Well my bank informed me when I called to alert them of my impending trip to Thailand that my check card was useless to me there because it was blocked due to excessive fraud in Thailand and some other places. Well, that is a pain since I planned on using the ATM machine for cash. Off to AAA I go for my IDP and to buy travelers checks. "Nope, we don't sell travelers checks anymore, too much fraudulent use." I get my IDP and they try to sell me a pre-paid cash card. It seemed like a good idea until I learned that each transaction would have a 7% foreign transaction fee. So it looks like I will be taking cash and paying for most things with a credit card which is just what I did not want to do.
Then I went next door to Verizon wireless to buy a a SIM card for my blackberry world 8830 so I can check email and use the phone. Of course it would be nice if Verizon would unlock the SIM so I could buy a local card and use that.
I finally nailed down arrangements to rent a car at the Phuket airport so I can get to Krabi and then over to Koh Lanta. I was stressing about this because I will be too late to get the ferry and I wasn't sure about a bus. This way I will have something to drive while on the island. I got a 4WD Honda CRV cause the roads are not paved on Koh Lanta. The drive from Phuket to Krabi is easy and well marked in English so it should be fine.
I decided to get the train to NY on Friday night and stay near JFK to avoid the hassle of a 5 a.m. train and finding my way to JFK for my 11:30 a.m. flight. The 17 hour flight is not something I am looking forward to at all.
I can't believe that this time next week i will be in the air half way across the globe. All the months of planning and I will soon be traveling alone in a southeast Asian country where I know no one and can't speak the language! But I am really excited and can't wait to begin my adventure. Pray that there is no snowstorm to delay my flight next week.
