Journal 29 March - 7 April 2008

6 & 7 April 2008 - Day 46 & 47, Pai

Be Slip Down at Mo Paeng Waterfall, Pai

The last few days in Pai have been wonderful. At the moment however Adriane is battling a tummy bug making her vomit frequently. She just swallowed an anti-vomit tablet that will hopefully allow her to get some sleep. But the last few days in Pai have been wonderful and a nice change in pace from the bustling Chiang Mai or Bangkok. I would like to now briefly write about some of the highlights and dilemmas of our time here. As we are leaving for Chiang Mai tomorrow morning a kind of summary seems appropriate.

Yesterday morning we got up early, around 6:30am, to ride to a nearby temple famous for one kilometre of steps leading to its doors and a great view of Pai. We prepared ourselves mentally and physically (by packing a chocolate bar) for the temple climb but we arrived to discover they had just completed a road to drive up and by-pass the kilometre of steps. So we drove up and the only exhaustion we experienced was from a pipe on the bike.

One of the frustrating aspects of visiting Pai this time of year is the haze. Apparently beauty surrounds this mountainous town but only silhouettes through the haze help me imagine the picturesque landscapes. We thought that if we got up early enough it wouldn't be hazy. No. It is hazy twenty-four hours a day this time of year. It is very hot and dry at the moment - irrigation evaporation and similarly there is a lot of burning of crops in the region to make way for the rainy season and the new crops it will endow. Nevertheless Pai is a beautiful town and the bamboo hut we are staying in is really excellent - lots of space and well furnished. All we hear at alternating times are roosters, birds, lizards, insects, and sometimes strange distant hippy chanting. Its very peaceful in Pai.

But yes we got up early and went for a most enjoyable ride through the crisp mountain morning stopping at temples, elephants, hot springs, a World War II bridge, coffee shop and then came home. The roads in the morning are like being given a private driveway for kilometres, not a soul.

Actually the most significant clash we have with Pai is that it is a town that comes alive in the later hours of night. For instance we were recommended a particular bar to visit so after dinner we pop in for a beer only to be told to come back at midnight - what are we meant to do until midnight? Sleep? We rarely 'party hard' and like i've said before mornings in this heat are the only time to head out and see things. Normally this isn't a significant clash but in Pai it seems the town really does come alive late at night. The place is riddled with musicians from all over the world and from the few hours we've witnessed before hour bedtime the standard of music is very high and likewise the venues are very cool. We're doing what we want to do and we can't do everything so I'll just have to find comfort knowing that while I sleep the people of Pai are enjoying themselves to great music.

Speaking of which I'm feeling too tired to keep writing so I'll just plant the seeds for what I want to extend upon over the next few days...

Some of my clothes were ruined by the laundry service here - if I kick up a fuss what will happen to the poor girl that accidentally bleached them?

Hanging around backpackers aggravates me - I know I am one of them and I haven't put my finger on why I get aggravated but now I am beginning to realise it is an attitude of consuming place. The world is a restaurant and foreign countries serve you. Evident in the rhetoric of guidebooks - I can't imagine travelling without a guidebook, we have two with us. It is like each place is a different meal and the more you consume the greater your achievement.

I have come across drugs in three different environments in Thailand. The first was our longboat driver having a choof with his mates on Phi Phi Lay. The second was young guys wispering in my ear "cocaine, marijuana" as they brushed past me on the streets of Patong, when I turned around they sometimes emphasised the sales pitch by tapping a nostril. The third and most depressing confrontation with drug selling and distribution in Thailand is the hill tribes around where we are now. When we were riding up to a waterfall today dozens of post card hill tribe old ladies with colourful garments put two fingers to their mouths and questioned us with "smoke? gunga?". On our way back from the waterfall I got a bit lost and we past a significant transportation of large white bags carried by hill tribe people and escorted by numerous pick-up trucks. I imagine the bages were filled with either marijuana or opium poppy. The men supervising kept a sharp eye on our departing smiles. "Stupid foreigners..." or is it "Stupid customers..."?

