In Conclusion

As Jen and I were contemplating how to waste four hours at Bangkok International Airport, we walked down to the food court-ish level. On the lookout for one last mango shake, we both stopped dead in our tracks at a familiar, if elusive, smell: the waffle. We hurried forward, and lo and behold, a waffle stand, the same as the Bangkok train station. This city is aces when it comes to sustenance at transit locations. As if it could get any better, there was a smoothie place right next door, serving something called Mango Madness.

Continuing my older Australian man tradition, I was chatted up by steel businessman Andrew in the immigration line. Jen and I were in separate lines (racing, duh), and I had been calling out to her when he took his place in line behind me. We started talking, and quickly covered the normal bases: we'd just come from Phuket and were headed home. He was headed to Singapore for a night, and then onto Europe, for business. He wanted to know if my desire to return home had increased or decreased, the longer I was gone. Both, I answered. My desire to see my husband increased, but my desire to be home in general decreased, what with the pleasure of trying to find a new job, etc. We then moved onto politics (our line was moving much slower than Jen's) and discussed the upcoming US presidential elections, of which I felt a little out of the loop. He informed me that Hillary was out, and Obama in. Then he asked if I was democrat. Before I could respond, he gave me a once over and said, "well, look at you, of course you are!" I'm not quite sure what he meant by that...

Contrary to popular belief, two women can travel together for six weeks and still be on speaking terms when they return. Jen and I spent nearly every moment of the trip within a ten foot distance of each other and managed to make it out unscathed. No bitchy comments, no silent treatments, no hair pulling and only one pillow thrown. (Yes, we were in our pajamas, and No, it wasn't like that!)

And now we're home! I'll be posting more pictures soon, once I get over this jet lag. That international date line is a pain in the arse, I tell ya.