Bangkok

So I finally arrived in Bangkok late last night! My flights all actually went pretty smoothly. On the Portland to Narita, Japan flight I actually got a whole middle row (3 seats) to myself. I didn't even choose my seat! So I was pretty happy about that...but it was still a REALLY long flight..mybe 11 hours? Anyway..I got to Narita and then I had to wait in line for about an hour to go through another security bag check thing...which is ridiculous since they already checked out bags back in Portland. And then I took an about 7 hour flight from Narita to Bangkok...which was a bit more difficult because I had a middle seat and was really tired by then (I don't sleep on airplanes very well). I sat next to 2 Japanese boys and a guy who was a professor of geography from Minnesota who was going to visit his family in Nepal.
Finally, my flight arrived in Bangkok at 11:30ish and I got through immigration pretty quickly. I met my good family friend, Nick, at the airport and he took me back home to his place in Pathum Thani (a suburb of Bangkok). I was awake then because it was the daytime back home. My time clock is so off right now. I woke up at 7 am (though I didn't sleep much) and I'm pretty sure I will be going to sleep in a couple of hours.
It is really nice today...it's actually not that humid, or at least not as much as I thought it would be. I forget how much I really love this place. The sights, sounds, smells, people...everything. Right now the birds are singing, the orchids are in bloom, the sun is out, the people are chatting...It's good here. I have to admit...I don't miss home...yet. But that'll come later I'm guessing. Today I think I am mostly just staying here with Nancy (Nick's mom) and spending time with her and then tomorrow I think Nick is taking the day off and we're going out to lunch and probably going downtown. And then on Thursday (the 17th here) I am going to Phuket!! I a really happy to finally be here and I hope everyone is doing well back home. More later!