10 Years Between Two Eyes

This very same day in 1999 I was in this very country and most likely drinking the very same brand beer.

I was 19 years old and on my very first Navy deployment aboard USS Sacramento. I was an undesignated deck seaman who spent most of his days, all 12-18 hours of them, refueling the various ships in our battle group.

The best part about both my visits to Thailand that year were the experiences I had learning about myself, the culture and solidifying the best friendships I've ever had. I couldn't help but keep thinking about those cherished memories for during this weeks leading to this trip - exactly ten years later to the day.

I went through this whole phase of wanting to write down the way I remember things from that trip so they wouldn't be influenced by this trip. Now I'm a second-class petty officer w/ about ten years of Navy and life in general under my belt. Then I couldn't stop thinking about how I'll perceive things through the same two eyes with 10 more years between them. And here's the synopsis.

Nothing will truly set in till I'm back home in reality and begin to forget just how kind and friendly these people are. Its' those things that fade over time. Luckily, I'm remembering why my friends and I in STREAM Division had such a great time.

We were each experiencing something so absolutely far from anything we knew. Sharing that experience created a bond like no other. It wasn't the partying or the women. It wasn't the views or the weather. It wasn't the dirt-cheap prices or nearly lawless society. It was a group simultaneously being introduced to the nicest and most understanding culture we'd ever experienced. And for all the memories that will fade from my first two trips here - this trip reminded me why those were so special.

And right now I'm just taking it all in like I'll never experience it again...

There are two more Singha beers sitting next to me on ice. They just won't taste the same anywhere else.