December 22-24, 2016

The Home Stretch

I’m finally heading home.  Although getting from Chiang Rai, Thailand back to Solon, Ohio only cost me only $350 the entire journey will take 57-60 hours.  Here is what I have to go through to get back home:

Dec-22:

12:00pm – 12:15pm:  Taxi

Chiang Rai Apartment -> Chiang Rai Bus Station

12:45pm – 4:15pm:  Bus

Chiang Rai Bus Station -> Chiang Mai Bus Station

4:30pm – 5:00pm:  Taxi

Chiang Mai Bus Station -> Chiang Mai Airport

wait for 5 hours

8:45pm – *12:45am (23rd):  Flight

Chiang Mai Airport -> Hong Kong Airport

wait 11 hours until my flight / drink coffee and stay away all night

The airport was freezing and I got so annoyed by the blaring loudspeakers.  Every 10 minutes a notice about passengers flying to/from the Middle East and warning them not to touch birds or camels.  I wonder how many people had their entire trip routined after realizing they couldn't go an pet stray camels?

I was successful and stayed awake the entire night.  I took pictures of the empty airport (shutterstock potential) to keep my mind active.

*move 1-hr ahead

Dec-23

11:50pm (23rd) – *12:35pm:  Flight

Hong Kong Airport -> Chicago O'Hare Airport

slept during 14.5-hr flight with the help of alprazolam and complimentary red wine.  Also, I lucked out because they had "Flight of the Conchords" on the onboard entertainment.  I want to thank you, Logan P, for that reccomendation a while back...great show!

step foot in the USA after being away for 495 days / wait 11.5 hours until next major mode of transit

*move 14-hr back

10:00pm – 11:00pm:  Metro

Chicago O'Hare Airport -> Chicago Megabus Station

I did not freeze my ass off walking the streets of Chicago like I had imagined  (after so long in the tropics my body gets the chills in the mid 60s).

I camped out at a Panera and from a quick google search I found a nearby yoga studio.  The studio was offering unlimited classes during a free 7-day trial membership.  I signed up online and walked 10 minutes for a free yoga class.  It was nice because afterwards I was even able to shower.  It was a core yoga (or power core) franchise and representative of yoga in America.  I miss real yoga!  I'm sure that when Japanese come here and are given California Rolls they immediately have flash backs to Pearl Harbor.  Sushi is raw fish.  Yoga is an 8-limb philosophy, where only 1 of those limb is Hatha Yoga--the asanas or, physical postures that the western world knows of yoga.

Dec-24

11:50pm  – *8:20am:  Overnight Bus

Chicago Megabus Station -> Cleveland Megabus Station

sleep during 7.5hr over-night busride with the help of alprazolam and lorazepam

*move 1-hr ahead

8:30am  – 9:00am:  **Personal Driver

Cleveland Megabus Station -> Parent's Home in Solon, Ohio

**My Friendly Father