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Published: January 30th 2007
Doi Inthanon
The beautiful waterfalls at D. I. National Park west of Chiang MaiSabaidee!!!
Hello everyone!! I hope you are well and enjoying this blog (if you are like me, this site will have you hooked to enjoying people's travels from all over the world and their amazing photos).
I have just arrived in Laos after crossing the Mekong river this morning. I am in a small border town (rather poor) called HouayXai. It is the transition point from where I take my trek from tomorrow morning. I have this whole day to kill and as luck would have it, there is absolutely NOTHING to do here. Funny. I usually run out of time to do the things I want to fit into the day. This is the only internet cafe in town and the connections are quite slow (it is also expensive) so I probably will only get a portion of what I want to enter on here today. I promise, I will enter more when I get to Luang Prabang in 5 days.
From where I left off, I was in beautiful Chiang Mai. I took a ride on a songthiew (pro. songtaow) which is a covered 1/2 ton truck with benches in the back for passengers and went
Doi Inthanon
Coffee beans up to Doi Suthep to see a beautiful and sacred Wat. It was quite the climb up the steps but had an amazing view of Chiang Mai city down below. Also took an organized tour to Doi Inthanon - the highest point in Thailand (at 2965 ft above sea level) and saw 2 lovelywaterfalls, went into and met the Karen hill tribe people; they have a very simple way of life but I found them very interesting (and no, I didn't take any pictures; it didn't seem right). I am finding there has been many lost photo opportunities either because I am enjoying the moment too much or it just isn't appropriate to pull out the camera. Not to worry though, the best photo album is in my mind and I will share my stories (lots) when I am home. We also shopped at a market run by people of the Hmong hilltribe and saw the 2 Royal stupas (representing the King and the Queen). The stupas and surrounding gardens were simply beautiful. Also had a great lunch and made friends with2 fellow Canadians (the first ones I've met since here). Mark from Canmore and Maurice from New Brunswick. Very
Doi Inthanon
'Let sleeping dogs lie...'. At a Karen Hilltribe village nice fellows. We went for supper once back in Chiang Mai,went for a glorious foot massage (and got to watch some hillarious Thai tv) and shopped the night market (some amazing handicrafts). Then the 3 of us took a joy ride on a pimped out tuktuk around the whole city. FUN!!
The next day I was off to Thai cooking school!! Pun and Neung came to pick me up and we went to the Thai market first where I learned about all of the vegetables and fruits used in Thai cuisine as well as how they get the coconut milk out of the meat (a machine shaves it first and then another machine presses the milk out - the firsat press being the good creamy stuff). Pun bought breakfast and shared with me; sticky rice and fried pork - yummy!! We drove outside the city to Happy Garden farm. It is owned and operated by a a lovely family who totally welcomed me into their home and treated me as their own. I had the good fortune of being the only student signed up for the class so I got very specialized one-on-one training. I learned how to make
Doi Inthanon
Colorful Hmong hilltribe market Panaeng curry paste and then panaeng coconut curry with chicken, chicken with cashew nuts, papaya salad, spring rolls and sticky rice with mango. All were so tasty, I could hardly believe I made them!! It was an all day eating-fest!! My kind of day. All of the produce we used is grown organically at the Happy Garden. Pun also showed me around the farm and surrounding area to learn how the farm is run and I met some of the locals and helped out a bit with the watering of the onion garden. Very interesting. I stayed at the farm overnight in a bamboo hut on the pond and stream - very peaceful. I was welcomed to eat with the family (3 sisters and their children and Pun. What an experience!! I learned alot about Thai culture and more of the language and they asked me lots of questions too and I taught them some English too. MeiNigh, my host and night-mother was trying to "give" me her son - handsome 33yr old Neung (!!!) It was quite comical. She was calling me "daughter-n-law" in Thai!! The 5 year old daughter even performed a special Thai dance for me and
Doi Inthanon
2 fellow Canadians (Maurice and Mark) on the day trip. This is one of the Royal stupas (the Queen's). then followed with some hip-hop dancing. So cute!! Had a peaceful breakfast on the pond and shared more stories and jokes with the family before the new batch of students arrived. It was a tearful goodbye after +++ photos taken and they drove me back to Chiang Mai.
I left Chiang Mai with a heavy heart and wished I could stay there longer as the place totally captured my heart.
Things I enjoyed most about ChiangMai and its people:
- climate and sunshine all the time
- everyone works so hard, always busy, keeping their shops so tidy and clean. Most work from 7am - 11 at night and work 6 days a week!!
