#SoL20- Day 1-Achievement Unlocked!

#sol20- March 1, 2020

I imagined there might be trumpets blaring and confetti falling, but it was a bit less celebratory than that.

I have been to Bangkok more than half a dozen times and on almost every visit I buy books. Okay, truth be told, almost everywhere I travel I manage to buy books, but Bangkok has more English bookstore options than most places in Southeast Asia, including three branches of Kinokuniya. I feel obligated to visit at least one Kinokuniya on each visit, sometimes two(obligated is a funny choice of words, because I love the store so!).

This trip I am here for four days and traveling alone, so nobody to think of other than me. It is also just a few days after my birthday and I chose to celebrate it by getting my yearly physical here and then buying books!

After my physical on day one, I was in an amazingly positive mood. I dropped off my things at the hotel, grabbed my face mask (so I wouldn’t get scowls on the train) and visited two Kinokuniyas (total damage=12 books for the classroom).

Fast forward to today- I knew I had to pick up my medical report at 1, so on a whim Googled the location of the third Kinokuniya (the one I have never been to). Turns out it was just two train stops away, so mask on face (again) I set out.

It was a bit of a walk from the train station, but I eventually located the mall. The information desk directed me to the sixth floor and I was on my way. Finding it was a bit of a fist pump moment (it was actually inside of a department store, so not so obvious). Somehow I still managed to find six more books to add to my total. I really didn’t think that I would ever get to all three of the stores on the same trip, so felt quite pleased with myself. If only I had found that the books were exactly the same at all three stores then I would not feel compelled to make multiple bookstore ventures on future trips here, but alas, from my purchasing perspective I bought six books at each stop…and now I know exactly where they all are! I achieved the trifecta!

I do not leave until mid-day tomorrow and I am wondering if I will squeeze in a trip to Asia Books-another bookstore with ample English books, but maybe I should stop while everything will fit in my suitcase.