Countdown

A little less than a month til my next winter adventure. I can tell it’s getting close because I got the call yesterday about the flight change. This is a critical part of my travels – the burst of adrenaline that comes with the realization of how helpless I am in the face of the airline industry. The flight to Bangkok has been booked for months…five or six at least. And yesterday they informed me of a schedule change by EVA Airways that makes the final leg of the return flight illegal.

In my opinion, the only illegal part about this is how they can make changes to my itinerary a scant four weeks in advance with no consequences. If the situation were reversed, we all know there would be costs involved. Mine. It seems that when they make changes, the costs are also mine.

On the bright side. I am heading for a part of the world that I’ve wanted to see for a long time – Southeast Asia. The sprawling temples of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, the beaches of Vietnam, the mystery of Laos and finally, ten days or so in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. Preparation for this trip has been different from past travels; I have reserved a few rooms at the start and two nights in Phnom Penh but nothing beyond. A little more spontaneity, a lot more potential for spending the night at the bus station.