Back in Bangkok.

My time with Amy was sadly coming to an end. The laughs and experiences we shared were some of the best moments of my life. We got ourselves into and out of some once-in-a-lifetime situations - that girl is hilarious! We spent most of the day eating and shopping and finished it off with a couple drinks as we again bumped into Ryan, Dillon and Craig. We gave Amy a nice sendoff, and we went out exploring the city to the road with lady-boys and strip clubs - we wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It mostly consisted of rich, old men or oddball young foreigners. We got back in time to put Amy in her 3am cab to the airport; the end of an era.

Goodbye shots.

Over the last seven weeks, I collected all kinds of clothes and gifts, and I had to get some of the weight off my back. I mailed home a 7kg box, which my posture was thankful for, and roamed the streets until Lena arrived a few hours later. Over the next few days, we shopped, checked out Chatuchak Market (which is now flooded) and went to the MBK mall where I could reluctantly get a cheap phone and sim card only to satisfy my parents' demand. 

Chatuchak Market. 

We stayed in Bangkok for longer than I would have liked, but it happened to be Yom Kippur and Bangkok was a good place to be for it. Lena joined me in my last meal before the fast with a bowl of green curry with chicken and rice. She was going to accompany me to the Chabad House for the boring services but was subjected to racial profiling at the door and was refused entrance. I was completely stunned by the rude interrogation she was receiving by the older, Israeli doorman - in fact, I was truly embarrassed. I've never known of any congregation to be unwelcoming to a guest, no matter what their religion, but Lena left and I headed into the lonely room solo. 

I forgot how much I hate attending Chabad services, although the one in Korea wasn't as bad as this one. It quickly filled up with Israelis and the random American Jew, but it still felt empty. I forgot about the partition between the men and women, and the entire service was 100% in Hebrew - sermons, books and all conversations - which I can handle, but the Rabbi was speaking so quickly. I rushed out at the end and decided I wasn't coming back the next day. Instead, I handled some things I needed to finish before taking an overnight bus and ferry to Koh Phangan, in time for the October full moon party.