Country #7: Thailand

We've eaten our way through Thailand and we've only been in Chiang Mai for two days!

Conveniently our hotel is in the Old Town area which is full of food stalls and restaurants. Tonight we perused through the busy Saturday Night Market. My former self would have bought all the crafts, home goods, clothes and jewelry, but I couldn't wait to get out of there fast enough.

The past few days we've kind of been laying low; I am still not 100% and I have no desire to really venture too far or see any more temples. Yesterday I got a pretty good massage and pedicure while Kiel relaxed at the hotel pool.

We're a little over the half way mark in the (abroad) trip and as cheesy and cliche as it is, I keep trying to figure out if I've "found myself" or if I've had any major "life-changing" moments. And the answer is no, not necessarily, at least not yet. Traveling has been more about the joy of having a certain freedom, the opportunity to test myself in uncomfortable situations, and to see and experience new things.

What I have realized though is that this nomadic lifestyle is just not for me. Change is not home and a new bed in a new city is not home. I have too many attachments to just keep wandering for an indefinite amount of time. My introverted self sometimes wishes I could just be sitting on my couch with a record spinning, pizza and wine in hand, and Daisy staring at me.

Lastly, I think anyone who does long term travel with their spouse will find it to be challenging at times. Let's be honest, it's not always a walk in the park (no relationship is), but Kiel and I have learned ways to better communicate, build more trust, and ultimately realize that traveling together is very rewarding.

I miss:
-Daisy
-Home cooking
-My friends
-Having witty small talk with strangers (the coffee barista, the retail clerk, clients) who understand what I am saying to them (okay, so I am an extroverted-introvert)

Kiel misses:
-Organization and not living out of a backpack
-Being able to stream large videos and Game of Thrones
-Chipotle