We went to a hot spring resort - 80ºC water. I think the trick is to get in quickly and don't move around. I was cooked to about medium-rare.

I returned the motorbike this evening while Adriane was resting in bed. A memorable few days in Pai.

Notes: Early morning ride, hazy, bamboo hut, vegetarian food, clothes ruined by laundry service, pool and backpackers, consuming places, rain, black out, candlelight dinner, always too early, drinks at Phu Pai with New York musicians, sleep in, ride to ancient town, chinese town, Mo Paeng Waterfall, hill tribe people offering marijuana incessantly, hot spring resort, riding motorbike, Adriane hungry no sick, return bike, Adriane vomitting, bugs

Agriculture around Pai River, World War II Memorial Bridge, Pai

Pathway to Pai Canyon, Pai

Hot and grumpy with a hazy view, Pai Canyon

Ready to face the Death Star while waiting for the rain to stop, Pai

Today cost = bamboo hut (350) + hill tribe coffee & mango pancake (80) + lunch (110) + petrol (25) + water (15) + dinner (100) + snack (30)

710 baht (AUD$25) - moderate

Yesterday cost = bamboo hut (350) + coffee and cookies (80) + vegetable rice soup (40) + swimming pool (60) + Vietnamese rice paper rolls (75) + juice (60) + spicy crispy pork with rice, soup & pepsi (40) + 1 Heineken & 1 Chang beer (160) + skewered meat (20) + motorbike (80) + water (20)

985 baht (AUD$35) - expensive

5 April 2008 - Day 45, Pai

After a three hour long and very windy mini-bus ascent we finally made it to Pai, a small town in the hills of northern Thailand about 140kms from Chiang Mai. The town appears quaint. Not as amazing as say Nimbin in northern New South Wales but bohemian nonetheless with plenty of character. After a hot walk to our hotel with the backpacks we realised we'd have to hire transportation for the four days we intend to stay here. There are no tuk-tuks, taxis, motorbike taxis, or local buses in Pai. Adriane was a bit worried she might have an accident if we hired push bikes so the safety responsibility was presented to me in the form of a motorcycle. As I have never ridden a motorcycle we decided to hire an automatic. While Adriane was having an hour long oil massage I was careening through the quiet hippy streets of Pai. Luckily there is next to no traffic here. After a few hours it felt good and we began planning a few pleasant rides to sites of interest just out of town.

A few things I forgot to mention that occured yesterday in Chiang Mai. We avoided the heat in our guesthouse room until 5pm when we decided to check out Wat Chedi Luang - photos of which can be seen below. Built in 1401, it was once the largest 'chedi' in Thailand spiralling 86m high. In 1545 it was mostly destroyed by an earthquake and now stands partly restored yet very dramatically as stunning remains. Probably the most beautiful human construction we have seen in Thailand so far.

We were informed that there would be a perfomance of traditional Thai dance and theatre at the Three Kings Monument at six oclock. The perfomances didn't start until 7.30pm so in the mean time we stuffed ourselves with samples of traditional northern cuisine. The food and performance were all part of the Chiang Mai International Arts and Culture Festival being held this week. One of the food samples we purchased were little omelettes cooked in banana leaves. In my hungry temprament I scoughed one down without thinking twice. It tasted like eating out of an ashtray and gave the second one to Adriane to try. She took a couple of bites and confirmed my palette - it did taste like an ashtray with an egg in it. Adriane studies her food much closer than I do - she often even develops strict techniques as to how best enjoy particular parts of a meal and savour the right components for maximum satisfaction. On studying the ashtray omelette she noticed a small ant was trapped as it was cooked and picked it out. But there was not just one small ant in the smoky omelette. There was also a larger white creature, and on closer inspection a white worm looking creature, soon enough we realised the whole thing was riddled with bugs! This was no accident on the chefs behalf it was a bug omelette! There were dozens of different insects imbedded in this charcoaled egg mixture. Adriane popped there guts with a skewer, digging more and more out from their camoflage. Oh the thought of the fleet already in my tummy.

