Visa Run to Chiang Mai

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It was time to make a quick trip to Chiang Mai to get my 30day visa extension. Tawee took me to MaeCheam on the motorbike and it was seriously cold! But i prefer his driving on the bike than in the car. After getting my noodle soup breakfast i took the sonteyo to Chom Thom then onto Chiang Mai without problems. On the way into Chiang Mai there is a Tesco Lotus, my first shop calling before i arrive : ) Oo it was going to be an expensive few days. I bought some brownie making stuff to make with the kids as i had promised, then loads of other stuff for them and supplies for me. Then i started to think it could be an interesting trip back carrying all the bags especially if i get picked up in MaeCheam on the motorbike. But need not worry i have seen bikes with more luggage on them than you can fit in a small car. After checking into a guesthouse i booked myself a massage then bought some mangos, o so delicious. Then it was time to have some serious relaxation with a two hour massage, complete bliss. The only problem with having done a Thai Massage course it makes it a little bit harder to relax because your brain in thinking 'o ye i remember that and guessing what they are going to do next' even when you try really hard not to. Now shopping! I headed for the saturday night market to buy some much needed new clothes. I think i will always find it slightly strange that at exactly six the National Anthem is played everyone stands up and stands perfectly still. Its amazing how easy it is to bring literally thousands of people to a stand still just like that. There is so much food i wanted to eat here but annoyingly i wasn't that hungry, not to just keep buying fried, sweet and other random food anyway. But after been on a diet of rice and vegies and little meat it all looked so good. Although the whole time i was in Chiang Mai i never ate any western food and still had rice and vegies (with meat) for breakfast (but it was sticky rice) so it looks like i'm beginning to become a three times a day westerner after all. What would i do in Europe? Even dried fish and meat is delicious now could i eat that in Europe without getting some strange looks? Other than getting my visa i spent most of my time in Chiang Mai walking around the markets spending and loading photos onto my travel blog (as you can see : )) I met some guys while i was there that live and work in Chiang Mai selling various things and set with them eating dinner and watching some random movie at one of their stalls. I was nice for a change although really wierd watching a movie, almost fell asleep lol. Hopefully i will be able to meet up with them next time i am in Chiang Mai. Getting my visa extension was pretty painlesss. They extended it by 30days from the day is expires. When i arrived at about 9 some random guy said i would be lucky to get it because there were about hundred in front of me but most of them were getting different types of visas, so actually i was only number 17. I sat there for about half an hour then got called up then had to cue again to photocopy my passport for 20mins, next time i will be more organised! But it was quick and i only had to wait 20mins for it then. Getting back to MaeNaChorn took about 7hrs in the end. Between the waiting in ChomThong for 45mins then waiting in MaeNaChorn for an hour an half to be picked up and then having to go shopping there before we drove back. It was a seriously long day!

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