In leaving the US for a month, I expected that I would miss some culturally relevant event. During my exchange to Japan in 1996, that Big Event was Tickle Me Elmo. You can’t really catch up on that type of experience from afar, or afterward.

However, I never expected something so tragic as the recent elementary school shootings to happen basically immediately (or at all). As I happily uploaded the first of my photos, I was shocked to learn from facebook what had happened. I had landed in Bangkok just hours earlier, and all I wanted to do was get back on a plane immediately and go hug my son. Not being able to physically hold him and reassure the mama bear inside that he’s okay was extremely painful. However, I have Skype, and can talk to him and see his sweet face every 12 hours. Logically, I know he is okay. My heart goes out to the families who truly did lose their sweet babies. It makes no sense. None.

I thought about whether to keep posting photos and anecdotes from my trip for now — it seemed almost disrespectful to interrupt the flood of emotion pouring out on facebook with my silly vacation stuff. But a few people requested that I keep posting, so that there was something positive in the midst of all the sadness. So, I will. But I do it respectfully, and not without care for the more serious things going on.

So, back to the travel blog — the thing about blogs is that you have to keep on top of them while thoughts are fresh. As I’m gallivanting all over Bangkok, I’m constantly writing posts in my head. But most of my actual down-time and precious internet time has been spent figuring out how to deal with all my photos. I want to share them, but first I want to make sure they’re backed up online in case my backpack is stolen at some point, along with all my physical photo storage. I already have over 200 photos, so this is quickly becoming a massive undertaking.

Here’s what I’ve settled on:

• Camera -> SD card reader -> iPad
• iPad -> Dropbox (backup)
• iPad -> facebook (immediate sharing of a few photos)
• iPad -> Snapseed (editing the best photos)
• iPad -> Blogging at some point?

This evening, I even chose a bar based on the free wifi offered with the beer. I don’t even like beer. But it allowed me to keep my backup upload going during dinner!

Anyway, now that I’ve got this worked out, I’ll try to catch the blog up soon on my 21 hr travel day and my first two amazing days in Bangkok.

In the meantime, a few photos: