Blogs from North-West Thailand, Thailand, Asia - page 6

I'm sitting here in this internet computer room with the old crummy computer because the middle school thai boys have taken all the nice flat screen monitored computers to play mine craft. they are shouting to each other, evidently all playing the same game. The temperature has cooled at least 20 degrees from the day (high of 102 today) and the fans blow in the smells from dinner because the family who runs this place is eating in the back room. On the other side of the room, the door to the outside is propped open, and bicycles and cars coast by, and the occasional dog wanders nearby, wary of people but hungry. Moments like this, I can see that a tiny border town is actually doing quite well, and Thailand has indeed raised itself from ... read more

Dear Grace & Mag, Had a really chilled out week, so relaxing. But also had a bit of adventure as well because we (Kirsten, Aiden and I) hired scooters and rode round to different towns over a period of about 3/4 days. Was so good because it gives you so much freedom. Anywho... on the first day I arrived in Pai there were no scooters left (it's really hard to get them) so we got a taxi to Mhor Phaeng waterfall and swam & sunbathed up there for a bit and climbed up the rocks to the top. It was quite difficult getting up the rocks though as they're quite smooth so basically got to hoist yourself up with your hands- thought I was going to fall back at one point which was really scary but ... read more

So i've finished my first week of work! I woke up this morning to the sounds of firecrackers from various neighbors, and when i rode into town, the asphalt was littered in red paper. especially in the "posh" section of town where they sell gemstones, an area defined by cobblestone road, actual parking spaces, and stores that have air conditioning. this week has been eye opening in a strange way. i think looking back at old entries, i realized that i've just been listing events, but i haven't been analyzing them much. i hesitate to get too ethereal and froo froo about what's going on, because i don't want it to sound false and pretentious. but here is the truth: the people here do so much with so little, and i am in awe. the woman, ... read more

We reached Lampang, our next destination, by a suprisingly nice and well-fed train journey. Having grown up with National Rail we were instantly suspicious when the food trolley trundled its way down the aisles, but it turns out that in Thailand the trains are not only cheaper and more spacious but also insist on giving you vast quantities of free food and water. The only issue is there is very little warning when a station is approaching, and besides any information is given in Thai so constant vigilance is recommended. Upon reaching Lampang we managed to find a guesthouse after some confusion and a missing hostelworld.com reservation (which I have not managed to forget as the website continually email me asking 'so how was your stay at R-Lampang Guesthouse?' I wouldn't know hostelworld, your booking wasn't ... read more

I have 57 mosquito bites on one leg and 69 on the other. I'm pretty sure my Indian mosquito repellent is not only not working, I think it's actually attracting mosqitos. Fortunately, I made a stop at tesco today, and my new perfume is citronella. I did indeed find volunteer work, after all. I teach mornings at a school, really someone's house, and my classroom is the front patio, complete with a loyal dog I'm always tripping over, and a usually semi nude spoiled 3 year old son, who lives there. Two of my students also live there, because the woman's father just had a stroke, and they help out. It seems that family has a blurry line that includes school and teacher. My students make me a gigantic lunch every day, which includes more rice ... read more

I knew I had to leave bangkok. If I wanted to be in a bustling city of tourists and people out to get my money, expensive crazy nightlife and more to buy than could ever be sold, I could have just taken the Q train to manhattan instead of coming to the other side of the world. On my last night there, I met a Finnish guy named thomas, and we braved the streets outside of the touristy square of banglumpur, in search of a particular so called authentic thai restaurant. It was worth the walk, just to get out of the incessant noise of tourists and music and opportunists. On the way back, we stopped for a few beers and shared our similar views on travel and tried to figure out what we were each ... read more

I have deeply fallen in love - no, not what you think of. I do not want to miss Nina on my side. It is kind of a different love. I fell in love with Kod, "my" elefant! Although spending some time with the elefants is quite over my budget, I really wanted to do a trekking or a mahout course for some days. I did a lot of reserch where I could do this and I finally decided to do a 3-day homestay programme at the Thai Elefant Conservation Center. By public bus I went from Chiang Mai in the direction to Lampang and told the driver to drop me off at the Conservation Center. That was easy going and I quickly arrived at the center where I was welcomed by some friendly ladies at ... read more

Scorching hot day and I've just wandered across town to see what the flower festival is all about apart from the obvious...... There are food stands and market stalls set up everywhere and then tents upon tents filled with flower displays and plant competitions, I come to park I found the other day and what's beautiful scene, the park is even more beautiful with the sun shining down through the water fountains, people are lead on the grass, the smell of food is in the air and children are running around laughing mixed with the gentle soul full music being played into the back ground...... I'm currently sat on one of the benches taking it all in, and trying to calm the burning sensation coming from my lips and stomach, I've just sampled a Papaya salad ... read more