In Bangkok

There is a sign near the entrance of the royal palace that warns to "Beware of Wily Strangers." This time through Bangkok I've done a better job. My first time I was ripped off by one guy and almost another. Lessons learned. BKK seems much more navigable this time around. Last time I arrived completely ignorant of all things Thai. I'm still mostly ignorant, but feel much more comfortable.

The trip here was long but uneventful. I thought I was doing well adjusting to the time difference, but got really sleepy around 2:00 this afternoon and slept until just after sunset. It's now around 8pm and I feel like it's 3 in the morning. It doesn't help that it's raining hard and the streets are quiet.

The highlights so far have been walking around Wat Phra Keo this morning, the breakfast at the hostel which was just a huge table of really good fruit, and watching the rain pour on the surprisingly verdant alley the hostel is on while sitting on the floor at my table and eating really good food.

One thing struck me while going through the Wat. Buddhism at its most basic is simple. A guy was thinking about life and came up with the Four Noble Truths and then spent the rest of his life trying to use those to alleviate suffering. No god(s), no external sacred things, no need (to my knowledge) for temples. However, it's now a vastly complicated religion involving temples, shrines, idols, relics etc. I think it must be inherent in human nature to need superstition.

Tomorrow I lug about 90 pounds of stuff to Mae Sot, which will include carrying it at least a half-mile and maybe four flights of stairs...in addition to the 10 hour bus ride. But then I'll be there.