Week 37
Last week we relaxed on the beaches of Koh Samui and Koh Phangnan for our last full week in Thailand and this week we wrapped up our trip in Bangkok on our way back to Texas via Taipei.
Day 254 Mon 12/18
Today was our last day in Bangkok and it was mostly a bust. We started out our morning intending to explore one of the many water markets near the city, but it was not open on Mondays…apparently it is only a weekend market…we were not the only stupid tourists that looked at google and it said it was open so we took a 20-min taxi ride only to find out that it is empty. We still walked around a bit before trying to hail another cab back to the city. After a couple of attempts, we were able to get a taxi that would take us to our next destination Chiang Chui. Chiang Chui was a new development of shops and restaurants and galleries based on the concept that nothing is trash. It was not fully open during the day but we still walked around and enjoyed the quirky art and architecture. We were able to catch another cab to a different market for lunch, and found some good street food curry soup then custard filled puffs. We were able to take a ferry across the river to go check out the famous Khao San Road where the movie The Beach started. It is a backpacker / hostel area so the people watching was good to say the least. We grabbed a table at a side walk restaurant and drank a cold beer and a coconut milkshake while we people watched…the best was the 85-year-old man with the shortest jean cut offs with his wrinkly white hiney hanging out…It was special. After we had enough we tried to get a cab to our next destination and after 6 attempts we gave up and took a ferry instead. Our next stop was Warehouse 30 for coffee and shopping. We had seen this new development in a magazine article and wanted to check it out. It wasn’t fully built out but there were a few shops and a good coffee shop to relax a bit after our crazy taxi fail. The coffee shop culture is fairly new to Thailand so there are little cafes popping up everywhere. I splurged on an iced macchiato with cream and then found an awesome southwestern blanket bag at one of the shops. On our way back to the hotel we caught a cab at rush hour but it didn’t move after 20 min so we settled up and hopped out to walk back. Our final dinner in Bangkok was back at the Local Canteen. There was a craft beer shop around the corner that was finally open so we stopped in to grab some local beers while we packed for our early flight to Taiwan in the morning on our way back to Texas.
Day 255 Tues 12/19
This morning we woke up at 4am to head to the airport for a 7 am flight back to Texas with a 10-hour layover in Taiwan. Our first flight was with Thai Airways , which we used miles to fly business class so check in was easy and relaxing. We also had access to the lounge while we waited. After about 45 min into the flight they came on the intercom to let us know they were turning around back to Bangkok due to AC issues. Thai Airways was unable to get a new plane to depart until 1 pm so our 10-hour layover we were supposed to have in Taipei was compromised. We landed in Taiwan with only 4 hours before our next flight so we just hung out in the lounge instead of exploring the city. Our last leg was a 13-hour flight back to Houston, Texas on Eva airways also on business class so we had full laydown seats, delicious food, and good drinks. That is definitely the way to travel for the long-haul flights. Upon arrival in Houston, we were glad to see short lines at customs at 10 pm, so we zipped through and took an uber to our friends the Wagner’s house in the pouring rain. We were so blessed with no rain while we were in Thailand. We tried to get some sleep at 11pm after good sleep on the flight…so begins the transition back to central time zone 13 hours off from Thailand.
Day 256 Wed 12/20
This morning we enjoyed coffee with the Wagners before they headed off to work. Cooper seemed less excited to see us than we were to see him. John reminded us all that this would probably be the last time the doogys will see each other because they are getting older and it is not likely that either of us would make the 21-hour drive again with the dogs. John’s parents picked us up with Cooper to make our way back to Katy. We tried to stay awake all day to get back on track but ended up crashing early.
Day 257 Thurs 12/21
This morning we tried Hurt’s Donuts in Katy…we were not impressed (they were out of their famous glazed). Today we relaxed by the fire with the tree lit and John slept all day till dinner. We caught up on the This is Us TV show on demand.
Day 258 Fri 12/22
This morning we woke up early, packed up the RV, and hit the road to Dallas for the holidays. We stopped at the biggest Buckees in Katy to fill up with gas and breakfast tacos on our way to College Station. John and I met at Texas A&M in undergrad so we decided to show Cooper where his mom and dad met. This time we did not get out for a college visit because it was starting to rain. We have not been back many times since graduating in 2003 so the campus looks different every time we make it back. The once familiar drive home for me came back slowly. We finally made it to my Mom’s in Rockwall and it was freezing cold! We had to plug in the RV and turn on a heater since we had not decided to winterize it and to try to keep the pipes from freezing.
Day 259 Sat 12/23
This morning I made my biscuit cinnamon rolls but added apple butter and pecans this time and they were the best batch yet. This afternoon we went to the outlet malls so I could find a replacement jean jacket since I left mine in Thailand. After braving the holiday crowds and traffic we stopped in to visit with my Mom’s friend Andrea from 8th grade and her family. After coffee with Andrea we visited my friend from 8th grade KJ and her family for dinner.
Day 260 Sun 12/24
Today is Christmas Eve and John’s 38th birthday. We went to visit my Mom’s Dad Sonny for lunch and this afternoon I made John his birthday Gingerbread Cake with Lemon Mascarpone Icing. It was bitterly windy and cold today so we stayed inside tonight for dinner.
We have enjoyed our trip to around the world in three weeks to Thailand and a break from the RV while relaxing in Katy, and are looking forward to catching up with family and friends in Dallas next week for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.
This map below indicates the route we took this week from Katy, TX to Rockwall, TX.
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