Golden Fern Guesthouse Chiang Mai

... basis i stocked up on food and water as i wasn't expecting any 7/11s in the jungle. Personally I think i've spotted a gap in the market but i'll keep that one to myself.

The first stop was at the elephant trekking area. We parked up and walked the short distance to the elephants. The views were great and the elephants looked in good shape and fed well (which i discovered later). Rumit and I shared an elephant, sounds like we ate it, but we actually ...

... Je mange tres bien. Les ananas et les pamplemousses sont ecoeurants! On dirait que ca fait des semaines que je n'ai pas mange de fruits. Les Japonnais ne sont pas forts sur les fruits. Et il n'y a pas tant de legumes que ca dans leurs plats sauf bien sur les especes de radis marines.

Dans une semaine, je serai de retour a la maison. Les Montrealais, j'irais bien prendre un verre avec vous le mardi que je reviens i.e. le 29. Pourquoi le ...

... to startled passersby: "Ping Pong ball?!"


I still managed to indulge my travelling T-shirt fetish and hone my haggling skills, which is of course great fun..


Even outside Khao San Rd, Bangkok is a hectic, noisy city. The relative calm of the temples and palaces around the city never far away from the surrounding hustle and/or bustle.

A short detour along the river in a longboat packed like a Tokyo Subway train was intercepted by ...

... was never found after taking a walk in the Highlands back in the 70s and never returning. Jim Thompson was a American who revolutionised the Thai silk trade into what it is today. The walk was challenging and muddy as it was all very overgrown with not much of a proper path, but fun all the same. We trekked to a viewing point looking over the mountains and tea plantations and got to see some rare plants called Pitchers, which is part of why the area is protected as people will pay a ...

Terri and I landed in Bangkok early evening after a long flight which stopped off in Abu Dhabi for 2 hours. Chris had alreay landed an hour or so before us from Manila and we had arranged to meet at the Golden Palace Hotel. We grabbed our bags and got in a taxi and made our way to the centre of Bangkok. The taxi ride seemed to take forever but as soon as we pulled into the hotel ...

... too much, I have the chaffing to prove it too. I saw the Golden Mound. Really impressive. So much so it moved me emotionally. It could just be all of the emotions that I have felt here lately, leaving the loved ones and all, I don't know. But it seemed like the big man was saying everything will be alright. And it will be, I'm just getting used to the idea that it will be a long time before I see my family and friends again.

I made a friend today. I was curious ...

... blanket hanging down for a door. We are beside a stream and waterfall where we had a swim in the freezing water. There are five huts for doubles, guide’s hut, cooking hut and kitchen. There is a fire area beside the stream. Nathan and Andy went off to gather firewood. Anna is a big joker and loves to tell jokes.







Dinner ...