Record lows

It's no secret that I am no fan of cold, but the past few days have been epically cold in Bangkok and I am loving it. There is actually a large cold snap moving across Asia, so it's not just us. Record lows are being experienced from Japan and China all the way down to our little corner of the world. There has even been snow in Laos and northern Vietnam. Sadly, the cold has caused quite a few deaths in Taiwan, where the temperature dropped suddenly and many circulatory systems weren't prepared for it. 

How cold has it been exactly? When I woke up this morning it was 61F. That's pretty great considering we get excited if it drops below 80! With all the windows open it was cold in my apartment this morning and I reluctantly dragged myself out from under the warm blankets. I usually lounge around in the evenings in shorts and a tank top (with the AC) but yesterday I got to cozy up in socks and flannel pajama pants. I'm sure it sounds a little crazy to the Michiganders and other northerners, but when you're not used to it or prepared for it, 61 is quite cold. Everyone here is bundled up in sweatshirts and jackets and scarves, which is really fun to see. In the mornings instead of drinking my tea in front of a fan to stay cool I sipped it from under a quilt the last two days. It's been glorious. 

You know you've lived in Bangkok too long when you get downright giddy over a cold snap like this, but low 60s to us is like a blizzard in the US: it's all anyone talks about. The low should be down around 64 again tonight, but the highs tomorrow are expected to reach 88 and then we'll be back to a usual "cooler" temp of mid to high 70s at night and approaching 90 during the day. And that's okay. I love the heat and am happy that I get to live in a place where days like today are exciting. I want to soak up every minute of it, even as my neck muscles are cramping up from being tense in the cold. 

Now, if only I had a fireplace...