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Published: December 19th 2005
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6 Nights
Our last days in Thailand before Laos have definately been some of the best we have had!
After returning from Pai we went back to our wonderful AU$2.50 a night guesthouse and decided to check out the Chaing Mai Night Bazaar which is an array of markets, restaurants and cool things to see. We scored some great bargains; new fisherman's pants, shorts and shirts (I have thrown out some of my 'western' clothes and decided to dress thai style). It is good times bartering with the market stall owners and walking away with 3 bags full of clothes and stuff for AU$20 is my idea of a smart shopping trip. The inner child came out in Rane and I when we bargained hard for some 'laser' pointers so we could be juvenile and point them at buildings and stuff.
Our next day Rane had arranged for his Dutch cousin Marco (a Chaing Mai resident for 14 years) to pick us up to hang out with his family for a few days. This is when all of the fun began as Marco is the most energetic man on this planet.
I am sitting here at the
end of our time at Marco's and reflecting on the times we have had here. We are staying at Marco's home about 25km out of Chaing Mai in a place called Hang Dong. Marco has a lovely stone house that he shares with his family, his beautiful wife Lam, daughter Naomi (11) and son Tinga (9) and maid Pja. The family has 3 dogs, 3 rabbits and a cat. The home also shares the property with the family wood carving export business, a massive operation that exports over 10,000 different wood carving product lines. Many people work here and it is a hive of activity always. The lady in the office makes great coffee too so we have been ordering them often.
On our arrival we went and ran some errands and went to a very diverse super market to stock up on supplies for a lavish BBQ we were to have that night. We stocked up on 5 different types of meat and seafood, vegies, cheeses, breads, wine and beer and we had the best BBQ I have had in a long time, eating and drinking like kings. It turned out we needed the calories as Marco had
planned a 'light' bike ride for us the next morning around his surrounding area.
We headed off at 9am the next morning (feeling slightly seedy) for a 'light' bike ride of about 60kms or so. I haven't been riding much since 2001 and I wouldn't say I am the fittest man in this world, but this bike ride would be one of my biggest tests of will and endurance in my life even though it was simply a walk in the park for Hawaiin Ironman, Marathon Runner and Super Athlete Marco!
We rode at a decent pace and saw some amazing countryside and ended up clocking up 75kms and I live to tell this story. It was mostly flat but we covered a few hills that really tested my cycling abilities. I earn't my beers that night thats for sure.
That night we went to a Thai eating place. We ate sticky rice and about 15 small dishes all with our fingers. The method of eating is to roll the rice into a ball and pickup the various bits of meat and fish and eat until you feel like a beached whale. I really didn't know what
The Factory
The factory is in the backyard! I was eating, I do know that some of the dishes contained stomach parts and other undesirable things and also all of the beef was buffalo and not cow but it tastes pretty much the same. It was a fun experience and that night I learn't how to say 'where is the bathroom' in Thai, which is a very important phrase when you decide to have a beer or 10.
We were invited for a one beer nightcap at a French restaurant at about 9pm and that turned into a 5am bender as we had met a French girl Natalie and Dutch guy Michael who had grown up in Chaing Mai and they were out for a big night. I was really happy to get to hang out with some local expats who gave us a good interpretation of what it is like living in Thailand being a foreigner.
The next morning Rane and Marco visited the tallest mountain in Thailand, it is 2900m elevation and after a 2 hour forest walk they cycled 39km all the way down the mountain to 300m elevation. Unfortunately I didn't make this expedition.
This morning, our second last day in
Marco and Rane
True big boys toys Chaing Mai we went to a house blessing. There were 5 buddhist monks, who do various prayers that included a 20 minute chant that was mesmerising to say the least. I was quite touched by this experience. We also toured around the palatial new house (which would be a mansion in Australia) and we ate an excellent Thai lunch. The most fun was getting there on the back of Marco's 4 wheeler motorbike and screaming through the backstreets.
We are returning there tonight for a party and tommorow morning head back into town to organise our 3 day journey to Luang Prabeng in Northern Laos. Our journey consists of a 6 hour bus ride, a nights sleep and then a 2 day slow boat ride with a nights sleep in between. It should be interesting and picturesque. Rane is keen for the 7 hour fast (rocket) boat, but you have to wear a helmet and hold on for dear life. I have been told people have died doing this, so I am definately doing the slow boat ride, a bit like my life I am not in a rush I have no where to be in a hurry.
All of this adventure has been wonderful and I have seen the real rural life in the outskirts of Chaing Mai. Marco and his family have welcomed us into there home and looked after us so well. Thank you! Time to move on and get back to the backpacking, I don't think I will ever forget these last 4 days!
hawng naam yuu thii nai kawp?
(where is the bathroom?)
Daz
PS. If anyone wants to e-mail me send to toolmunga@hotmail.com
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Rhiarna
non-member comment
I got on! So glad you guys are having a great time, sounds like so much fun. The pictures are great and the experiences are quality. I can't wait to do the same, where do you want to go next?