Chiang Mai, Thailand: The Post That Never Was

Marc has been hassling me a bit to write about Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand that we visited in October. Seems ages ago when I put it that way but the memories are still so fresh! This is the place where I had a bit of an awful experience so I wasn't too keen on writing about it, but here we go...

We were in Chiang Mai from October 25 until October 30. The city is very relaxed, somewhat of a tourist town but not overwhelmingly so. There is a moat around the older part of the city which kind of cuts the city in half. On either side are one way streets with the rare stoplight that is only used when a pedestrian pushes the button. The expected result is for all vehicles to stop and wait for the person to cross, no? Well... here they briefly slow down just long enough for you to pass their vehicle and off they go at top speed! Take your time crossing and you're roadkill!

During our time here we checked out some of the hundreds of wats (temples) in the city. We rented bicycles and rode around, checking out the various shops and markets - so much faster than walking! We also participated in a renowned one day cooking school, during which we learned to make six dishes and proceeded to eat them all. I have never been so stuffed in my life! I felt as if I didn't want to see food again for days, which, as it turns out, is near enough to what happened! We also had some clothes tailored - a suit for Marc and a hot pencil skirt for me. Just a taste of what was to come in Vietnam!

One of the draws in Chiang Mai is the treks through northern Thailand. Marc was really interested in this so we signed up for a two day trek, with a homestay in a 'village', which turned out to be one family's living space. Cool enough, right? We also would hop onto an elephant and be carried through the jungle (I had mixed feelings about this - poor elephants carting around tourists, but on the other hand, they are fed, washed and cared for...), and float through the rapids on a bamboo raft. It all sounds like so much fun, doesn't it?

The trek: Realization set in that I do not enjoy this whole walking through the woods thing. A city girl am I - give me the scenery of skyscrapers and asphalt any day and I'm a happy camper. Wait, no, a happy... city dweller? Anyway, I'm cursing and agitated as I watch the others easily manoeuvering up and down the hills, over the rocks, streams and logs, and I'm thinking, I"m so bad at this because I didn't grow up doing it. I can practically cross a busy street full of traffic with my eyes closed (so prepared for Vietnam, I can tell you now!) but drop me here and I completely lack the experience that all of the others so clearly possess, having grown up in rural areas and what not.

Bitter, party of one, we arrive at our overnight spot in the dark. Our group consists of six of us, five guys and myself. Everyone was super friendly and we were getting on very well. Despite carrying these crap, uncomfortable backpacks, but that's another story. We're all to sleep on mattresses on the floor in this candlelit bamboo house on stilts. We proceed to wash ourselves off in the cool nearby river, only to discover the next day the water is brown and manky. Lovely. We eat dinner, and I have no appetite. Odd. Afterwards, as we sit chatting, my stomach ache turns a bit violent so I get up to wander off, mostly to determine the best place to throw up, should I need to. No time for that for as soon as I hit the end of the table, up dinner came! Ugh. Eventually we move to the bonfire, Marc is playing guitar and we're all talking... the guys are drinking beer and I'm trying to get some water down to soothe my tummy. Not sure what's coming next, I head over to the squat toilet, no running water outhouse. Just outside, (I couldn't even make it to the outhouse but was skeptical anyway as how does one throw up into a squatter?), I proceed to chuck up my lunch, repeatedly. It's pitch black, so as I'm about to turn on the flashlight to make sure I'm still presentable, I feel these sharp, stinging pains on my feet. Ouch! Flashlight on, I realize I'm being attacked by ants! Trying not to freak out, I manage to get them off of me. I walk back over to the group and inform Marc what has happened, so he ushers me to bed immediately.

What a night. Have you ever tried using a squat toilet while feverish and weak? In the dark? Not fun. I kept waking either in a complete sweat or shivering cold. I was advised, should I feel the need to throw up again and didn't think I could make it outside, to simply part the bamboo flooring and relieve myself through it. Thankfully, it didn't come to that! Poor Marc barely slept a wink all night.

The next morning, I was incredibly weak but didn't want to ruin the day so we participated in the elephant ride, which turned out to be a pretty cool experience, and the bamboo rafting, which was fun if a little painful for me as I just wanted to be lying down, but we had to stand most of the time as the raft kept getting completely submerged in water!

