Welcome to Chiang Mai

Trip Start Feb 03, 2009
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5
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Trip End Aug 05, 2009


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Monday, February 23, 2009

well..... after we were in Kanchanaburi we braved Bangkok again.... and much like a movie sequel it was bigger,  and it was just crazy x 2

we actually had a good time though and spent our Valentines Day (aaaahhhhhhhh) shopping in a really plush shopping centre called the Siam Paragon (5 floors where you can pretty much get EVERYTHING there, and when i say everything you could buy anything from cheesecake, a book, a guitar, Guess bags for a third of the price, a massage and oh yeah a Lamborghini or Porsche)

we even went to a lovely park where they had an open air gym, pictures included by the way

we went to the cinema and watched the Benjamin Button movie (the cinemas in BK are like nightclubs, some have massive couches with waitress service, others are pretty much the norm although you have to stand for the national anthem at the start of every movie - fun if only you know the bloody words!)

after i dragged Donna to watch the rugby just off Sukhimvit road (Wales won so happy days for Mike) we crashed out then got the train in the morning to Ayutthaya (the old capital of the country)

we got bicycles and like Laurel and Hardy we ambled round town with no clue where to go, seeing temples where donna INSISTED on being Lara Croft and Mike taught English to random students.

after Ayutthaya we went to Lop Buri expecting to find a train station and the village dog - what we found was a real gem -  a festival that started that day - it was odd by day and amazing at night - like a fairytale in some palace grounds with little fairy lights EVERYWHERE!!! we also turned a corner to a temple where the MONKEY is King.

seriously? yes. monkeys on cars, on phones, stealing drinks, ganging up on tourists.. you have to see it to believe how many monkeys just run amok in this town - i pissed myself when i saw a lady try to feed one some seeds and it jumped up and grabbed a handful of her hair and would not let go!! shouldn't laugh really - it COULD HAVE BEEN US!!!

we caught the sleeper train up to Chiang Mai where we have chilled since. we have been to the local zoo, gone to the temple at the top of the mountain and undertaken a cookery class in thai cuisine which was really fun!

Chiang Mai is like an old city with a moat around it, it has a Night Bazaar and other markets, we've met some people here, other travellers and Don has got a stomach bug (she's way better now though!!!) so we haven't done the trekking into the hills to meet the tribes (like every other tourist does here) we rented a motorbike though and rode over to some hot springs in Sam Lam - something. nice ride, watched the sun go down behind a beautiful cloud of pollution, it was simply unforgettable and heartwarming i can tell you.

today we are waiting for our night train to Bangkok where we get a connecting train to Chumphon and catch a ferry to the island Ko Tao. which is a diving mecca apparently so we cannot wait!!!

love to all, enjoy our pictues and keep in touch!!! M&D xxx
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