B.M.P. Resident Chiang Mai

Wow, what a day, what another experience.
After the exhaustion of yesterday's tour I lay in bed and checked my facebook when then there was a message from the Canadian guy Chad I had met in Bangkok saying that he arrived into Chaing Mai by overnight train last night and did I want to meet up. I went down had my coffee and rather than checking the internet to book my hotel for Krabi tommorrow I took a call from him and agreed to meet by the Wat Phra Sing ...

... to be in Chiang Mai. After a 6 day stay in the hospital, Dima has put his backpack back on as he heads to India.

The "Spinner" (person who prefers to be on the go) was growing tired of being the "Nester" (person who prefers to be at home) so on the fourth day of being down and out I decided the fresh air and a bit of walking around might improve my health.

Taking a songthaew to Tae Pae Gate ...

... just before I came away - much giggling from travelling partners.

The first thing I notice about the tigers from outside the cage was the incredible size of their paws, they are colossal, powerful pieces of kit! Attached to a muscular front leg a blow from one of those would be little like a full blown punch of a heavyweight boxer, only with some large knives for a knuckle duster. We watch groups before us approach the tigers nervously from behind before tentatively sitting ...

... half hour just sighing and talking about how good it had been to the boys. The other people on the trek were very nice, but all different nationalities, with very limited english, so we didn't really 'bond', but did learn a whole lot of made up sign language to try and chat to eachother!

The next day we woke up very tired, but very very glad that we would now be going downhill. However, had completely not realised that all the rain during the night ...

... the national anthem before the movie started.

Sunday we headed out early for a day trip adventure. It started slow with a stop at a butterfly place, then headed into the mountains to where the elephants live. Now let me tell you, they are big. The others in our van got dropped off with the elephants and we carried on up the river and went white water rafting. That was wild. Me and Reid wanted to do it again, and again, you get the idea ...

Hullo Well I am back in Chiang Mai. I have had a change of plans which I will explain later. Anyway, I got on the train to the Cambodian border without any dramas and the train trundled along at a leisurely pace until we got there. We arrived a bit late but no worries. I met some other travellers on the way and we shared tuk tuks to the border itself, then crossed the border and ...

... I also had my first drink in a bag. I had a shake with banana, kiwi, dragon fruit, strawberry and pineapple. It was blended up, poured into a bag with handles and was topped off with a bendy straw. It is all good! We walked back to Tha Pae (Tay Pay) Gate to discover that it is the home to the Sunday Night Market. There I sampled quail eggs, steamed rolls (with rice paper) and spring rolls - all very tasty. Bill ...