That night, upon our return to Chiang Mai, I had to miss the famous Sunday night market as rest was the priority. I took it easy on the food for the next two days but my stomach bounced back nicely. Oh yes, and reflecting back, all of my difficulties in the trekking itself had much to do with the fact that I was battling whatever was about to hit me. It turns out I'm not so bad at the whole trekking, jungle walking, boulder jumping thing after all! Still, I'll take the city any day...

On our last day we had a fantastic Thai massage. It was incredible... and well deserved I reckon!

A side note: A strange thing we started noticing at this point was that many (not all) dishes in Thai restaurants are served with a fork and spoon, not chopsticks, as expected. Why did we do all of that practicing? ;)

Our adventure is coming to an end

In just under 3 hours, we'll be on our way to Bangkok. It'll be our last boat ride and our last train ride of our 4 month trip across Asia. Then we'll have 3 full days in Bangkok to do some final sightseeing and shopping. The next day, we board a plane bright and early in the morning, back to Toronto. There are a few things that I'm looking forward to, when I think about being back home. Namely, not having to live out of a backpack, being able to feel clean for more than 10 minutes and having my order in a restaurant or shop understood on the first try. I will miss the heat, the sights, the people, the awesome Asian food and the relatively cheap prices.

I updated the "Map of our trip destinations" with all our stops and routes that we took in the different countries. Please have a look by clicking the link above. We're pretty amazed with the sheer number of places that we've visited in the past 4 months. It was an awesome adventure that I will never forget!

LadyBoys

Last night at dinner we were served by what are now renowned as Thai Ladyboys. Briefly, as I prefer not to delve any deeper, these are males at some stage in the process of converting to females.

It's an odd experience to have what generally looks to be a female saunter over (they're so good at it) and begin speaking to you in a distinctly male voice, gesticulating with, well, man hands. (Anyone remember that Seinfeld episode?) I find myself averting my eyes as it feels I'm staring, only to realize, now I'm being rude by looking away as he's (she's?) responding to a question I've asked!

I suppose this blog falls into the category of unusual experiences in Asia... This time, that rare, uncomfortable situation of finding the delicate balance between polite attentiveness and full on staring...

Ice Pop Flavours in SE Asia

I understand affinities for different flavours and textures across the world - you know how chocolate tastes different in the UK or Europe vs. North America? Or, more recently discovered, how chocolate is powdery in China to prevent it from easily melting?

Here's how this phenomenon, as I'm choosing to refer to it, is affecting my life in SE Asia: I keep trying different popsicles/ice cream on sticks, testing out the ones that look really appealing based on the packaging. I'll admit I inspect the package for any English and if, upon reading the flavour, it sounds gross, I don't try it. However, much of the writing is in Thai, so the result is I'm repeatedly surprised (dismayed) to find the 'treat' laced with all manner of strangeness - beans in coconut, mmm, or, dark 'chocolate' coated vibrant yellow ice cream filled with the mild and well-intentioned taste of... sesame seeds?! I guarantee not to be returning for seconds of either of them.

I have discovered some really good ones though! Of course, these are all the normal flavoured ones...

The Beach - Installment #2

Thai Island: Ko Tao

Our journey to Ko Tao was, well, a bit on the horrendous side... or, rather Thai, I'll admit! We left Ko Lanta by minibus at 12:30 pm - basically, a large minivan, as always loaded to capacity. My wonderful seat for the journey slanted inwards towards Marc, with an uncomfortably awkward lump in the middle. The supposedly two hour journey to the mainland was extended due to our wait, at several locations, for two Thai females, joining us for the ride, undoubtedly a few extra Baht directly in the driver's pocket, if you follow! At least at the first wait I legged it to a 'nearby' 7-11 (love Thailand for that!) for chips and ice cream for the ride. Off we go, only to realize we've detoured significantly (As in, 'ahem, driver, we just passed a sign with our destination in the opposite direction') to drop off these two stowaway Thais! Marc and I weren't surprised but some of our fellow travellers were right upset. We're finally dropped off in the middle of nowhere at this outdoor restaurant when we were expecting to arrive at the pier. So we eat... and eventually are picked up by a sort of pickup truck, 12 of us hop in the back with our bags on top and we're taken - directly - to the pier. It's now about 9 pm and our cargo boat to Ko Tao doesn't leave until 11 pm. What to do? Nothing but sit at an outdoor restaurant and wait... Just before 11 we climb aboard a very desperate looking wooden boat, which, thankfully, has a roof. Our sleeping quarters are basically one big room (the boat) lined with mattresses. Fifty-five of us, happily crammed on a loud, damp boat. Oh, how well we slept!

