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Published: August 27th 2006
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After the night train up from Bangkok we arrived in the city of Chaing Mai. My initial impression of the place was that it was really just a smaller, but equally grubby version of Bangkok. This was confirmed throughout the next few days in which i found that i'd had enough of the pollution and squalor. This city itself is not really a very nice place. Built around a square moat it is a dirty little town that falls down where Bangkok redeems itself as there really isn't anything going on there. Its no where near as vibrant or exciting. (a suitable comparrisson would be to compare Birmingham to London)
That said there are some great activities to do in the mountains around the city which we would discover later.
After leaving the train station we hopped on a tuk tuk and were driven to the Eagle guest house; a small, quite dingy place which catered for 'culturally responsible' tourists looking to take part in 'eco-tourism' Danny responded to this with all the tact he could muster "We're not fuckin' hippies". Regardless we check in and pretty much crash out.
We spend the day (or next day i
Snakes (not on a plane)
Although this photo is dark you can still see the fear etched on both our faces can't remember) visitng the sites around the city, this mainly involved a lot of temples and not a great deal else. Deciding we need to leave the city we get into a taxi cum pickup truck and ask our extremely helpful driver Lek to take us to the Doi Sukthep temple (yes i know ive spelt that wrong) The temple itself is at the top of a very daunting set of stairs. There are so many that i think Thora Hird may have struggled to get even a tenth of the way. Tourism here could be greatly increased with a stannah stairlift but i doubt that's in keeping with the gerneral vibe of the place. The temple itself is as majestic as its lofty location warrants but its like all the temples we've been to in that its swarming with other tourists which does kind of ruin any potential spiritual enlightenment for all of us.
Highlights of the temple mainly include a massive gong, the view and a western Budda who we decide is almost certainly just there taking the piss.
After we get down from the temple Lek suggests we take in a snake show, this is an
idea met with a mixture of intruige and aprehension (see previous post) but we go along anyway. After a brief wander around the zoo part we settle down for the show with a healthy respect for the snakes which we demonstrate by sitting pretty far back and carefully using a small group of middle eastern children as a human shield. (worked for saddam in the first gulf war after all)
The snake blokes (they weren't really charmers i don't think) sling the snakes out a a cage and start small with some water snakes. This is then followed by what the announcer described as 'number one in Thailand' the King Cobra. These guys are definately nutters and they slap this cobra about a bit before holding his gob to a beaker and getting it to squirt its horrificly dangerous venom into it.
They then bring out a python which Marsh and i have draped over our shoulders. Fear of snakes quashed. definately.
The next day comes and we meet Lek again who had arranged to take us to a place where we could do some white water rafting. After a perilous journey over crumbling, mountainous terrain in Leks battered
taxi we arrive at the river.
With no introduction as to what do do we don our helmets and lifejackets and with nervous excitement get in the raft. The guys intructions are succinct to say the least "Forward" "Backward". After a few thrilling and very wet rapids the excitement peters out a bit and we kind of realise we'd been a bit ripped off. We all agree it was fun but rather too brief. (no sexual prowess gags please)
The next day Marsh, Danny and I decide to go on an eco-trek. It started with a walk up to a hill-tribe where we shoot a crossbow and generally, for want of a better description, just look at people.
After that we go for an elephant ride which is fun but very slow. The highlight of this being when a crazy Thai bloke jumps into the forset and batters what we're told to be a 'Number one in Thailand' with a stick.
After that we go to vist a Karen tribe which is good but feels slightly contrived to us, as there are agian too many concessions to western life (such as a phone box in the middle of it)
Karen children
Just some kids, i think they are laughing at the spanish kids mullet to feel genuine.
After that we hike to a waterfall and go for a little paddle and invigorating shower. This is the highlight of my trip so far and i'm considering forgoing TLC's advice and start actually chasing waterfalls, as there pretty cool.
This was follwed by a chilled out trip down the river on bamboo raft culminating in us agian getting very wet and jumping off rocks.
Phew, that was litterally the longest thing i've ever written, probably a sign of a good trip! Anyway, in Laos now which is if anything better than Thailand, more to follow...
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Dad
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Great Trip
Excellent blog again - you should become a travel journalist. There must be a niche for someone 'telling it as it is', a sure rival for Lonely Planet. Great photo's by the way. Laos and Vietnam, should be good - the Americans liked it so much they stayed there for years !. Take Care, Dad.