Yuk!

But very funny.

Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai

Steps of Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai

Adriane enjoying the chedi at Wat Chedi Luang, Chiang Mai

Today cost = tuk-tuk to bus (30) + garlic chicken and rice (25) + bus to Pai (150) + hut (350) + motorbike (80) + petrol (100) + basil chicken and coffee (110) + orange juice (15) + dinner (150) + 3L water (15)

890 baht (AUD$32) - expensive

4 April 2008 - Day 44, Chiang Mai

Well we made it through Bangkok and up to Chiang Mai with our health and spirits in tact. Our philosophy is unintentionally relaxed and slow - if in doubt we simply don't do it. It is getting noticeably hotter too, influencing our pace dramatically. Today is 37ºC. This is the hottest time of year and from the 13th to 15th of April Thai people celebrate Songkran (Thai New Year) by dousing each other and everyone in sight with water. It is traditionally a time for family and religion - a cleansing period for the new year. Although Chiang Mai is supposed to be the epicentre for Songkran celebrations we will be back in Bangkok by then hanging out with friends. Its too hot to do anything right now.

My first impressions of Chiang Mai are not very exciting. Its a big city with a lot of traffic and without the glitz and intensity of Bangkok. The pace is slower and the prices are much lower than anywhere we have visited in Thailand. The main attractions for tourists are some of the oldest and historically significant temples in Thailand, treks to surrounding hilltribes, hot springs and waterfalls, Thai cooking schools, and unique shopping such as hand painted umbrellas. Of these we are only really interested in the temples hence we have decided to spend the rest of our northern exposure in a small town called Pai - Thailands version of Nimbin by the sound of it - about 4 hours by bus from CM. I won't write anymore about Pai until we have spent some time there.

We had a discussion about participating in one of the hundreds of treks to visit one of around 10 ethnic minority hilltribes around Chiang Mai. The most iconic of these would be the Long Neck Karen wearing brass rings around their necks. We decided not to participate in a treck for a few reasons. The first is that it is very hot and the idea of trekking up hills this time of year is unattractive to say the least. More importantly however we feel we didn't want to participate in what could be a human zoo. Although tourism to these tribes helps keep them protected from adverse development. Tourism also encourages a degrading industry of increased trekking, the production of gimicky souvernirs, and not to mention social pressures that may develop within these communities. I guess the degredation we saw in Phi Phi was enough to turn us away from well-trodden tracks through nature. So we don't wish to shame trekking to hilltribes but we think enough of it is being done without our participation. Instead we have found a handful of fantastic shops in Chiang Mai that sell hilltribe products directly and assist in welfare development within these communities. The clothes and bags are very vibrant and we may purchase a few more artifacts before leaving.

This white background is so much better than the old black one. The colours in the photos look more vibrant. Black is very draining.

Last night Adriane ran into someone from her school. It freaked her out. Ironically the unexpected meeting occured in a 7/11 convenience store - talk about globalisation.

This afternoon we plan to visit a few temples then watch a free show of traditional Thai dancing and theatre in the middle of town. Tomorrow morning we get a bus to Pai at 8:30am.

Unexpectedly I find myself missing Phuket. If I was to spend a large period of time in Thailand I feel Phuket would be the most enjoyable and interesting area. The beaches, the food, the people, and the quieter slower lifestyle are very attractive. It is easy to avoid the sleazy tourism. Then again, Phuket is no more attractive than Austinmer Australia. I really appreciate such a priviledged control over our destination. We are very lucky.

