The Mystery of the Mohawk

That's Quan Yin, she's the bodhisattva of compassion, mercy and love and I carry her with me in a tattoo everywhere I go.
That's what's neat. Packing for this trip isn't hard. I'm really not taking anything. A few weeks ago during a lull in a conversation a good friend asked me what I would save in a fire.
Nothing.
There is no object or possession that I'm attached to. I'm pretty ready for the nomadic lifestyle.
But it's not just about things.
Alot of people think my mohawk is for fun, and it is, but it's because I'm halfway to shaving all my hair off. I cut it into a mohawk about an hour after I got the phone call telling me I was going to Thailand. I did this last year before I went to maui and I'm doing it again. I'm not interested in the attachment of western female beauty. My looks should be the furthest thing from my mind while I'm there. That and hair is hot and it's going to be 110 degrees.
I was a little worried that this will look like some sort of mockery of the monastic world, but I've been told instead that I'll probably be treated even more kindly by the people of thailand since I'm verifying their faith by traveling halfway around the world to truly experience it.
I'm also taking out all my piercings this week.
My tattoos, my only prized possessions, really, will be covered up anyway. I'm going to buy regional clothing at the JJ weekend market in Bangkok when I get there. If I really wanna look like a spiritual pilgrim, I'll probably end up wearing white all the time.
This isn't your typical thailand vacation.
Thailand is really weird that way: it attracts mostly two groups of young adults. People like me who are interested in the faith and the culture, and people who are interested in the beach raves and sex industry.
The best piece of advice I've gotten other than "don't drink the water" is, "don't sleep with anyone." A prostitute in Bangkok or Pattaya or Ko Samui costs an average of 90 bhat---- that's $3 USD. And it's been around since at least the 16th century. And the women are thai, persistent and absolutely gorgeous-- and AIDS and STDs are absolutely rampant. You hear alot about Africa, but Thailand and India are just as bad if not worse-- and it's a big part of the tourism industry.
What I am taking with me is:
-really awesome women's NorthFace 70 medium backpack
-my camel back
-a water purifer that attaches directly to aforementioned camel back
-a sawed off toothbrush, tiny shampoo/soap etc.
-passport
-my chaos (that was actually supposed to say chacos, the sandals, but I think I like chaos better)
-$$$$
-a sleep sack for hostels
-sunscreen and bugspray
-malaria medication
-and a guide book.


I'm almost out of my mohawk spiking stuff so I'll probably shave my head completely once I get to Fort Collins. If you've asked me the question "what makes it stand up?" and I gave you a smart ass answer like "Hope" "Faith" "Will Power" or even "arousal" the actual answer is this stuff called Blast Spray Adhesive. Elmer's glue is nasty and hairspray would take days on a 7 inch mohawk.