They Stole my Guitar but What Else is GONE Now? | vlog 58

The speaker, who has been living in Thailand for three years, is returning to the United States for a temporary visit, not a permanent move. He expresses that his life in Thailand has been excellent, making him healthier and happier, with only one regret: not maintaining a US phone number. This oversight has caused difficulties with two-factor authentication, and he later discovered he could have ported his old US number to Google Voice for a one-time fee of $20. While obtaining a US phone number is a priority, it's not the primary reason for his trip. The main impetus for his return is an issue with his storage unit in Texas. Despite selling most of his belongings before moving to Thailand, he kept a 5x5 storage unit filled with items he either didn't have time to sell or held onto in case his life in Thailand didn't work out. After three years, he's confirmed that his life in Thailand is indeed for him and he no longer needs the storage unit, which costs him $100 a month. Approximately three weeks prior to his trip, he received an email from the storage facility stating that the lock on his unit was missing or improperly placed. Unable to check it himself, he sent a friend, who was asked to buy a new padlock and inspect the contents. Initially, the friend couldn't access the facility due to a forgotten gate code, but eventually got in. However, he found no staff to purchase a lock from and discovered a new, unknown blue lock on the unit. This necessitated the speaker's personal return to address the situation. His trip began with four days in Los Angeles, specifically his hometown of San Pedro. He arrived at LAX, noting the modern car rental center where he could rent a car without human interaction and which automatically recorded any vehicle imperfections. His first day in LA was dedicated to securing a US phone number, which he successfully accomplished. This allowed him to gain online access to a savings account he'd opened in Thailand but couldn't use due to the lack of a US number. On the second day in LA, he had breakfast with his father and visited family in Los Angeles, including an uncle who serves as his financial advisor, as well as cousins and an aunt. The third day involved a surprise appearance at a friend's birthday party at a record shop/bar called The Recess Sardine in San Pedro. He enjoyed seeing friends and experiencing live music, which he misses from the States and looks forward to in Austin. His final day in LA included breakfast with his dad before flying to Austin. He also visited more family, including a cousin in Norco, described as "horse town, USA," where he enjoyed a barbecue with her Mexican family. He expressed how much he missed Mexican food while living in Thailand. After three years and three months away, the speaker experienced some culture shock in the US. The high cost of living was a significant "sticker price shock." He also had to re-adjust to driving on the right side of the road, which initially felt disorienting, especially during left turns, after being accustomed to driving on the left in Thailand. Upon arriving in Austin, Texas, he picked up new keys for his storage unit from a friend and checked into a hotel near the unit. This hotel turned out to be "one of the worst" he had ever stayed in, citing roaches, old facilities, poor internet, a non-working heater in freezing temperatures, food remnants in the sink, a malfunctioning door, and inadequate blankets. He booked another hotel and hoped for a refund on the prepaid first one. Despite the rough start, he began clearing out his storage unit early the next morning. He discovered that only his guitar appeared to be missing, though some boxes had been cut open, likely with his own box cutter, to peek inside. He taped up the boxes and dealt with the hotel management, securing a partial refund for his miserable stay. He then planned to meet friends at a new Trader Joe's in Austin before checking into his new hotel, expressing exhaustion from the intense work of clearing and listing items from storage.