A Taste of Thailand

I’m in Chiang Mai, Thailand, for approximately twenty minutes when I realize just what sort of place I’ve landed in.  We’ve just come off of a weeklong ‘vacation’ from traveling: a much-needed (if not deserved) respite from sightseeing, guesthouse hopping, and zipping, zipping, re-zipping my enormous backpack.  Koh Samui, in the gulf of Thailand, is…

The Monkey Mind

“You’re going to be quiet for two whole days?” My sister says to me, her careful placement of emphasis making clear that the concept of silence is not what she’s in disbelief of, but rather that it is me who will attempt it.  I feign offense. Signing up for a two-day silent meditation retreat in…