I have received e-mail from some of you saying that you want me to send more, so I will. I found myself in Chiang Mai on Monday (don’t hold me to the day as I lose track). It is in northwestern Thailand and the second largest city. Another great one hour Thai Airways trip.
The City itself does not offer too much special. It does have a great night market. It has about three stories besides the street market areas. It appears that they do a lot wholesale import business. There were many buyers from different countries with their lists of what they wanted. Some items were the typical cheap souvenirs and others were just beautiful hand made or hand carved art objects. There are a number of different native “hill tribes” in Thailand and they make a living off these items. It would take two suitcases at least just to bring back everything I would like to buy and then I don’t know what I would do with it when I got home.
I finally ventured out onto the roads. I rented a motorcycle (scooter), tried to stay on the left side of the road and took off around Chiang Mai. It was a blast! You know all those times in traffic that you wish you could just cut someone off or squeeze between lanes and pass whenever you like? Well here you can do it and it is legal and doesn’t seem to piss anyone off. It’s great. If you can fit in, or through, a space just go for it.
The next day I rented a car. It is Suzuki Vitara 4wd powered by about a dozen or so chipmunks. I worked my way out of Chiang Mai and headed for the elephant camp. Upon arrival I found that there was absolutely nothing happening. Apparently they only give the elephants baths and put on any kind of demonstration at 8:00AM or 10:00AM. They just don’t tell you that in the brochures. So I left there and headed for a mountain village called Pai.
Pai was my main point of interest from my reading. The road is a winding two lane or sometimes one and half lane that goes high into the mountains. I have never in my life driven such a winding treacherous road. Of course guardrails are few and far between. Fortunately there wasn’t much traffic, but when you did find a car, truck or motorcycle coming the other way, it was anybodies guess as to which lane they would be in. My Suzuki chipmunks were wide open and didn’t act like they would make some of the grades but they did. The scenery I cannot begin to describe you will have to wait for the photos.
When I found the “resort” I planned on staying at, it was fantastic. It sits in a mountain valley with individual bamboo cabins. Clean but of course very few amenities. You looked out over beautiful gardens, across a river and native rice paddies leading into the mountains. It was absolute peace and quiet. The resort also was built over a hot spring area. They had three different areas that were like concrete and stone above ground swimming pools that the hot springs fed. There were only, I believe, 3 couples staying here. Oh yeah, it was about $14.00 a night.
The village itself is the base for many treks and tours. It is described in guide books as a city which is beginning to be a focal point for many “farang” wishing to drop out and live the life style similar to our hippie period, minus drugs and love beads. I was very surprised at the modern school buildings (3) but I did not really see any large housing area. The whole area was only maybe 5 square miles. During dinner at a restaurant, an open front wood structure with tables, the whole area lost power. It didn’t phase anyone they just lit candles and went on serving dinner. I did get my little Suzuki to do some 4 wheeling up into the mountains and visit a waterfall. It struggles but it doesn’t fail.
I signed up for white water rafting which was a two day, one night adventure. When I showed up at the point we were to have breakfast and then follow the tour guides with my car, we were the only ones there. After about an hour, the lady running the company asked if I minded just driving on by myself to the point they launched the rafts and meet them there. About and hour and a half drive. This is the Thai ways you have to get used too. The drive was further on through the mountains. With a little difficulty I found where I was supposed to go. I missed the “gas station” I was to use as a landmark as she didn’t tell me it was just three large glass containers on a counter that contained the gas.
For the raft trip there were four of us plus two guides. The other two were a man from Germany travelling alone, and a woman from Denmark who was travelling alone on this stage because her female travelling companion was ill and waiting for her farther south. The water levels are at their lowest point now so the rapids were not that large. But it was a gorgeous trip through the mountains anyway.
We came upon a small area cut into the jungle that had a couple huts and a long bamboo “guesthouse” that I have found is somewhat traditional. It is a bamboo platform with a roof and mats side by side. Here however, we had mosquito nets although the mosquitoes were not that bad. A Lisu Indian couple with their six year old boy live here 7 months out of the year to prepare food for the rafters. The food was great. Of course no electricity but plenty of blankets as it gets cold in the mountains. It really is not any different I guess than a rafting / camping trip in the U.S. Still the sight of the river camp came as a little bit of shock.
Actually the culture shock has subsided quite a bit. I have come to accept the many different ways of this culture (like I have any say about it anyhow). I have even almost mastered the Thai (squat) toilet. I think maybe I will write a traveler’s book on the many styles and techniques of the Thai bathroom. You really do need directions for these necessary items.
Now I am in Mai Hon Song which is a very beautiful and small city on the western border near Burma. I am staying at a very nice hotel for a night or two to get a hot shower and get rid of the bruises from sleeping on bamboo.
I cannot relate too many of my experiences on this part of the trip as they are mostly visual. I can only say that is an amazing landscape. As always, I did not see one piece of litter, can or bottle on the whole river which is about a 30 mile trip. When a large amount of the population still depends on nature for their living and survival I think there is an entirely different attitude.
I am not sure what the plan is from here. If I can find a place that I can return my rental car here I may fly south. If not I will drive the rest of the way around the Chiang Mai “loop” and fly out of Chiang Mai again. Unfortunately the countdown to departure looms larger and larger.
Hope everyone is well and the weather is not too bad. Here I must worry every day if it will be sunny or really sunny. ‘bye for now.