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Published: November 2nd 2008
Khaosan Rd
backpackers haven in BangkokI was told to catch the bus from Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao, which runs every half hour. I watch as several nearly empty buses leave, which I'm later told are going to Chiang Dao..."mai ben rai" (no problem) I'll wait the 30 minutes. It strikes 4 and another nearly empty bus leaves before I realize I should have been on it, so I ask another driver "Chiang Dao?" He responds by pointing to the bus that is driving past, honks to stop them, and I get on. I try and pay the driver for my fare, and he just waves me to sit down. Walking down the aisle I realize the bus is completely full, so I file to the back and stand there with everyone staring at the only westerner on the bus. Then an official looking man jumps on asking me all kinds of questions in Thai to which I respond "pohm mai kow jai" (I don't understand). The young monks and school children all get a good laugh, and then the man makes about 3" of seat available for me. I'd have rather stood for the two hours, but as we keep going more people get on, and I see that this is the standard practice.
My directions are to get off 3-4 km past Chiang Dao, but I only said Chiang Dao when I paid. So they told me when we got there, this was my stop. I was unable to communicate that I needed to go farther and was obliged to exit early as he had taken my bag off the bus. I found a taxi, and was to take it the 30 km to Pan Lo Pahan (normally 30 baht ~ 85 cents). He told me it was too late for a taxi, but offered to do it for 400 baht. Feeling extorted, I declined and began to walk in search of another cab. Twenty minutes down the road (no cab in sight) someone pulls over and inquires where I'm going. I tell him and he confirms that it is too late for a taxi, so he gives me a lift on his motorbike to a hotel. The hotel is 500 baht, so I'm now regretting not taking the first taxi and ask for the hotel to call a cab which is now quoted at 500 baht. I tell them I've got another cab for 400 baht, so they match it. The cab arrives and it is the same driver I turned down earlier, and we laugh as he realizes that he was his own competition in my bargaining. Tom my driver turns out to be very entertaining as we exchange broken phrases and words of each other's language and he sings in Thai.
Arriving in Pan Lo Pahan, I'm to stop at a motorbike shop and walk 2 km down some dirt roads. However, it's dark and I couldn't tell a motorbike shop even if there was a sign. I try and communicate this to my driver, and I must have gotten it across because he not only found the shop, but delivered me right to the house saving me 2km walking alone in the dark. I was very grateful, and he got his 500 baht after all!
The house and farm a beautiful and I'm told by Pieter that the work is hard, but it is very laid back with breaks whenever needed. The food all comes from the farm, and all meals are prepared for you. Seems like the perfect place to spend 3 weeks.
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red panda
non-member comment
baht-tom samples
Spider, Glad to hear you made it there safely and are settled in. In honor of your voyage, I have been eating Thai food at least twice a week and watched The Beach. Please advise what a km is. Keep us posted on your adventures and watch out for typhoid!