Arriving in Bangkok with a cold

I called Dad from Dulles Airport, on my outbound trip from the United States. In a way, it was a farewell call to him. Dad can be surprisingly sentimental. In any case, during the call he observed that Bangkok was the furthest away from the east coast as I could have gone, distance-wise. I had doubts about that claim, but at moments, it would feel like it.

I finally landed into Thailand the same time my tickling throat flared up to a full-blown cold. It really is a horrible place to get a cold. Because of the heat and humidity, all buildings are air conditioned to the point that one would get cold.

In fact, my very first major purchase upon arriving turned out to be a North Face fleece jacket. Before you mock me, it was on sale and so far paying off major dividends. I've been wearing it every day at work and in the nights going to sleep with it on.

So, whether you come here for a visit or to move here, make sure you pack a jacket in that suitcase. You never know when you need it. If not, I'm borrowing it.