I continue to play catch up on this blog... since my last post I have moved to Hong Kong, but let me first recount the past week.
Friday we were leaving at 6pm for Kanchanaburi to stay the night and rent motorbikes on Saturday. The ride out there was 2 hours on a bus and it wasn't a pleasure cruise, but it was only $3USD. I can't complain. We were able to secure a room at a guest house and we all hunkered down for the night. Saturday morning we woke up and got breakfast before picking up our motorbikes. The ride from where we were to the waterfalls we wanted to see would take about an hour and a half. Having rented scooters in Key West once I felt fairly comfortable on the bike, and all in a row we headed up to the waterfalls.
I looked back and BC was gone from my rear view, so I alerted Tiffany and she turned around (we were traveling up the mountain and the curves were sharp). As I was also turning around a car who wasn't paying attention ran me off the road, I hit gravel and went down the ditch. Tiffany didn't see this happen, but the car that nearly killed me stopped and pulled me out and got the bike out. I was shaken up, in a shock, but the family who were in the car apologized so profusely and gave me water, and told me that they were going to alert my friends that I was staying put. I am beat up, sore, and my right arm has a really nasty scrape in it. BUT the good news is that I am otherwise fine.
I realized that Tiffany and BC still had not come back, and then I heard sirens. I drove back to see what was happening- and saw BC on the ground with paramedics and Thai police. She was back braced and taken to the emergency room, and we (Tiffany and I) were graciously given transportation to the hospital from an couple there. They even coordinated getting our bikes picked up and returned to the place we rented from!
She has 14 stitches above her left eye brow, and is pretty shaken by the experience. I had my scratches looked at at the hospital with her. She lost control of her bike, and can't remember most of the accident. So we are just thankful that she is OK. We made it back to Bangkok Saturday evening and headed to the fancy hospital on Sunday. BC was cleared for flying home that evening and her CT scan did not show any head trauma. We were very thankful!
I could list on and on about how the Lord took care of us, and how well we were loved by strangers who couldn't speak English. In the same note I could also tell you how scary it was seeing BC back braced and taken away, or the scare in thinking that the car was going to hit me.
Sunday night BC was returning to the States as planned, and I was preparing for my Monday flight to Hong Kong. I had booked a hotel by the airport to assist with our flight arrangements. We took BC to the airport at 10:30pm, and I stayed with her until she had to go through security. I went back to my room, and for the first night in three weeks I was alone. No one down the hall, no one in my room- or sharing my bed. It took me awhile to fall asleep and I struggled with needing rest but having my mind racing. On Monday morning I woke up, packed up and went to the airport for my flight to Hong Kong.
Since arriving in Hong Kong I have made it to Disneyland. I got a free room upgrade so I have this very posh bathroom and I love it. This morning I got up and headed into the park and just laughed most of the day. I met all the characters, people watched, and rode on Space Mountain with JOY. I thought often that my life is ridiculous and random, but I love Disney so I had to come check out their park here! Later in the day I left the park and got on the MTR (their train system), and went to the mall for Starbucks, magazine reading, and a movie.
It was the most typical thing for me to do in the States so it brought great comfort to do the same little routine so far away. Honesty, if not for the signage being in both English and Chinese characters I would have thought I was in a metropolitan city in the US. As I was leaving the Movie I ran into the gourmet market and grabbed breakfast stuff for tomorrow and some Coke Zero. It felt normal and typical for me to be doing such things....and that was a little creepy. I navigated myself back to the hotel here at Disneyland and was so impressed with my skills I couldn't help but smile as I entered my room.
Traveling in Southeast Asia has been full of joys and challenges. I have been stretched and pulled in so many directions that I had some anxiety leaving Thailand. At least there I knew how to say Hello and Thank You in Thai! I feared not being able to communicate here, but have found that because I'm staying at a Hotel, they speak English! As did all the people at Starbucks and the Movies. The joy this brings to my heart cannot be articulated!
I am now sitting in my room, loving the upgrade and looking at all my photos from the day. Tomorrow I am going to head back into Hong Kong city and see more of the sights, and then come back to see the fireworks show at Disneyland. My itinerary is loose for the next few days and I am pleased with the open air of it all. I miss traveling with BC, as I think she'd love this. However, in light of her injuries I am thankful that she home safe and sound.
I am feeling much better- my bruises are pretty cruel looking, and the scrape on my arm is starting to itch, which is good- that means its healing. I am thankful that BC and I were not seriously injured. So that's the latest. I'm happy, and I am really enjoying Hong Kong quite a bit.
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