Preparations
4 days and counting until my departure!!
And I still have so much to do!! I've been oscillating back and forth between feeling really good about going to Thailand, and then also feeling really scared! I have done a lot of traveling, but it has always been with a group or organization, or I've been staying with a host faimly, so I've been pretty much taken care of. Even with that help, it can still be scary!!
Anyway, something just clicked recently and my fear has almost compltely subsided, and I am feeling really excited!!
At Esalen and at my meditation retreat, I had two seperate encounters with black snakes! At Esalen, I was hiking alone, and I seriously came about 2 inches from stepping on a snake, and then at my meditation retreat, I was walking and there was this balack garden snake just chillin next to the path. (Snakes signify facing ones fears, and transformation).
A couple nights ago, I also had this dream about snakes. I was at a house that I lived in in Isla Vista (this was a super hard period in my life) and there was this red van from my childhood that I was in and afraid to get out of because there were 4 or 5 snakes around the van. I was shaking and trembling, and no one seemed to understand my fear in the dream, but then my dad came and was being so kind, and he got in the car and drove me right up to my doorstep. He kinda helped me through my fear in the dream, so its nice to think that he's with me on my travels on some level.
And then a couple of nights later, I had this awesome dream where I was staying at my mom's house (where I am right now) and I woke up and opened the blinds and there was this crystal blue water right below the window, and then as far as I could see, just like the pictures i've seen of Thailand. I felt so peaceful in the dream, and then freaked out about the desert not being there, but i felt really peaceful when I woke up too. I really feel like I am meant to go to Thailand for some reason or another, short or long term.
I just made my reservation for my four day stay in Bangkok, and also booked transportation from Bangkok to Chiang Mai where I will be living. I was a little intimidated to do this, but it was so easy!! Some family friends who've been there recommended this fairly nice hotel to stay at when I first arrive ($45 a night), and I reluctantly agreed, but they were sold out anyway, so I guess that my intuition was right anyway!
Michael, my friend Ben's brother e-mailed me and told me stay at this guest house called the Shanti Inn in the backpacker's/touristy district, but it is off the beaten path just a little bit, so I'll be able to sleep at night! I looked on-line, and it appears to be right up my alley, so I'll be staying there nights 2,3, and 4, and the first night I'll be staying at another guest house close by (The Shanti Inn was sold out for my first night). It's amazing how much you can really budget travel there. I'll be paying about $6-7 dollars a night for a private room with hot water and air conditioning, but if you really want to rough it, you can stay at places for less than $2 a night!
And I still have so much to do!! I've been oscillating back and forth between feeling really good about going to Thailand, and then also feeling really scared! I have done a lot of traveling, but it has always been with a group or organization, or I've been staying with a host faimly, so I've been pretty much taken care of. Even with that help, it can still be scary!!
Anyway, something just clicked recently and my fear has almost compltely subsided, and I am feeling really excited!!
At Esalen and at my meditation retreat, I had two seperate encounters with black snakes! At Esalen, I was hiking alone, and I seriously came about 2 inches from stepping on a snake, and then at my meditation retreat, I was walking and there was this balack garden snake just chillin next to the path. (Snakes signify facing ones fears, and transformation).
A couple nights ago, I also had this dream about snakes. I was at a house that I lived in in Isla Vista (this was a super hard period in my life) and there was this red van from my childhood that I was in and afraid to get out of because there were 4 or 5 snakes around the van. I was shaking and trembling, and no one seemed to understand my fear in the dream, but then my dad came and was being so kind, and he got in the car and drove me right up to my doorstep. He kinda helped me through my fear in the dream, so its nice to think that he's with me on my travels on some level.
And then a couple of nights later, I had this awesome dream where I was staying at my mom's house (where I am right now) and I woke up and opened the blinds and there was this crystal blue water right below the window, and then as far as I could see, just like the pictures i've seen of Thailand. I felt so peaceful in the dream, and then freaked out about the desert not being there, but i felt really peaceful when I woke up too. I really feel like I am meant to go to Thailand for some reason or another, short or long term.
I just made my reservation for my four day stay in Bangkok, and also booked transportation from Bangkok to Chiang Mai where I will be living. I was a little intimidated to do this, but it was so easy!! Some family friends who've been there recommended this fairly nice hotel to stay at when I first arrive ($45 a night), and I reluctantly agreed, but they were sold out anyway, so I guess that my intuition was right anyway!
Michael, my friend Ben's brother e-mailed me and told me stay at this guest house called the Shanti Inn in the backpacker's/touristy district, but it is off the beaten path just a little bit, so I'll be able to sleep at night! I looked on-line, and it appears to be right up my alley, so I'll be staying there nights 2,3, and 4, and the first night I'll be staying at another guest house close by (The Shanti Inn was sold out for my first night). It's amazing how much you can really budget travel there. I'll be paying about $6-7 dollars a night for a private room with hot water and air conditioning, but if you really want to rough it, you can stay at places for less than $2 a night!
posted by meagan at 12:03 AM
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