Away from the US, I’ve realized I really rely on my instincts to guide so many of my choices. In the end, I often shy away from things that are seemingly normal to others, or I’ll accept or do things that most people would never do. And in a foreign place where I don’t speak the language, sometimes my instincts are all I’ve got. In the end, I trust my instincts more than just about anything else. (And well, you know, I did once have a psychic tell me I had my own psychic abilities…)
Really, though. That’s why two days ago I peaced out on my room in Kanchanaburi before my reservation ran out, the first time I’ve done that on this trip. Something about my inability to fall asleep there that first night gave me the heebie-jeebies!
It’s also why I didn’t freak out at the Tiger Temple yesterday when a tiger cub pulled me down and started knawing away at my skin. Yeah, it hurt when he sunk his teeth into the back of my neck, but I knew he was just playing and not going for blood (the worried look on my face was due to the fact that I’d recently had my Missouri Football t-shirt go MIA…in Vietnam, nonetheless…and was afraid he’d bite a hole in this shirt, causing me to be down two good ones…).
And it’s why on my way to catch the bus back into Kanchanaburi, I accepted a ride with a group of Thai construction workers to the bus station. And why, when they looped back through on their way to Kanchanaburi 20 minutes later, I hopped back into the cab of their truck. The five men and one woman spoke little English, but something about them made me immediately aware I could trust them.
But as I got out and waved good-bye, I about died laughing. The four guys in the truck bed had slipped navy blue knit ski masks over their heads to protect their lungs from cars’ exhausts. Mmm…I have a feeling if they’d had those on before they picked me up, I may have doubted my instincts that riding with them would be OK…
