In Transit

We are slowly making our way back to Japan.  Today was the first leg of our journey.  Our 1 hour flight from Cambodia to Thailand took us from 9:30 when we left our hotel all the way to 4:00 when we checked in at our next one.  It was a long day for kids to travel and have delayed meals.  It was a long day for parents to listen to said kids complaining.  At this moment, I am sitting in a dark hotel room very thankful that one of them is asleep.  The other one is restless in our overly warm hotel room.  Hopefully she is asleep soon because tomorrow is going to be another butt kicker as we travel through Hong Kong back to Japan.

Tonight we are staying in an airport hotel somewhere in Bangkok.  I have no idea where we are.  I rode an hour in the backseat of a taxi with Mack on my lap and was just happy to arrive somewhere.  There is a big outdoor market right outside our window, which has thankfully quieted down.  We wandered a bit looking for dinner but opted for the hotel restaurant.  Some of the street food is frightening to me. After seeing Brian get sick, I seem to be a little bit paranoid.  We just needed food for our kids who ate breakfast at 7:30 and never got lunch.  I fed them candy and chips from the airport which bought us some time.  We had some mean and hungry kids today.   

As we drove away from the hotel today, I found myself wishing we had another 4-5 days to explore Cambodia.  We came to Cambodia to visit Angkor Wat.  I had no idea how much I would like it and wish to see more.  I had a hard time with the vendors who were very aggressive about selling me things.  I don't mind their intense sales pitches so much as I have a really hard time saying no when I see how they directly live on the income they make each day.  It was hard to see land mine survivors begging, children selling this or that, and rail-thin elderly people sitting on the street with a basket.  I found that I could shop in stores that were not inside a big market area.  I just wasn't comfortable with so many people begging us to buy something.    I actually got scolded yesterday by a lady in a market place outside Angor Wat.  We had walked by her shop and told her we were just looking when she approached us.  Well, I found a skirt hanging outside another shop and ended up buying a few other things.  When I walked back by the first lady, she came out to tell me that I said I was just looking.  She said she sells the same things and I should have bought them.  It was really uncomfortable for me.  

A little over week or so ago when we were in Chiang Mai, I remember passing an elderly man who was selling something I can't recall. Seeing him hot and working so hard for so little, I found myself wondering about his purpose in life.  Do the people I have encountered have the opportunity to contemplate their purpose in life the way I do?  It seems that so many people are in search of this when actually we should just be thankful that we have the luxury to do so.  Anyway, seeing people from so far away and how they spend each day, has made me feel so grateful for what I have.  I hope that when my children mature and can fully grasp that, they will remember some of what they saw here.

Goodness, my deep thinking almost made me forget to mention that we had BIG news for our girls this morning!  We finally told them that we have Tokyo Disney tickets!!  We sandwiched Angor Wat with a water park and Disney.  They were excited.  Mack was eating a chocolate bun at the time and seemed more excited about that but I know she will be so happy when we arrive.  We are fortunate that because Mackenzie has neurological challenges, she qualifies for a guest assistance pass at theme parks.  We waited in line at immigration today for 1 hour.  It was hell.  I am so thankful that we don't have to wait in lines all day with her at Disney.  We just couldn't enjoy it.  This is the one thing I really appreciate when we venture out into theme parks. 

Well, I am the only one awake now.  We have thunder and lightening outside.  I guess I should get some sleep in case Mack decides not to sleep through it later.  I don't have many pictures to share today.  Travel days are not too exciting.  Tomorrow will be another long day, but I can't complain.  I am once again eating breakfast in Thailand, lunch in Hong Kong, and Dinner in Japan.  We are so lucky.