"I HATE LEAVING THIS COUNTRY"

BANGKOK, THAILAND
Temperature: 27 Degrees Celsius
Track of the day: Here comes the sun
"I hate that this is the last day," Sam says as we lay on hammocks on a small island where some temple ruins lie, "can't we just cancel our flights and runaway." Cambodia is intoxicating, there is something utterly sensational about it and we all agree to come back again. Rattana invites everyone to his restaurant for a delicious set menu and everyone returns to their respective hotels/houses to change and wash up. Sitting at the table together one last time has everyone looking sad but we try to take advantage of our last moments together. Wanting Rattana and Ravovine to experience the fish massage back in the Night Market we all head there one final time. "Can I get a refund," Rav says to the fish massage worker. "Rav. you can't give up," I say telling him to just put his feet in the water. Rav is our fearless leader, the guy who knows where to go and who to ask to get anything done but when it comes to tiny fish tickling his feet he becomes a complete baby. He wiggles and squirms until finally about 15 minutes into the experience he says "hey it feels good now." Shaking our heads and laughing we know we will miss his antics. After the massage our feet feel rejuvenated and Rattana and Alecs disappear into the market to buy some shirts. With Rattana at his side Alecs gets a good deal on everything and leaves the market quite proud of himself as do I finally having learned to bargain a little. Night comes far too fast and Rattana tears up as he says goodbye dropping us off at the hotel one final time. Although he and Rav are taking us to the bus station in the morning we all know that this is the end. There is a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that won't go away and all I can think to do is sleep.
"We will come again," we promise at the bus stop hugging a teary eyed Rattana, "we told you we would last time and we came again so trust us we will return," Alecs says, biting his lip. We wave out of the window of the bus as Rattana gets further and further away. "I hate leaving this Country," I say wiping my eyes, "I hate it." We've arrived in Phnom Penh taken a final tuk tuk to the airport and are now waiting to board the plane to Bangkok, Thailand. No one smiles as we go through the motions of travel looking forward to a good sleep in Bangkok.
"Let's go get some dinner," I say to Sam and Alecs as we sit in our hotel room in Bangkok. The three of us have decided to find a McDonalds and bring it back to the hotel as no one really feels like finding a restaurant as we are thoroughly exhausted from travelling. Sam gets his first taste of travelling in Bangkok. Heading straight for Chong Nonsi BTS skytrain we hop on and head north until we see the golden arches. Bangkok is an eclectic city filled with third world poverty, riches beyond imagination, technology far beyond that of North America mixed with people living in bamboo huts. We grab our dinner and head back to the hotel as we reminisce about Cambodia and talk about coming back here together one day.
"Ready to get your shopping fix," I say aloud as we head towards Paragon shopping mall on the train. Sam has been saving most of his money on the trip to spend on electronics here in the shopping mecca of Bangkok. Our first stop is to the luxury theaters upstairs where we purchase tickets to see Avatar later in the day. Back on the train we continue down one stop to MBK and we all separate to the floors with what we want to buy. Sam heads straight for cell phones, Dad and Alecs fiddle with electronics and Mom and I look for purses and shoes. With bags in our hands and more Swensens ice cream in our stomachs we head back to Paragon to watch Avatar. As we sit in the VIP lounge waiting for the theater doors to open we take advantage of the many massage chairs. A waitress delivers our complimentary snack and drinks while Mom and Alecs sit in a full body massage chair and Dad and Sam in a foot massager. "You need to try this Alecs says," as the chair compresses his shoulders, squeezes his calves, runs a ball up his spine and vibrates all the while, "I have 6 minutes left on it," he adds looking at the timer. We all try the different chairs before being escorted into the luxury theaters. We find our leather fully reclining couches, set our drinks and popcorn in the holders, spread out the blanket and prop the pillow's behind our heads. It's a nice relaxing end to a pampered day and tomorrow we will do some really touring.
"I think this is the stop for Wat Pho," Dad says moving towards the front of the boat on the Chao Phraya river. We exit the boat and wander to the entrance of Wat Pho the temple which houses the reclining Buddha.Wat Pho is one of the largest and oldest wats in Bangkok and is home to more than one thousand Buddha images, as well as one of the largest single Buddha images: the Reclining Buddha. Taking off our shoes we enter the temple housing the auspicious Buddha statue. The Reclining Buddha is forty-six metres long and fifteen metres high, decorated with gold plating on his body and mother of pearl on his eyes and the soles of his feet. After exiting the temple we wander around the complex before proceeding back across the river to Wat Arun. This temple is far different in style than that of Cambodia's or any of the one's we have seen in Thailand so far. Decorated with seashells and bits of porcelain believed to be from China adorn the exterior and steep stairs lead to the central prang. The last set of stairs to the top proves the steepest of any we have encountered yet. Using the railings we literally pull ourselves up step by step to the top where we are rewarded with sweeping views of the river and surrounding temples. Today Alecs, Sam and I are exhausted. We can't figure out why we are so tired but none of us seems to have any energy at all. We head to Paragon theater afterwards and watch Sherlock Holmes in the luxury theater, but I miss most of it falling asleep 1/3 of the way into the movie.
Tomorrow we are going on a tour to Ayuthaya and in the evening it will be New Years Eve - and we have yet to agree on something to do.
Until next time so long,
Alecs and Meg in Siem Reap