At 7:30 am we had completed the 50 km journey (if I hadn't seen the boat workers sleeping on the hard wooden floor of the boat I would have thought they'd paddled us to the island... that loud motor would've been difficult to explain though) and we'd arrived on Ko Tao. The resort we're staying at is great, quite comfy and very clean, but there's basically no beach, so we have to venture elsewhere to truly sunbathe. Of course, given we'll be covering up any sort of tan as soon as we step off the plane in Toronto there isn't too much worry over getting some even colour, is there?? Today it rained and was relatively overcast all day, so we relaxed... Tomorrow, should the sun deem us worthy to grace us with its presence, we'll be heading to a nearby island for the day... nothing to do but soak up the rays!

The island is really chilled, can't comment on the beach or the water but the people are friendly! Still can't seem to escape the 'Taxi?! Taxi!' requests though...

On Sunday we hop on board another boat to the mainland - it's a day boat though, should be so much better... one hopes! Our last train journey in Asia will be up to Bangkok on the overnighter, arriving at the ungodly hour of 5 am! At least we'll be better rested than our most recent overnight journey... And other than final shopping and sightseeing, the best part is we're meeting up with Kelsey, our little Londoner from our tour through China!

I'll find a spare moment amidst the Bangkok madness for the final post from Asia... Hard to believe it's almost arrived!

Recent Animal Encounters

In India I was being headbutted by highly revered cows and chased down temple-topped mountains by shrieking monkeys (or was that my voice?)...

In Thailand, I've graduated (downgraded?) from mammals, a bit of a relief, to be honest. In Ko Lanta, I'm happily strolling the dirt path to our bungalow on the beach when I feel a whizzing by my face and immediately hear a loud slap beside me. In confusion, I turn, as does Marc, who points and shouts, "OMG, a massive snake just flew past your head! Was it aiming for you?" Thanks, husband, how very sweet and reassuring of you. Looking to our other side, the only place the snake could have come from, with that height and speed, was this excessively high palm tree. Was it trying to attack me? We'll never know... Curious.

On the previous day, we're (again, happily) cruising on our motorbike when I notice this black 'thing' on the road directly in front of us. I was confused as to what it was but Marc, ever the knowledgeable, points out in fascination and awe (I would bet on a tremble in his voice had we been walking!) that it's a scorpion. Casually crossing the street. Hmm. Can I end two subsequent paragraphs with the same word? Curious.

Relaxing Holiday - At Last: The Beach, Installment #1

Our travels have finally turned to relaxation vs. the stress of moving every two days, finding safe and reliable transportation and accommodation, planning out which sights or markets to visit and how to fit them all in (oh, how I've managed to bring my love of lists with me), trying to get enough sleep, what with all of the above and the 'must see' sunrises...

The Islands of Thailand: Ko Lanta

Since relaxation is the prime motive, we have decided to minimize our island hopping. We're currently stationed on Ko Lanta, on the Andaman Sea and are not disappointed. Perhaps this is because we had our expectations set relatively low? Seems the guidebooks and some people we've spoken to don't actually know what white sand is... End result is we're happy with our beach. It's a less busy beach on a less touristy island - exactly as planned. We somehow swung an amazing deal on a brick/concrete, secure bungalow, complete with en-suite washroom, on the beach. No, not for $6 a night (don't believe the rumours - tourism is in full swing here, plus, it's high season). 500 Baht, approximately $15.

