Sleepless in Bangkok

As much as I enjoy traveling, I have yet to figure out a way to beat jet lag. For the first couple of days after changing more than two time zones, my internal clock simply will not readjust. So after arriving at my hotel in Bangkok at 2AM(after a rather small amount of fitful sleep on the 20 hour plane rides here), tossing and turning even after taking Tylenol PM until 5AM, I thought I would just bite the bullet and get up and do some work.

Now this is a fairly dangerous proposition because even at my most well-rested, I am not the brightest crayon in the box, and the fuzzy-headed  feeling of jet lag doesn't help the mental acuity.

I am happy though to be in Thailand working at the EARCOS conference. I think it is my 4th trip to this beautiful country for either business or pleasure. Its nickname, The Land of Smiles couldn't be more accurate. The Thai, if one can generalize an entire people, are very friendly and gracious. The food is good and the sites are amazing. Other than a serious looking security check in the Shangri La hotel's drive, no signs of the coup.

Find below a slide scan from my first visit here when my son Brady was 6 months old, back in 1986. It was sort of a Steve Irwin/Micheal Jackson child endangerment moment at the Bangkok Snake Farm. As I remember a guide at the Farm looped about a 50 pound snake over my shoulders while I was holding my very small son. And I was doing my best to keep the snakes jaws from enclosing Brady's head. And I wonder why my daughter doesn't completely trust the care of her children to me. 

Anyway, looking forward to both the conference and my first full night of sleep. Oh, and weren't we all much thinner 20 years ago?

Comments

[Janice Friesen]

Doug,

I have recently discovered the solution to Jet Lag, at least one that worked for me. Last year when I went to Greece I tried some pills called No Jet Lag. They are herbal and you just chew one every hour on the trip. I do NOT sleep well on planes and so I usually feel really lousy for about a week after traveling, but this time I was on schedule in Greece right away. No lost nights of sleep, no drowsy afternoons! amazing!

Janice

http://nojetlag.com/