Pico Iyer expresses a theme in which pessimism and assuming the worst of a situation can hinder one from creating connections and memories. Iyer was very cautious in regards to Muang-Muang, thinking his tour guide was leading him into traps or danger at times. This is seen when Muang-Muang handed back a simple book of letters and pictures and Iyer writes, “reluctantly I opened it, bracing myself for porno postcards or other illicit souvenirs” (20). Again, Iyer doubted Muang-Muang’s genuine kindness when he was given a piece of jade saying, “I instantly wondered, [what] was the catch” (19). A third time Iyer is suspect of his guide as he thinks, “ah, I thought, here is the setup,” when Muang-Muang simply wanted to share his home and treasures with Iyer. The constant suspicion of Muang-Muang by Iyer exposes how people often assume danger or unpleasant situations will occur; this can inhibit genuine experiences and connections with others.
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