Chiang Mai Arrival

[rovineye]

BKK. I wake up first, and am surprised I don’t have a hangover. Date and I take showers, and I give date 2000 baht. I always pay more for repeat offenders. If they were good enough to go back to for seconds they are worth a little extra $. No sex this morning. I am only thinking of my girl in Chiang Mai. This is one of those times I wish I had an earlier flight. We lug the bags down stairs and I check out of the hotel. Date asks if I want some coffee but I know it is really bad here. I tell her the coffee is shit in Thailand, some of the worst in the world. She looks hurt by this. I remember the good coffee she brought me and tell her that was an exceptionally good cup of Thai coffee, because it was imported beans. But that was not the problem. I think she is going to cry. Then I remember that her father is a coffee farmer. Oh great. I save face by saying the coffee would be better in Thailand if all the Thai grown coffee wasn’t exported and now all you can get is Lao coffee in Thailand. That cheers her up, and I answer her question that yes, everyone in America loves Thai grown coffee.

Now before anyone jumps me about coffee, yes I know there is SOME good coffee grown by hill tribes in the North of Thailand. Under proper environmentally friendly circumstances, and promoted by the Royal Family. But outside of that the vast majority is robusta beans, and very few arabica beans. Just not the right climate and elevation for them. But no matter what the bean and where it is from, NESCAFE IS NOT PROPER COFFEE!

.I leave the bags in the hotel lobby and we walk to the 7/11. I have a chicken shooter (am I really starting to like these things?). We say goodbye and date gives me a business card with her email address on it. I promise to send her photos I have taken from our time together. I was glad there were no fake tears or such. She knows about the Chiang Mai girlfriend. She asks me to come see her next time I am in Bangkok, even if just to say hello. And please bring another copy of Thai For Lovers for her girl friend.

{ epilogue, I have emailed her the photos and she has emailed me back with just a simple nice letter. Refreshing}

Everything from there to the airport is uneventful. Cab ride on the meter. No, no shopping. Airport. No, no massage. Airport. No, no tailor. Airport. Gems. Are you serious? Airport. I get there too early and blast thru checkin. On the plane I am asleep before takeoff and wake up as the person next to me wants to get off the plane in Chiang Mai. Ahh, the perfect plane ride. My love is waiting for me as I exit with my bags. We both have huge grins and somehow avoid a full embrace there (no polite she says). She has told me I am staying at her shop. Now she tells me we can not do that. She has about 12 people staying there right now and only 2 bed rooms. And not polite. If just children, no problem . But with Mama and others, ohhh, no polite. I do not mind, especially because it is a 45 min drive to her shop. I want to be alone with her now. But hotels are filled up. I finally find a good room at Lanna something.

As soon as the room door closes she tackles me onto the bed. I jokingly tell her no polite. She says, no care. You gone 7 month. Me no boyfriend. See everywhere people couple. Me alone. Now feen (boyfriend) here. Before like like like you. Now luhb you. No care polite.

We talk, and kiss for hours. I am sure we went for food or something also, but all I remember is staying awake most of that night with her. She has been taking English classes 6 days a week for months. I am amazed on her progress. It does not come across on the phone at all. We talk for an hour every week. But in person there is a big difference. She says she is too excited when on the phone because it goes so fast. In person, no hurry.

She has become more passionate and open (not that she wasn’t before). I would find out in the next few days just how true that is. But right now I wonder: is it possible to snore with an ear to ear grin?

[Guest]

Okay. Now I am just downright jealous!

(PS--Nice line to the BKK girl, "Americans just LOVE Thai coffee." Hehee )