So Kashmira is now very close to giving birth (we hope!) at several days overdue, and one of the questions that our neighbors have been asking us from the beginning of this pregnancy is, “Where are you going to have the baby?” In response of our reply, “Bangkok, of course!” there is always a delighted smile, closely followed up by, “Where in Bangkok?”

When we tell people which hospital we’ve selected invariably they say, “Oh, that is so far away, aren’t you worried about the traffic?” To which I usually respond, “Yes, it can take some time to get there – but it is a very good hospital.” Which always gets another smile.

The reality is, even though our hospital is only 7 miles away, it does involve going right through some of Bangkok’s most infamous intersections to get there, and on a bad day can take a little more than an hour door-to-door. And this did concern me for a while. In the beginning I had visions of being stuck in traffic for three hours, finally helping Kashmira deliver in the back seat of a taxi… but since then I’ve learned a lot more about labor, and experience has shown us that traffic really isn’t that bad. My worries about getting to the hospital subsided.

…Until…

Just these last few weeks Thailand’s political situation has gotten stirred up again and the leaders of the current protest group have called for 1 million protesters to descend upon Bangkok this weekend for the rally to end all rallies… AND guess where the epicenter of their protest is?

We're on the Left Side, in the Middle, Rajadamnoen

Yup. Our neighborhood. Rajdamnoen Avenune, two blocks from our home. Ha! What’s more, is that between the protesters and the government’s actions to keep things somewhat under control we have learned that EVERY road into and out of our neighborhood is expected to be closed to motor vehicles by Saturday night. Talk about a traffic nightmare!

I love the irony of it – Bangkok traffic, I can deal with, but police blockades and 1 million (or even 100,000) protesters filling the streets? I guess our neighbors were right, our hospital is SO far away .

Don’t worry, later today we’re planning on going to stay with some friends who live just a few minutes away from the hospital until the baby comes, which could be any time now.

Thanks for your prayers and concerns – we’re doing ok, and we’ll let you know when this little person finally decides to join us on the outside!