Independence Day

Between yesterday and today I did a major cerebral overhaul, in which I decided that I needed to get over myself and my aversion to the city. So this morning I had my parents drop me off at the Doi Saket market, and then I found a yellow truck myself and rode it all the way to Gat Luang (Big Market). It was nice this time because there were only about 12 people on the truck. When we arrived in Gat Luang, I paid the driver and then went wandering in search of that awesome Indian cafe that Pam took us to once. I found it without a hitch.

I spent about an hour upstairs, just chillin on a cushion by the window, looking out at the rain. I caught up my journal while sipping my blueberry-banana smoothie. It was great.

Afterward I wondered around the market for a little bit...met a friendly shop-owner, bought some slippers, and then I caught a red truck to Wat Prat Sing. I had time to kill before church started at 1:00, so I walked down the street to the Lila massage place. It was nice to relieve all the tension in my back and neck from the day before. When I left I took the long way to church to familiarize myself with the area some more.

Church was fantastic, as usual. It's still amazing to me that church here is operated the same way as church at home. It was refreshing to be around people with my same beliefs, even though they didn't speak the same language.

After church I went to check out the Walking Street again (I love that place.) I went all they way down to the end and back this time, because I was by myself so I could go at my own pace. There are such cool things there! I wish I could bring everything home.

The last thing I bought was a banana spring-roll with chocolate and condensed milk on top (you better believe it tasted as good as it sounds), and then I hailed a red truck, (actually three red trucks--third time's the charm) and headed back to Gat Luang, where I proceeded to catch a yellow truck to Doi Saket.

At Doi Saket I called my mom and started walking toward home. Once I'd passed all the shops and found myself in the middle of trees and rice-paddies, I noticed a groups of dogs across the street (because stray dogs here come in packs!). The second they saw me, they trotted to the side of the road, waited for a couple motorcycles to pass and then crossed the street and started following me. They looked so flea-ridden and starving, I seriously thought they were going to attack me. Nobody was around and I didn't have anything to defend myself with. Fortunately, right at that moment my parents pulled up, and I was saved from becoming dog chow.

Anyway, I'm glad I went solo today. It was good for me, and now hopefully I won't have a complex trying to navigate the city anymore.