Fond Memories

I will soon be leaving Thailand and returning home to America after a ten year absence. I will miss the Land of Smiles greatly and will pack memories and photographs I managed to capture here with me. Like knowledge, however, unless shared, memories and photographs fade and die with time. So I have decided to start a new section on this blog, one that highlights some of my favorite memories of Thailand along with photos that captured those memorable moments.

My travels in Thailand were on a Honda 110, not exactly a monster bike, but good enough to take me where I wanted to go and I never feared any road, path or trail upon it. I took that bike where most people wouldn’t even think of going! Sign it off to just plain dumb! If ignorance is bliss, I was the happiest biker on or off road!

I decided to start with this one. It is of a most memorable morning. As usual, I had begun my trip long before sunrise, determined to be in position to capture the event from a most advantageous position. In this one, I succeeded, due as much to pure luck as to the cooperation of nature.

I was so cold! I remember my teeth chattering and being concerned that I could not hold the camera still enough to get a decent picture. It turned out to be a legitimate concern as several takes were necessary. As the sunrise revealed the temple on the mountain in silhouette, my breath was literally taken away. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing. It was a most magical and mystical moment.

Later, I found my way to that temple and, after removing my shoes at the door, I entered into the serenity that reigned there. I remember thanking the Buddha and nature for what I had been privy to. I vowed to share the moment with others and prayed that they, too, would experience the feeling of exhilaration and fulfillment I had felt.

I continued on my journey of exploration and adventure that day, clocking over 600 kilometers on my bike in that one single day. That moment was followed by others equally as memorable, all of which I attempted to capture on camera. Future postings will determine whether or not I was successful in this endeavor.