Shortcut learned late
Kiddo is amazing. She’s so different than she was when we landed in BKK and yet, very much the same. I think back to our first months here and trying to get her to walk somewhere, especially in the heat and humidity, was sometimes a challenge. A few weeks ago, her and I were on our own for the night and we were going to try Burger King since McDs at the mall closed. That would mean a cab ride to The Bright. It’s 2ish KM away and across the highway, so it’s definitely a cab ride. However, to break that up, I took her to Decathlon first. It’s a sporting goods/camping/physical fitness type store. We could run around and she could burn off some energy. Also, it would break the cab ride in halves.
Upon running, jumping, trying out the tents, looking at baseball gear, seeing how good she can bounce and dribble, etc etc etc, we headed out and I tried to book a car. That was easy enough, but it was a 15 minute wait on the car. I looked it up and there was a foot bridge and it was something a 5 min walk.
Hey Kiddo… car is 15 to 20 minutes, then a 5-10 minute drive to get us across the highway. Or, it’s a 5 minute walk.
Let’s walk. I don’t want to wait that long.
Off we went.
This last weekend, since someone who shall remain unnamed is growing like a weed, we needed to go and get a new swimsuit. Plus, with summer in Mexico and on beaches, she needed to upgrade her gear. Plus, something more like a body suit which covers legs and arms a bit more would be a plus. It was a family trip this time.
Better fit, good coverage |
We get what was needed and again, tried out tents, rolled some balls, etc. Off we go to The Bright. On top of BK, it’s a mall type area. Some little shops, Thai bookstore and game store, a small grocery, things like that. Also, however, it has a place called Wine Connection. Imagine Olive Garden, only not so Olive Gardeny. It’s a franchise type sit down mid-level type place. We can, however, get a charcuterie board and pizza along with a glass of house red for J and myself and it’s priced reasonably enough.
That’s what we ended up doing. J learned the walk and deemed it “super easy. Wish we’d have known about this two years ago.”
RIGHT! I’m sayin’.
Kiddo walking |
The nice part is it makes the ride home easy. Taking a car from Decathlon is a chore. You need to go down a bit to a turnabout, then back up the highway to the exit, then past Central and home. From the Bright side, we can just hail a cab on the street, Central and home, easy. For those who like the details. Trip to Decathlon is about 50-60 baht usually. The trip home (from that side) is usually 130-150 baht. Now, crossing to The Bright side, we can hail a cab and get home for approx 50 baht. So, just that turnabout and time triples the price. For a 5 min walk over a foot bridge. Yeah, I wish we knew about it two years ago also.
There’s always something to learn. There’s always something we don’t know. There’s always little things that we miss, in part because we are not from here. Language barriers, understanding barriers, day to day challenges, and everything in between.
Here’s the thing. We are just learning some of these little things and we are leaving soon to relearn them all in a different city, country, and culture. Not that this is a bad thing, it’s just a challenge. Much like setting up a new house will be. A new kitchen to learn and work with, new nooks and hide-a-ways for gear and items, new layout, new everything. We get to reset and relearn it all.
That’s the fun of this though. Getting to reset that way. Also, learning things late. Sure, we could settle or we could not try, but where’s the fun in that? Part of the fun is the learning. Part of the fun is the experience. Kiddo still talks about getting “lost” in HCMC. Even J admits for the stress of it, that it was actually pretty fun and cool. Also, it’s cool that Kiddo is down for the adventure as well. Sure, let’s walk it. Sure, let’s give it a try and see what happens. Sure, let’s have an adventure. We can get out and do stuff and explore… Because what’s the worst thing that’s gonna happen? We’re gonna get lost and turned around and it’ll cost us a bit of time and (maybe) extra coin to get back home, but maybe not. Maybe it’ll be like the Bright hack, a short 5 min walk saves time and money.
Reset, relearn, retry, and remember the little things that worked and helped in the past. All while we look forward, plan for the future, for Kiddo’s next steps and stages, watching the world change and flux as we adventure around and enjoy it. We even enjoy the mistakes. J was just talking with me the other night about that and about how the Thai staff really has helped her with her Thai, because she can say things incorrectly and have them set her right.
It’s a process. A journey. One step at a time and enjoy it. I blogged, a long time ago now, about a day that Bangkok won. Even now we look back on that with a type of nostalgia and remembrance. Sometimes it’s best to remember the failures and see how you’ve grown from them. We try to do that, so when we do make mistakes or when we are late in learning a trick or tip, we file it under life lesson and move on.
Kiddo is amazing. She is down for this adventure and life style. She’s asked if the market food in America is like at Bangkok or totally different. She (I blogged about that as well, Amazon vs. Amazon Cafe) doesn’t know and doesn’t remember. In Mexico we will have markets or food vendors. In BKK we do. In Shanghai we will. In the States, though… she is gonna be totally lost. We do wonder, though, how she will react to everyone speaking English; if she will like it or if it will be overload? Also, how will she react to people wanting to speak to her, wondering where she’s from, etc. Not people we know, the strangers in public that always seem to chat up kids. I think, at least, she’s gonna be shy about it. Just because she won’t know how or even really want to react to those people.
She is forever changed by this. WE are forever changed by this. Nothing before prepared us for this, but nothing after will be the same because of this. We are still us. J is J. Kiddo is Kiddo. I am me. However, now we have a different look at things. We have a new outlook. That doesn’t make us better or worse, just different. We will learn this summer just how different, but I’m sure I’ll spill some digital ink on that.
Let’s go, Kiddo… it’s time for life and we love exploring that with you. We love watching you learn and grow and become the best you that you can be. We can’t wait for the next steps and adventures. We can’t wait for more Uno, more fun, more playing, more exploring, more adventures, more getting lost in the rain. Me and Mumma love you and can’t wait to elephant walk the globe with you.
Card sequence in a game against Kiddo... She won. |
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