-because the floors are so clean, you must always remove your shoes before entering a building
-the Thais are always so happy and smiling and are so understanding when you can't speak Thai, but love it when you try
-everyone is so helpful, but not pushy, very proud of their city and want to share it. They appear to like the tourists.
-motorcycles everywhere!! it is how everyone gets around, no one walks!! And somehow, the crazy traffic just flows!
-dogs dogs dogs!! everywhere.
Doi Inthanon
Cabbage flowers in the royal garden surrounding the King and Queen's stupas. They lay in alleys and the streets and don't bother anyone but are oh so cute; its taken every grain in my being not to pet them. Most look like sheba inu's with a shorter haircut.
-the Thai's really love their food!! You can pretty much get anything, anywhere, anytime!! And it is SOOOOO tasty!! I have not had a bad meal yet. They cook it right infront of you and everything is so fresh. I am totally used to the spice now and enjoy the fire it leaves on my lips
- the taxi's are so clean!! And songthiews are a fun way to get around and great way to meet ppl as they won't usually go anywhere until the back is full (fits about 8 Westerners or 18 Thai's (!!))
-7-11's everywhere!!
- even though tipping isn't customary, you WANT to tip or give them a gift as the service is so gracious and they are so kind. Most pple don't make much and usually live behind or above where they work
-you get a complimentary rooster with every room that crows ~ 5:30am. I love it!!
- cars with a musical loudspeaker drive up the alleys to
Doi Inthanon
Beautiful view from the highest point in Thailand. advertise tickets to see thai boxing matches
-incredible finds at the various markets and bazaars. Cheap cheap!! And I love their saying, "Same same!" It never gets old.
-TAT's everywhere; so helpful!!
-NO TOUTERS
-Thai massage. I can't believe how cheap it is!! They even wash your feet.
-They worship Buddha and love to share their pride in it. They love you to go see all the Wats (and there are MANY)
-They want to learn English from the tourists
- the quaint little soi's (narrow side streets). You even feel safe walking down them at night.
-that it is surrounded by a moat in the old quarter (where I stayed) so you never get lost, you keep contained.
To give you a sense of how much things cost here, 1$ CAN = 30 baht.
bottle of water = 7 bht
bottle of Singha (beer) = 30 bht
bag of mandarins(~10) = 25 bht
ride in a songtheiw or tuktuk = 40 bht
1 hour of internet use = 20 bht
a tasty meal = 60 bht
1 hour of Thai massage = 150 bht
room with private bathroom, hot shower and fan = 250 bht
day trip incl.
Doi Inthanon
Amazing carvings on the walls surrounding the stupas park fees, transportation, lunch and a guide = 900-1500 bht
Pretty decent, heh? Yesterday, I went by minibus with 9 others from Chiang Mai to Chiang Khong. We drove through the mountains and saw some terrific scenery and landscapes. Unfortunately, also saw some terrible accidents (ppl drive so fast here and the roads are quite winding in places). We had an excellent driver and I rode up front - it was my job tokeep him awake; another opportunity to prctice my Thai-speak. I also witnessed a dog get hit by a truck, it survived but was terribly hurt. I couldn't stop crying. As there are so many dogs here and the traffic is how it is, you see alot of disabled and 3 legged dogs. I don't know that there is much in the way of Veterinary care here.
Stayed at an itchy place on the Mekong River lastnight on the Thai side waiting for our visas to be processed and then rode a boat across the river to Laos this morning. I went and found a cute guesthouse and checked in at the Gibbons office (Yes!! I managed to get a booking!! YAY!!). I stay here tonight
Doi Inthanon
One last shot with the Canadian boys... and then am off to trek the forest and hike lots and look for the Gibbons!! My accomodation for the next 2 nights will be in a forest canopy-top treehouse. Cool!!
I have met some of the ppl on the trek allready. We are going to gofind supper together in this sleepy town. I plan to hit the hay early tonight. I have actually been gettting up pretty each day - 5-5:30 am . Dad, can you believe it??
So, I won't be getting back on here for another 5 days or so, when I arrive in Luang Prabang (after 2 days on the slow boat).
Take care and stay warm!!
Thinking of you all,
Love Pamela xoxoxox
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Andra Donbrook
non-member comment
WOW!
Wow! It is so amazing to read your entries. Your trip sounds fabulous. Your descriptions are so clear that I feel like I can see where you are. Love and hugs as you look for Gibbons and stay in a treehouse. Can't wait to read more in a few days! :) xoxo Andra, Doug, Brody