When did it become November? I’m not ready for Halloween to be over or for the bitter cold to set in. Of course, time passes whether you’re prepared for it or not, and, it seems, the less prepared you are, the more quickly it flies. This past May, I was fortunate enough to journey to Thailand and China. The trip lasted 13 days, but it felt more like three.

It was my first time traveling alone, and my destination was Bangkok via a quick transfer in Beijing. Oh, how nervous I was boarding that flight! Luckily, Alex Young happened to be flying out of JFK the same day and we met up in Lufthansa’s business-class lounge. It helped to be waiting with someone I knew as I anxiously anticipated what it would be like in a few hours, when I wouldn’t recognize a soul.

I almost didn’t make it to Bangkok. My flight to Beijing was delayed due to stormy weather in Canada and I had to literally sprint from one terminal to the next, doing my best to keep up with the flight attendant in front of me. The attendant was in excellent shape, unlike myself. It was a relief, to say the least, when I made the flight. Five hours later, I touched down in Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport. If only my luggage made the trip with me.

The Four Seasons, by the new Siam Paragon Mall in downtown Bangkok, turned what could have been a disaster into a minor inconvenience. When I checked in (around 1 a.m.) and told them about my suitcase situation, they immediately set about calling the airport and grabbing things I would need — toothbrush, toothpaste, pajamas, anything and everything. Reassured that the future of my trip was in safe hands, I slept very soundly that night. Sure enough, the hotel was able to get my things to me by the next morning. I think telling the concierge that my malaria medication was in my bag helped speed the process along.

My first — and only — full day in Bangkok began at 9 a.m. with a tour of the Temples of the Grand Palace. As an ex-anthropology/archaeology major, I was in heaven. There, before my eyes, was the Emerald Buddha, a large model of the Angkor Wat and various vibrant tile designs detailing Bangkok’s history. Following the temples, my guide and I took a boat ride along the canal, past floating markets, houses that defied the laws of gravity and a Komodo dragon! After a quick stop to see Wat Arun, it was, sadly, time to head back to the hotel.

I awoke the next morning around 4:30 a.m. and grabbed my newly arrived luggage to head back to the airport. It was time for the next leg of my journey and the main reason I had come to Asia in the first place. I was headed to Chiang Rai, in the center of the Golden Triangle, and a temporary base camp for Pencils for Kids, Inc.

– Kate Gallagher, advertising and editorial coordinator