Blogs from Chiang Mai, North-West Thailand, Thailand, Asia - page 362

Ok after reading Ken's entry I feel that I have to defend myself. It did not sound like a cat, more like a sharp intake of breath. Bought a "Polo Winner" suitcase to stash all our goodies, including the wedding favors I have to pick up tonight. Ken loves the knock off North Face items - either Mouth Foam, North Facf, or Orth Face. Pretty funny. Went mountain biking today. It was fun, although the 1 and 1/2 hr ride turned into a 9 hour day due to lack of organization. And we were scheduled to go down the singletrack but the sexist pig (american) tour guide thought we should go down the "smooth" singletrack (to which the thai guide looked at me and said "really????") even though Ken and I were the only ones in ... read more

Ok, so I have officially given up my backpacker ways. I am in conflict between my roots (cheap) and comfort. Ayuthaya was interesting although kept getting lost and Ken didn't want to take a tuk tuk so saw only one ruin. Had a relaxing day though. Took the overnight train to Chaing Mai last night. About 1hr into the trip I asked myself "Why the H$%# didnt' we fly???(it was $40 total on the train or about $80 each to fly). I am feeling a little dizzy due to fatigue, and so is Ken, as he didn't sleep well on the coconut fibre bed in khao Yai. So, decided to check into a swanky hotel, so here we are at the Tri Yann Na Ros hotel in Chiang Mai. We wanted to have a nap but ... read more

For an excellent Thai dinning experience, a traditional Lanna Khantoke dinner is a must. Many believe this north Thailand dinner with music and dance was invented for tourists, but the Khantoke dinner dates back many centuries. Locals celebrate festivals and holidays in their homes with the Khantoke dinner today. Sitting down to a well-presented meal of good and delicious food is something most of us enjoy. Then there are those stand-up occasions where we mix and mingle with other guests and enjoy cocktails and finger foods. Finger foods? Eating with one's fingers? Considered as neither polite nor hygienic in some circles, eating with our fingers is as old as the human race. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, as we all do it perhaps without thinking. In Thailand, many people still eat with their fingers ... read more

Many guide books on Thailand only partially cover the subject of health and well-being while traveling in the country, so I would like to give you some advice about protocol, health, and the law. Hopefully it will help you to enjoy your travels in Northern Thailand. P When you arrive in Chiangmai, it helps to know a bit about transportation within the city. At the airport, train station, or bus station, you will probably be met by the representatives of various guesthouses and hotels and tour operators. If you have a specific place in mind and you don't see the specific signboard, you can always call the place to have someone pick you up from the train station, airport, or bus arcade depot. Taxis are available at the airport, with a price of 150 baht to ... read more

I am having a nice time traveling and I have met many interesting people. I shared a room on the train with a nice guy that lives in Hiroshima, Japan. We ended getting a guesthouse together and rented motor bikes taking them all Northern Thailand. I made a nice Thai friend by the name of So. We did some sight seeing and went to an amusement park. I just returned from trekking in the mountains for 3 days and it was fantastic! We stayed in hill tribe village huts, ate wild fruits, went swimming under waterfalls. Bamboo rafting, and elephant riding. The friends that I made on the Trek were from Australia, New Zealand, England, Sweden, and one from America. Last night to celebrate Christmas we went to the Art Café an Italian and Mexican restaurant ... read more