Travel

Mattopia Jones and the Righteous Chi
12 December 2022 – 8 January 2023
Miles Walked: 107.86

Chapters:   Interview  •  Itinerary  •  Snorkeling  •  Parasailing  •  Koh Chang

Logline: After a whirlwind fall that found Mattopia Jones hitting the Hollywood scene twice before bouncing around Nashville, San Francisco and Manchester (with pit stops in London and Amsterdam) while following Bono on his Stories of Surrender tour, the worn-down explorer seeks a return to center back in Thailand.

Working Titles: Mattopia Jones and the Cost of Living, Mattopia Jones and the Return to Center, Mattopia Jones and the Way of Water

“Of the hundreds of things that could go wrong, quite a few of them did.”
Mattopia Jones
(comment made to the Times during the trip’s final night, while dining on compot pepper beef and a pint of Singha at O’Shea’s pub in Bangkok)

---

The Itinerary: A Second Year of Dramatic Changes

Original itinerary booked 28 May 2022

• Outbound
• Denver, CO, US (Tue, Dec 13, 2022; 11:30 AM)
  Tokyo, JP (Wed, Dec 14, 2022; 03:45 PM)
• Tokyo, JP (Wed, Dec 14, 2022; 06:40 PM)
  Bangkok, TH (Thu, Dec 15, 2022; 12:05 AM)
• Return
• Bangkok, TH (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 07:10 AM)
  Tokyo, JP (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 03:05 PM)
• Tokyo, JP (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 05:30 PM)
  Denver, CO, US (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 11:45 AM)

First change initiated by United, 15 September 2022

• Outbound
• Denver, CO, US (Tue, Dec 13, 2022; 08:03 AM)
  Los Angeles, CA, US Tue, Dec 13, 2022; 09:40 AM)
• Los Angeles, CA, US Tue, Dec 13, 2022; 10:35 AM)
  Tokyo, JP (Wed, Dec 14, 2022; 03:30 PM)
• Tokyo, JP (Wed, Dec 14, 2022; 06:40 PM)
  Bangkok, TH (Thu, Dec 15, 2022; 12:05 AM)
• Return
• Bangkok, TH (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 07:10 AM)
  Tokyo, JP (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 03:05 PM)
• Tokyo, JP (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 05:30 PM)
  Denver, CO, US (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 11:45 AM)

Second change initiated by United, 19 November 2022

• Outbound
• Denver, CO, US (Tue, Dec 13, 2022; 08:03 AM)
  Los Angeles, CA, US Tue, Dec 13, 2022; 09:40 AM)
• Los Angeles, CA, US Tue, Dec 13, 2022; 10:35 AM)
  Tokyo, JP (Wed, Dec 14, 2022; 03:30 PM)
• Tokyo, JP (Wed, Dec 14, 2022; 06:40 PM)
  Bangkok, TH (Thu, Dec 15, 2022; 12:05 AM)
• Return
• Bangkok, TH (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 07:10 AM)
  Tokyo, JP (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 03:05 PM)
• Tokyo, JP (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 05:30 PM)
  Los Angeles, CA, US (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 05:55 PM)
• Los Angeles, CA, US (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 12:45 PM)
  Denver, CO, US (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 04:14 AM)

Change 3: Blizzard! 12 December 2022

“Important information regarding your upcoming flight”

“Severe winter weather conditions across the Central United States may cause disruptions to our operation, including flight delays or cancellations. As of now, there are no changes to your itinerary. We will notify you if this occurs. We are happy to offer customers with flexible travel plans the opportunity to fly on a different day or connect in a different city, at no additional cost. To review options, visit the My Trips section on the United app or united.com. If your travel has been booked with one of our airline partners, we recommend reviewing their travel guidelines to determine options.”

The email alert from United was received at 16:14. At 17:28, I had rebooked to a 21:00 departure, showered, topped off the packing and high-tailed it to the airport via Uber at 18:09.

The change entailed going from Denver to San Francisco instead of Los Angeles, with an overnight stay at the Best Western Millbrae, near the SFO airport. Cozy bed and Ancient Aliens on cable TV to scooch me into blissful slumber. First thing the next morning: booked a ticket to see Bono at the Beacon Theatre in New York on 3 May.

• Outbound
• Denver, CO, US (Mon, Dec 12, 2022; 09:00 PM)
  San Francisco, CA, US Mon, Dec 12, 2022; 10:49 PM)
• San Francisco, CA, US Tue, Dec 13, 2022; 10:40 AM)
  Tokyo, JP (Wed, Dec 14, 2022; 03:00 PM)
• Tokyo, JP (Wed, Dec 14, 2022; 06:40 PM)
  Bangkok, TH (Thu, Dec 15, 2022; 12:05 AM)
• Return
• Bangkok, TH (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 07:10 AM)
  Tokyo, JP (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 03:05 PM)
• Tokyo, JP (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 05:30 PM)
  Los Angeles, CA, US (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 05:55 PM)
• Los Angeles, CA, US (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 12:45 PM)
  Denver, CO, US (Sun, Jan 8, 2023; 04:14 AM)

The Terminal

The following is an extract from Matty’s personal journal, reprinted here with the author’s permission.

After the adrenaline rush of hurrying to the aiport, things got off to a fun start with, of all things, DIA security.

For reason, the nomad bag had to be checked by a guy who looked a lot like Eddie Redmayne. He opened it, gave it a quick glance (was it the sausage sticks?) and then said, “I have a question for you.”

“What’s that?”

“How old’s your jacket?”

My well-traveled Indy Raiders jacket. Paired with a khaki shirt, an olive Indy T-shirt and apricot jeans.

“I got it six years ago.”

He gave me a nod.

I volunteered more information than he needed or wanted. “It’s my favorite travel jacket! I also bunch it up and use it as a pillow.”

Then there was Gretchen at Pour la France. A high school English teacher in Aspen(?) She teaches pregnant girls, she joked. Doing a house/job swap with a teacher in Australia. She was bumped to a Monday night flight. She was nice to the United ticketers, who were being barraged by rude people. She got a free first class upgrade on fare she paid $680 for. After we chat, she rushes to her flight (she only had a few minutes and didn’t realize it until I pointed it out). She walked off without her roller bag and classic round, hardshell bag riding with it. I pointed that out, too.

She recently turned 50 and has been to 56 countries. Travels solo regularly. Sounds sorta like a Valley Girl. Dresses like a ‘60s hippie chick. And she’s a pilot.

There’s no substitute for reality, and I don’t mean the junk that passes as “reality TV.”

---