Location: Bangkok, Thailand

I hopped a flight back to Bangkok this morning after briefly debating skipping it just to stay in Chiang Mai a little longer. Despite me having loads of time left on this trip I’ve been feeling a slight bit of panic over how fast it feels like it’s going, as well as how much there is to see. I know I can’t see absolutely everything but I sure as heck am going to get to as much of it as possible!

In an attempt to combat this ‘half-finished’ feeling I’ve decided to spend a couple of days back in Bangkok to hit a few things I’d missed the previous round. I returned back to Niras Hostel, and immediately needed to rest because the hot, jerky taxi ride from the airport made me pretty carsick. So much for getting right back into it!

I had a much needed rest and was excited to head out for the evening as I made plans to see a travel buddy from years ago. Back when Meaghan and I were traipsing around Europe we met John in Hungary, and ended up travelling with him for weeks throughout Italy, laughing our butts off the entire way. The last we saw each other was a tearful group hug at 3 AM after a big night out on the town, when he was leaving us to go home.

Well here we are 7 years later! I met up with John at The Commons, a dinner place he suggested that was a trek and a half to get to but well worth it. The area, Thong Lo, is one of the more ‘upscale’ areas in the city and it showed. Things were a bit more manicured and orderly. John left his scooter on the side of the road and his bag at the table while we wandered around figuring out what to eat. He’s been living here for years now, and wasn’t even slightly worried his bag or scooter would be taken.

The Commons is like a big 4 story super split level building with little restaurants and bars all up in every nook and cranny. You order what you like and bring it to wherever you’ve chosen to sit in the place, be it patio table or bean bag chair circle. We drank craft beers and caught up on what’s changed in the past 7 years, and what plans look like for the future. We only really spent a few weeks hanging out back then but we picked up like old friends who’d known each other far longer. I don’t know about John but I cannot party like I used to so after 2 big beers I was sleepy and tipsy – ready to get home to bed so I wouldn’t feel like garbage tomorrow.

9:30 PM isn’t quite the same as a 3 AM goodbye but times have changed, John has a life here in Bangkok to get to and I have an early pick up. God am I getting old?!? Even though I didn’t actually do anything ‘touristy’ today, it filled my cup more than I would have imagined to revisit a friendship made back when I was a wee baby traveller.

I’m happy today.

Savanna