Northern Thailand

Our journey north to Bangkok coincided with the early onset of the rainy season and, boy, did it rain. However, there have been sufficient intervals between the showers for us to see and do much.
Bangkok is everything you must have heard about it, noisy, completely gridlocked, very crowded, full of people who want to sell you something and often 'on the edge', especially after dark. The rain showers mercifully reduced the temperatures from the low forties to fairly comfortable low thirties. Lots to see in the older parts of the city. The river boats along the Chao Phraya river allow you easy access to the main temple and palace sites, some of which are stunning.
Despite all the warnings, Chris and I were beautifully 'scammed'. We almost knew it was happening, but couldn't believe it was happening to us and certainly not perpetrated by the two lovely men in two parts of the city, who were, in fact, working in tandem. Still, you live and learn. Next time you are in Bangkok, don't let anyone tell you somewhere you want to go is closed or that somewhere else is only open to the public today of all days in the year. Fortunately for us and with the help of our hotel manager, all ended well with the return of some over-priced jewellery and the re-couping of our money.
We flew from Bangkok north to Chiang Mai, where we are staying in the old city. The rain followed us and got a bit worse, forcing us to cancel our three day and two night trek. However, we did manage to make it up to the 'Golden Triangle' where Thailand, Laos and Burma (Myanmar) meet. This area was infamous for opium growing and trading until the 1970's, but is now much calmer. A boat ride across the Mekong River allowed us to enter Laos briefly. Back over the river and a little further on took us to the Burmese border. Very atmospheric, a non-stop movement of people back and forward and a realisation, if we needed one, that this is the Third World and most people are living on a knife edge.
There are many hill tribes in these northern regions, some originating in China and Burma. They have refugee status and are denied most of the entitlements enjoyed by Thais, including education. However, they have become adept at milking the tourist trade and our visit to a village of 'Long Neck' people involved a serious retail onslaught in return for photographs. Our feelings were mixed, but everyone assured us that, without this influx of money (every visitor pays for the visit) then they would not subsist and would be forced to return to an uncertain and dangerous environment in Burma.
The symbol of Thailand is the elephant. So it wouldn't be a visit if we didn't get to ride on one. Even though a bit touristy, our visit to the elephant farm was enormous fun. They are now using the dung to make paper and rather good it is too.
Our final few days in Thailand have been spent at cookery school and driving into the mountains of the Ithanon National Park, the highest point in Thailand. Fantastic waterfalls. The weather has been much better for the last week. We really feel at home in Chiang Mai and we are glad we decided to stay for a longer time.
We are now planning the next stage of our journey to South Africa. We fly to Cape Town on 16th May. Very exciting. Our fourth continent and third crossing of the equator.

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