The sun is shining through the wonderfully clean and brand-new windows in Hug Hostel. Matt’s returned to Chiang Mai from his two-day trek and decided to forego another night of terrors at BMP Residence in lieu of cheaper yet more extravagant living arrangements. Separate rooms for showers and toilets? What opulence! But this is the way the Westerner has grown accustomed to living. And for 280 baht a night ($8.64), it’s a tough price point to beat.
He wanders down to the common room to chat with his 11-hour lagged girlfriend back in Washington, DC. It’s 8am, which means it’s just him and his laptop in the gorgeous lounging room (floor to ceiling windows for a 180 degree view of the moat and Old City walls!). Few backpackers leave their beds this early unless otherwise compelled.
“So what’ve you been doing? How was last night with the guys?” Chelsea asks him via video chat.
It’s wonderful to see her face and watch it laugh in time to his jokes and stories. Well, maybe a few seconds delayed. 8,400 miles of separation isn’t exactly down the street and information can only travel so fast.
“Oh man,” Matt feels the familiar surge of energy that comes as he leaps off the first few words and dives into a story. “We saw a real Muay Thai fight!”