From Sukhothai, I take the bus to Chiang Mai, Thailand's second city. I end up doing a whole bunch of nothing there, despite or maybe precisely because of the broad variety of hedonist activities on offer. You can do river cruises, trekking to minority villages, rock climbing, white-water rafting, abseiling, mountain biking, meditation and massage courses, cooking classes and visit elephant sanctuaries. I feel intimidated by the choices and the multitudes of travellers, backpackers, flashpackers, tourists and luxury seekers taking advantage of them. I spend a few days in the city mainly exchanging money, going to the night market and planning my onward trip, before evacuating myself to Chiang Rai. My host Félix, a Quebecois, warns me not to take the tourist bus. "When they see your farang face at the bus station, they'll want to
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