Chiang Mai

So we are now in Chiang Mai up North!! Our last day in Bangkok was spent at a shopping mall and the cinema. Haha the cinema was amusing...after the trailers and ad's were over the screen went blank and suddenely everybody quickly stood up straight. We assumed it was some strange film etiquette over here and reluctantly stood up too. Then a short film commenced basically showing various images of the king - his face on the stamp, his face on billboards, soldiers saluting the king etc as the national anthem played in the background. We were like hmm has the king died or something?? Then some words came up on the screen with English subtitles. Up flashed WE LOVE THE KING.....then....LONG LIVE THE KING. I looked at Nick and it was difficult not to burst out laughing!! They have an obsession with their king here and what made it so amusing was that everybody jumped up without hesitation. In the UK at least one person would have some anti monarch sentiment to shout out, some chav would be busy throwing popcorn at others, and most just wouldn't give a shit enough to bother standing up. Anyway ity was a Hollywood film (the first one we;ve watched for aaages) called Jumper. The plot was pretty poor and unrealistic but we enjoyed it nevertheless!!!

We got an overnight train upto Chiang Mai, arriving the day before yesterday. The first day we spent wandering round temples (boring) and night markets. I bought a few unusual bags made out of bamboo sticks!! They are cooler than they sound honestly!! Gonna have to post stuff home when we get to Bangkok as our bags are bulging. Then yesterday we went to the zoo-I'm still like a little kid at zoo's I love them!!! The animals were pretty standard though, but they did have a cool aviary which was basically a section of park sectioned off and the birds could wander freely. That was nice. We then went to another bloody temple. Once you've seen one you've seen them all that's my motto however Nick still lives in hope that the next will be even more impressive etc and that we really need to see it!!! I'm like forget the temple lets just wander!! We then went to another cinema in the evening!! This time we saw a Thai martial arts film, which for some reason was called Chocolate. Unless we stumbled into the wrong film. The Thai's have an evil sense of humour...whereas we were cringing at poles going in peoples stomachs, knifes JUST missing eyes, blood everywhere.... the Thai's found it hysterical. They were constantly giggling and gettign excited. The more painful a scene the happier it made them. Very odd!!! And yes we had to go through the whole rigmarole of standing up to pay homage to the king.

So today...we have signed ourselves up for something close to torture...a three day trek in the unbearable heat. It was something that sounded cool at the time. But I'm increasingly beginning to regret that decision!!! How am I going to cope?!?!?! We had to walk up some steps to arrive at the temple yesterday and I almost collapsed in the heat. It's a geniune possibility I may not make it out alive. But who knows, it may be fun. We are waiting to meet our group now so I hopped on the net to let you all know what's going on!!!

So I'd better go. Will put up pics of the zoo, Chiang Mai and hopefully the trek when I return!! Wish me luck I'm definitely gonna need it!!!

Love Jaymi!

xxxx

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