Today is vaccine day. I'm heading to the WHO to get the hepatitis B shot.
Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood and is said to be essential for travelers. Also, apparently once you get it it doesn't go away, so there's no harm in getting the vaccine. I had a blood test three days ago to check whether I already had antibodies to hepatitis B.
It was really crowded today, but I was able to get the vaccine without any problems. The price was 350 baht (about ¥1,300). Compared to the HPV vaccine at 5,000 baht, I couldn't help but think how big the difference is.
Katsuya and Tiger Cafe — Bangkok routine
For lunch I ate chicken katsu at Katsuya in the nearby shopping mall. It had been a while since I'd had Japanese food and it was incredibly delicious. I still think Japanese food is one of the best in the world — a close match with Italian cuisine.
Then I went to the Tiger cafe near MBK to work. This is a place I always stop by when I'm in Bangkok. The black sugar Thai tea latte is amazingly delicious.
Working at the cafe I thought: it's about time I really get to a point where I can make money on my own. Even as a freelancer, being dependent on a client's company isn't true independence. I will turn my ideals into reality. Step by step, steadily, I'll move forward.
I don't want to go back to the world on the other side of the screen.
I had a meeting for work. Since I'm traveling the world now, I'm doing tasks at my own pace. But the atmosphere on the other side of the screen is completely different. From the other person's expression I could sense that they were chased by work and that something in them wasn't fulfilled. It was just like me a year ago.
But looking at it from above now, I really don't want to go back to that state. I want to live every day happily so that I'd be okay if I died tomorrow.
And through this trip I've become convinced that it's possible. Life is mine, so I should decide everything for myself. Time doesn't come back. That's why I want to live this moment to the fullest.
Reuniting in Bangkok with a friend I met in the Philippines
Actually, Lewis, whom I met in El Nido in the Philippines, was coming to Bangkok, so we arranged to meet again. I met him while waiting for the bus to Puerto Princesa. It was truly a momentary encounter — we just happened to be on the same van.
Despite that, we kept in touch and were able to reunite here in Bangkok. The world seems vast, yet small.
He's 28 and works as a chef in England. He saved up money to travel Southeast Asia and is now traveling through various countries.
Eating a centipede in Chinatown
We met up in Chinatown and first looked for insect food. I knew from my previous visit that grotesque insects like centipedes, scorpions, cockroaches and caterpillars are sold here, so I suggested it to Lewis.
This time we tried a centipede. We had it filmed while we ate. Interestingly, before eating it I was expecting an exotic taste — thinking it would be gross or have a strange flavor. But in reality, it was hard to react to; it just felt like eating something very hard. You can't bite it with your front teeth, so you have to chew with your molars. Scorpions were the same — just really tough. But we finished it all. Yeah!
After that we ate at a restaurant in Chinatown. The portions were huge and we couldn't finish everything. He was drinking beer, but being from the UK he apparently needs about eight beers to get drunk. Meanwhile, I'd get tipsy after just one. Impressive.
Midnight billiards showdown
At night we walked through the entertainment district and soaked up Bangkok's nighttime atmosphere. The streets lined with nightspots had a completely different vibe from daytime, full of raw energy. It was a time to feel the city's many sides.
Then we decided to play billiards. I've only played billiards about five times. I faced off against Lewis and, of course, lost. Partway through, a Thai auntie who worked there called out "Let's play together" and it turned into a team match. She was very skilled and seemed experienced. We lost both rounds, but it was a lot of fun. Billiards is both a mental game and a sport — really interesting.
Lewis is also a poker player and apparently once placed 7th out of 3,000. That's amazing. He has big reactions and always cheers me up. He's very positive and open.
He has huge reactions and always lifts my spirits. Very positive and open. I was truly happy to have met someone like him. Apparently when he came to Thailand he matched with a lot of people on Tinder — when I looked it showed 99+.
I thought that's insane for a guy. So I had him look at my Tinder profile and he gave me all kinds of advice. 'This photo is unnecessary,' 'this photo is good,' 'you should make this photo your top one!,' and so on.
Apparently, on Tinder it's good to present photos in the order of 'strength', 'confidence', 'happy', and you don't need to show too much. Being mysterious is super important. That's true. I'm like the sun, so I might not be very good at creating a mysterious side. But I hope I can change my profile following his advice as much as possible.
Thanks again, Lewis. I had him write a message in my adventure notebook and then we said goodbye. He was leaving for Vietnam tomorrow, so we parted ways today. I rode my bike home. We promised, 'Let's meet again in England!'
Let's meet again in England
Meeting someone you met on a trip again in a different country — I think that's a special experience only travelers can have. A momentary encounter at a bus stop in the Philippines led to a midnight billiards hall in Bangkok. Life is really interesting.
