hour naps when our bodies would allow it.  It was the worst travel day I have ever had in my life, and the jet lag when we got home was not much better.  It has been 3 days and last night we were able to sleep 8 hours, which was amazing.  Anywho, here are some of the highlights from the end of our trip.

The first night in Bangkok we went to the Soi 38 night market, infamous for it's quality street food.  It was a little disappointing however after travelling and eating our way through SE Asia

My favorite dish on Soi 38, Egg Noodles and Fried Pork with Morning Glory

This is the best Pad Thai I have ever eaten, and we got it from Thip Samai in Bangkok.  This restaurant is a staple in Bangkok and only serves different types of Pad Thai.  

Khao San Road.  If you ever travel through SE Asia you will inevitably end up here at some point. 

After resting from our colds we decided to go out to Khao San...This is a typical Bar in SE Asia

Some American friends we met up with our last couple of nights in Bangkok.  Here we are enjoying our last bucket before getting a Taxi to the airport. 

Fried Insects!! I have eaten most of these, including the Water Bugs from the Chao Praya river (see last blog post).

Even on our last flight to LAX the learning did not stop.  This Chinese couple from Shanghai had never been on an airplane before.  We had to teach them how to put the seats back, and use the headphones.  They loved us, and showed us a video of their daughters wedding in China on a knock off iPad.  They did not speak a lick of English but somehow we interacted for a couple of hours and realized that they were going to LA to their daughters second wedding celebration.  Their daughter had moved to LA and married an American, and their kids paid for their trip to LA, which included a trip to San Diego and Las Vegas.  They couldn't have been more excited. 

We arrived at LAX at 9 AM, had been up for 40 hours, and we were exhausted.  We had seen the sun rise and set...TWICE.  We went home and napped for a few hours, and then the culture shock hit.  We both have had similar thoughts over the last few days.  We couldn't help but think that everything looked so clean, that it was strange people traveled in their cars alone.  We saw trucks, with one person in them.  WHAT?  You could easily fit 20-30 people in the bed and give them a ride, what's your problem?  When we get up it is weird to imagine that we can not just walk outside to a street stall and get a bowl of soup.  It is weird to be back, to think that the trip we planned for for 3 years is over.  We will just have to see how we adjust over the next few weeks or so.