always learning

Ah, vacation is finally here!

This year has gone by so fast, I honestly can’t believe it’s already Songkran (Thai New Year). Amazingly, this is the first vacation where we haven’t either had friends visiting or been on our way to visit friends in new exciting countries. Tomorrow we head out to Phuket for a week of eating, sleeping, swimming, and enjoying the antics of the hotel’s baby elephant.

I’m definitely looking forward to the extensive relaxing sleeping (on the beach, at the pool, wherever I can get horizontal) I plan to do over the next week.

Just in case I can muster up the energy to do a little old-school reading, in between naps of course, I’m bringing along a few must-reads:

• The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil
• The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
• Big Bang: The Origin of the Universe by Simon Singh
• Sightseeing by Rattawut Lapcharoensap
• The Root of Wild Madder by Brian Murphy
• Incendiary Circumstances by Amitav Ghosh
• Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
• Not on Our Watch by Don Cheadle and John Prendergast

Actually, these books serve a dual purpose, not only are they entertaining for my “awake time,” but they do a mighty good job of reserving a table at the all-important breakfast buffet. And, truly, what kind of vacation is complete without the breakfast buffet eat-a-thon? Either way, I’m pretty sure that 90% of these books will end up accompanying me on my next vacation, but a girl can try right?

See you in a week!

Karon Beach, Phuket image from yeowatzup

Tags: travel, Thailand, Phuket, reading, books, personal