Laos to Chiang Mai

• Michaelandsuzy's Profile
• About this blog
• Entry from Bangkok

Trip Start Jan 10, 2008 Previous
Entry Trip End Jan 20, 2009 Next
Entry

  Bangkok, Thailand
Thursday, June 26, 2008

Hey folks,

We've made it safely back to the polluted & frenzied Thailand. Back to Tesco-Lotus, Boots & Starbucks dominating street corners, back to the land were red traffic lights & pedestrians are ignored, where unrelenting tuk-tuk drivers take over from the mozzies, where snacks are roasted-salted green peas & mangoes whilst sitting next to the sex tourist on the long over-night sleeper train towards Bangkok & finally, where Michael has joined the registration list of Ozzie's, NZ'ers, Swedes, Germans & Brits at the teeth whitening clinic. And my teeth, "already white enough!" which kind of left me feeling a little perplexed if honest, what about the Baht......
 
Before we made it back into thailand we had a choice:-
 
48 hours in an over sold, cramped, deafeningly loud, hard wooden seated hull of a slow boat down the Mekong
 
Or
 
A quick 1 hour flight straight into Chiang Mai with spicy Mekong fish, sticky white rice a final cold "beer of the wholehearted people" beerLao, all served with a warm smile, frozen solid wet wipes which thawed nicely on our sweating brows & a rather alarming message on our seat trays
"USE BOTTOM SEAT CUSHION FOR FLOATATION"
A quick feel under our seats & a hard look at the safety card confirmed a women bobbing around in the sea with her arms crossed perfectly over her seat cushion! All this on offer from Lao Airlines.
Elation at our effortless flight was further boosted when our bags appeared first & second on the carousel but this instantly disappeared when bored Customs officers pulled us over for a random check. 'Welcome back to Thailand'.
 
Chiang Mai is renowned for trekking & the 'long neck' hill tribes. But we quickly learnt of their shocking exploitation, denied exit visa's back to their homeland of Burma because of the tourist Baht. Definitely something we did not wish to support. Instead an organic Thai cookery course. And this time Michael came along. Wielding his knife with the care & precision of a master chef whilst his mortar & pestle ground Thai yellow curry paste to perfection. The setting was fantastic. An organic farm 15 km's of Chiang Mai, well worth the effort in getting there. Ripe mangoes dangled from trees heavy with there fruit. Each one carefully wrapped in newspaper to prevent insects, 15 kilo jackfruits bowed branches, 2 ft long skinny green beans hung from bamboo supported vines whilst sweet basil, limes, lemongrass, Thai parsley, ginger, coriander & turmeric were abundant. Loved it.
Not so great was trying to get our Chinese Visa's. We do now have them, but not a complete success as we only have 10 days & I have far less hair now. We jumped through every hoop, confirmed flights in & out, 'special' stamped, confirmed accommodation, turning up in clothes & shoes fit for an Alan Sugar interview. Declined. Why, because we were unable to provide 'stamped', confirmed evidence of how 'we intended to breath between Chiang Mai & Singapore'! I know that was used as an excuse to decline our visa's but still tearful frustration welled within me & an instant embargo was placed on purchasing anything Chinese. Que Michaels worst timing & most unhelpful comment ever "properly 40% of what we buy relates to china somehow!"
Monday morning however, greeted us with a very happy consulate staff member waving our 10 day visa's-hooray. Embargo lifted.
 
We've had our best ever cinema experience, Bangkok style-WOW. We fully reclined in chairs large enough to seat a 50 stone man comfortably, relaxed amongst numerous fluffed pillows, a blanket to guard against the Arctic air con, feasted on cheesy popcorn whilst the surround sound delivered bullets from the sides & behind raising the hairs on our arms-just brilliant. Shame the same can't be said for Indiannna Jones. It was rather like our popcorn.
 
And tonight as you all watch Wimbledon, Michael & I will be supporting the sterling efforts of the English Badminton team at the international Badminton Championships in Bangkok. Tonight-Hong Kong-COME ON ENGLAND!
 
Keep the news coming we love hearing from you all & Laraine there are about 4 parcels flying there way back to you as I type!
 
Lots of Love
 
Suzy & Michael
'farang' Thai tourists
xxxxx
 

Print this entry Share Bangkok hotels

Previous Entry Next Entry