We have been spending our days simply relaxing, reading, sunning ourselves, and... eating. We've been touring the island on our sweet, very new motorbike (our most powerful one yet!), checking out the other beaches and the Old Town, taking wrong turns and ending up on the other side of the island... noticing our flat rear tire and me sitting roadside at a gas station (a.k.a., someone's home) waiting for Marc to return from his very carefully made four km trip to the repair shop... and finally, discovering some incredible restaurants. Mealtime has probably been the highlight, oddly enough. Picture this, if you will: Being served delectable, not too pricey (cheap, by Western standards) dishes while kicked back, on cushions or bean bag chairs, in your own private open-faced bamboo hut, lanterns and torches providing atmospheric light at night, DJ spinning chilled tunes, the waves gently lapping at the shore... Marc and I, reading, chatting, relaxing... Pure Bliss, I say! Almost like a second honeymoon, no?

The low tide/high tide situation here is interesting and unlike anything I've seen before. While the water is swimmable 24/7, especially directly in front of our resort as there are so few rocks - lucky! - at random times during the day it's low tide. At high tide, all you see is water. At low tide, the beach is transformed and all of the black rocks hidden by the water are suddenly completely visible. It's incredible, as if we're on another beach entirely. It's a wild experience to watch the tide moving out. Yes, we've done it. Yes, while eating...!

On our first two nights, we were woken up at random hours by the strange chanting of a bird(?), gecko(?), some other unknown creature(?) that appears to be living in our bathroom wall. I'd really like to know what it is that makes such a sound... On that note, did you know geckoes make an almost birdlike chirping noise? News to us.

Unrelated side note: My mouse has been entertaining me (and Marc, as he's the one who noticed) by continuously changing colours. Funky.

Island Bonus #7: The lack of begging. Sweet, sweet relief!

Island Bonus #12: No real markets on the islands and beach areas, so far. Plus, too pricey so we wouldn't shop here anyway. Marc is thrilled...

Prior to Ko Lanta we were in Krabi, which is on the mainland but has plenty of beaches. We visited one beach area, Ao Nang, for dinner one night, and were shocked by the number of tourists (Scandinavians, mostly), the cost of our meal, the prices they were charging in the shops, and the sheer Western-ness of it all. Happy we hadn't chosen to stay there, we head back to our hotel! Instead of being typical holiday tourists hanging out on a crowded beach, we rented a little jeep. It didn't take Marc long to figure out the whole left-hand driving but those first few minutes were a bit tense! I thought I was going to have to pull out my 'Side!' call used many a time while driving in Australia and NZ! We visited the Emerald Lagoon, this incredible blue water filled hole, really, in the middle of nowhere. There were a few other tourists there but just before we left a group of young Thai boys came dive-bombing in, splashing and laughing. It was a great sight. We also went to these natural hot springs, where we dipped in the small pools formed by the rocks. Apparently 20 minutes is good for your health!

It Was All Yellow...: The King's 80th birthday was celebrated while we were in Krabi. Every Thai wore pale yellow to commemorate the event. Not so unusual, actually, as this is the first thing we noticed upon our arrival in Bangkok. What's with everyone wearing light yellow??

In a few days we're off to Ko Tao, a tiny island on the Gulf of Thailand. Our last beach on this trip! :(

I've been to Cambodia!

We're now in Southern Thailand on a warm beach, not missing the fact that it's super cold up in Canada! Although we will be there in less than 2 weeks. Our trip is almost over... :(

In our normal way of keeping up with our blog, we've been out of Cambodia for 6 days now but here are my impressions of our last country. Note that we've only been to the two major cities in Cambodia, so these things might not be true of the rest of the country.

1- The smell hit us like a dirty shovel the second we got on our tuk tuk to our hotel in Phnom Penh. It smells of crap in this city. Not everywhere, but every now and again, it will catch you off guard. It's better to practice shallow breathing to avoid the sour smells.

2- It's seems that everyone here speaks English very well. It's very easy to communicate with the locals and shop staff.

3- It reminds me much more of India than the rest of SE Asia. There's a lot of dirt on the road and there's lots of garbage on the streets. This was mostly the case in Phnom Penh and also because they just had finished their water festival.

4- The people are very smiley. It's hard to walk around this place without smiling because the people are so nice.

5- The tuk tuks here are trailers attached to standard 110cc motorbikes. Very different!

6- You can't walk down the streets without being asked if you want a moto or tuk tuk ride every 2 minutes.

That's it! We only spent a bit over 5 days in Cambodia so we didn't take it in as much as the other countries.