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Published: January 25th 2014
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Tuesday 22nd January I contacted the local Thai embassy at Bangkok airport to establish where I had to get a re-entry visa. Due to the government shut down in central Bangkok, all the embassies were closed however, they had made a temporary tourist embassy in a shopping mall, Imperial Shopping Mall in Lad Plau, Bangkok. I managed to get a taxi over and get the visa sorted in just two hours. Hopped into another taxi to take me to Hui Humpalong Train Station in central Bangkok so that I could get the over night train to Chiang Mai. I specifically asked for a private sleeping carriage as I didn't fancy sharing a train bunk for 14 hours with some random. My ticket cost me £36.... When I was on the train I thought "This is alright, it'll do"... The ticket inspectors came, two of them, looked at me, looked at my ticket a few times and then started to laugh together and talk Thai lol, somehow I reckon I was mugged off and should have been in a better carriage than I was in... Never mind. I had a three course meal, two large Chang Beers and Breakfast was served at
7am, an hour and 10mins before I arrived at Chiang Mai. The train ride was a great experience. When it got dark and we were going through the Thai countryside it was great to see the silhouettes of the mountains and the temples that were on top of most of them. The stars were also so bright and there was so many of them. By the way, this train was very slow hence the reason it took 14 hours. The tracks were not the smoothest so on a number of occasions I was woken up by shaking of the carriage and loud bangs. The toilet was not a western toilet either, and I was determined that I was not going to squat on a moving train so Chiang Mai couldn't come soon enough haha.
Wednesday 23rd January at 8.10am I got to Chiang Mai, hopped on the back of a taxi and checked into MD House. When I went out to explore the city I was surprised at how nice it is, how clean and how much nicer the people are here compared to Pattaya and Bangkok. It was smelly though from exhaust fumes of old dirty diesel taxis
and tuk tuks. Chiang Mai City dates back to the 12 hundreds. It used to be a walled city which was surrounded by a moat which is still there today. On every corner of the moat remains parts of the old walls. The temples in the old city too are stunning. So much heritage and drama from the past and to see it written out in old architecture and paintings was a great experience. That evening I didn't go out too far or too late. I was pretty much walked out so it was a nice early one.
Thursday 24th January I went to the hotel reception to see what tours they were offering. I was astonished by how "samey" they all were i.e. Elephant Trecks, Cable over the Trees, Thai Cooking Lessons, the list goes on so I decided that I would refrain from paying stupid money to do something that I probably wasn't going to enjoy too much. I decided instead that I would hire a moped and go exploring myself. I decided that I would head for a town called Pai.... I never made it.... After doing 60km on the moped my ass was already numb.
Then I saw a sign saying "Pai, 98km" I was like "Awh man, your shitting me"... So I turned round and came back. I'm not the bravest on a motorbike to say the least, "Harry and Lloyd in Dumb and Dumber spring to mind and I didn't like going really fast, 60 on a motorbike is well fast haha, screamed like a girl lol so most of the time I was doing only 40 lol. Donkeys were overtaking me. Later that evening when bumped into Catalina, the girl from Pattaya, not planned at all but it was cool and a total surprise. We went for a cheeky drink with her room mate Nathan and a girl he knew, Micka, but this night turned into an epic drinking sesh and lots of dancing and good times.
Friday 25th January I decided that I would go to Doi Suthep Temple. This is situated on top of a mountain and has epic city views. The photos say all that is needed to be said here. On the way back down I met a couple from Bournemouth. They are staying 100 meters down the road so we went out together that evening but
Bed made and dinner served
My bed for the next 14 hours I wasn't with them for long as I went for a massage. That was interesting and quite awkward... The Thai boy said "I want to love him" to his fellow colleague, and after I thought, "jeez, he was massaging my pecs quite a lot" now I know why hahaha.
Today, Saturday 26th I walked to the Chiang Mai zoo. Miles on flip flops isn't good for my little chicken legs. Got there and was instantly unsure of if I should have come. The enclosures for some of the animals were so small and I felt a bit morally helpless and felt I shouldn't be taking pictures of these animals. The tigers just paced the same bit of ground over and over again and the rhinos were so use to being fed by members of the public that they spent most of their time with their mouths fully open waiting for someone to chuck some food in. There were some cool parts but all in all I felt it was quite a controversial visit. Tonight I went out to the night market. I have never seen so much tat in my life. I bought some scented josticks to repel the
mozzys. On the way back I walked through a vintage car fare and took these pictures of the MINI. I am so obsessed with damn minis lol.
So much more has happened in Chiang Mai, little insignificant things... I have got lost so many times as every street looks the same. Eating food off the street markets is definitely the way forward to save money. Doing my own laundry at a launderette, that was an experience on its own. I get approached a lot because the Thai guys are fascinated by my tattoos. And the courtesy electric tennis racket i.e. a mozzy killer supplied as part of my £5 box room. All in all Chiang Mei has been a great place! Tomorrow I am leaving the £5 box room hotel and the manic of Chiang Mai City to go to Pai, North West Thailand, which is green and fresh and remote. I cannot wait. Get me outta the city now!
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