Today cost = guesthouse (200) + brunch (100) + tuk-tuk (60) + Hilltribe Handicraft shop (200) + tuk-tuk (30) + train ticket back to Bangkok (560)

3 April 2008 - Day 43, Bangkok to Chiang Mai

Today cost = train breakfast (120) + guesthouse (200) + tuk-tuk (80) + noodles and pepsi (40) + dinner (100) + beer (70) + 3L water and snack (60)

670 baht (AUD$24) - moderate

2 April 2008 - Day 42, Bangkok

Khao San Road, Bangkok

Khao San Road, Bangkok

Khao San Road, Bangkok

Bangkok traffic

Boarding sleeper train to Chiang Mai from Bangkok, 14 hours 2nd class with fan, 10pm Hua Lamphong Station, Bangkok

Today cost = taxi to station (60) + luggage holding (80) + taxi to museum (60) + coffee and sandwich (80) + tuk-tuk to Khao San Road (100) + lunch at Israeli restaraunt (100) + taxi to Siam Square (80) + movie ticket to 'Once' (100) + coffee (50)

710 baht (AUD$25) - moderate

1 April 2008 - Day 41, Bangkok

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Bangkok

Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Bangkok

The Grand Palace, Bangkok

Aerobics at Lumphini Park, Bangkok

Today cost = hotel (225) + taxi to river (60) + ferry to stop 8 (15) + ferry across river (3.5) + water (10) + coke (20) + ferry across river (3.5) + entry to palace (250) + rice and pork lunch (50) + water (20) + taxi to hotel (60) + water (10) + yelow noodle with duck and pork, oyster omellete, Hieneken (150)

877 baht (AUD$31) - expensive

31 March 2008 - Day 40, Bangkok

Day 1, Bangkok

We posted a package that will take 3 months to reach Australia, 3 month journey

Bangkok traffic from a 3-wheeler

Today cost = bus to airport (85) + coffee and dim sims (70) + taxi to hotel in Bangkok plus tolls (180) + MRT to train station (20) + train ticket to Chiang Mai (560) + spicy pork and rice with drink (100) + hotel room (225) + MRT (20) + donut and iced coffee at Siam Square (60) + tuk-tuk (100)

1420 baht (AUD$50) - expensive

30 March 2008 - Day 39, Phuket

Goodbye Phuket from Kata lookout, Phuket

Kata Beach with Ood and Nat, Phuket

Kata Beach, Phuket

Kata Beach, Phuket

Today cost = guesthouse (175) + coffee (40) + fries and fishcakes (75) + 3L water (50) + dried squid (20) + cheeseburger and fries (50) + 3 Hienekens and 2 red wines (260) + taxi to guesthouse (160) + postage to Australia (450)

1280 baht (AUD$46) - expensive

29 March 2008 - Day 38, Phuket

Creative industrial design factory, Phuket

Nai Harn Beach, Phuket

Nai Harn Sunset 1, Phuket

Nai Harn Sunset 2, Phuket

Nai Harn Sunset 3, Phuket

Notes: John Underwood's design factory, Nai Harn Beach - Adriane swum for 4 hours, Freedom Bar Rawai - Adriane tired and grumpy

Today cost: guesthouse (175) + eggs, ham, sausages, beans and coffee (80) + snack and drink (30) + bus to Nai Harn Beach (30) + 2 beers and a red wine at Freedom Bar (240) + taxi home (200) + garlic chicken, pork omelette, morning glory, rice and water (100)

855 baht (AUD$30) - expensive

14 February - 6 March 2008 (Phuket)

7 March - 16 March 2008 (Phuket/Phi Phi Island)

17 March - 28 March 2008 (Phuket)

29 March - 7 April 2008 (Phuket/Bangkok/Chiang Mai/Pai)

8 April - 18 April 2008 (Chiang Mai/Bangkok)

19 April - 28 April 2008 (Siem Reap/Phnom Penh)

29 April - 5 May 2008 (Phnom Penh/Saigon)

6 May - 15 May 2008 (Hanoi/Ninh Binh/Sapa)

16 May - 27 May 2008 (Sapa/Hanoi/Ha Long Bay/Hué/Hoi An/Doc Let/Mui Ne)

28 May - 7 June 2008 (Saigon/Phnom Penh/Siem Reap)

8 June - 15 June 2008 (Siem Reap)

16 June - 24 June (Siem Reap/KL/Austinmer)