Post Trek Treats

Trip Start Dec 28, 2005
1
5
55
Trip End Sep 01, 2006


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Tuesday, January 10, 2006

After the trek we decided we needed some spoiling, so our following days included strolling around the city, looking at temples, talking to Monks, eating good non spicy food (had a lot on trek), 3 visits to the night bazaar (!), a mini shopping spree, body scrubs, saunas and oil massages (spent 3 hours in a massage parlour!!)

Absolutely loved Chiang Mai - really felt at home there. The temples were very impressive - some had enormous collections of Buddhas, one had the tallest Buddha ever (that's not a fact but I wouldn't be surprised) and they were all decorated very elaborately - literally something unsual to see everywhere you looked. Talking to one of the Monks was really interesting - on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays they have a session called 'Monk Chat' for them to practice English and for visitors to learn more. He tried to teach us the different tones that the Thai language uses but it was just so hard to hear a significant difference. He also told us about his lifestyle and what he wasn't allowed to do - no eating after 12, no comfortable beds, no perfume, no singing or dancing in front of anyone, no contact with females, rise at 4.30am and lots of studying. Sounds like a hard life but he seemed quite happy; he said it was a good and inexpensive way of getting an education (he studied English) and that his ambition is to move to England.

The Night Bazaar was incredible - lots of stalls twinkling all over the place, many many goodies to pine over and plenty of bartering. It ws full of really beautiful things and was huge - but most importantly it was cheap (puts Camden Market to shame). Saw a few Lady Boys wandering around with a bevvy of fans and some street music was dotted here and there - fabulous!

Left Chiang Mai on the 10th - went by train (sleepers) to Surat Thani - literally on a train for 26 hours (2 hour break in the middle at Bangkok train station, where I bumped into a guy I worked with in the summer, Ed)! After the train we had to get a hostel for a couple of hours before catching a bus and a boat to Koh Pha-Ngan...
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Comments

1982
1982 on Jan 18, 2006 at 10:07AM

contact with females huh??
helen.....i thought the monk told you he wasn't allowed any contact with females......what wa he doing talking to you two then?? naughty monk.

1982
1982 on Jan 18, 2006 at 10:08AM

ps
that was me kat by the way....just getting the hang of this forum business!! big xs xxxxx

helenoreilly
helenoreilly on Apr 17, 2006 at 03:07AM

Re: contact with females huh??
Hi Kat, would just like to confirm there was no physical contact! What a dirty mind ;)

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