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Leg to Bangkok from Tokyo -- 6 more hours, 1 more meal with chicken mystery parts. My reflexes are going. Took an ibuprofen from the bottle and had to concentrate on how to coordinate cotton, pill, lid, and lid liner with only two hands.

Warm washcloths -- a nice idea. Good for scratchiness in sleep-deprived eyes. The sky is finally dark. We are told that we will arrive in Bangkok at 11 P.M., at which time it'll be 90 degrees, with thunderstorms. Looks like the weather story will not disappoint.

Bangkok

Arrival. After hours of fitful sleep and cabin lights gone flashing awry. Between plane and terminal the air feels and smells like a clothes dryer finished its cycle -- baked terry cloth. Customs is fast. Once through, we are escorted by an airport official who helped us exchange money, arrange taxi service, and a tour for first thing tomorrow.

Taxi ride. Long and fast, over a superhighway -- same green signs as U.S., but drive on left and much signage in curlicue Thai. Ads along the road: Xerox, Volkswagen and Audi, Konica, Kodak, Sony -- the world is one. Taxi driver also tries to sell us a tour.