Day 96
Trip Start
Sep 14, 2006
1
90
169
Trip End
??? ??, 2007
Chiang Rai,
Thailand
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
I headed for a temple that I'd read about in the lonely planet - it was actually pretty impressive. It had an emerald Buddha like I'd seen ages before in Bangkok. I also headed up to the Chiang Rai boat landing. Gabi and I wanted to get a boat to our next destination and I wanted to make sure I knew where it left from and to buy tickets in advance. That was a hell of a long walk so I think we'll be taking a tuk-tuk tomorrow
1 Our street in Chiang Rai
. I bumped into Gabi and we had a coffee next to a guest house up the road. I got chatting to the English lad whose dad owns it and we were playing pool before long. The table was a disgrace but the lad was quick to admit it. I got beaten in every way describable - this lad new the tables peculiarities inside out. I was having a few beers by now and the music was good so I didn't mind so much. Gabi came back from a walk and announced she was getting a tattoo! She'd been chatting to the tattooist and even had the design decided upon. It was her first one and I didn't want to miss it. At around 8pm we went into the tattoo place and the next hour was spent just finalising the design and making a template. I kept crossing over the road to "Crazy Joe's" bar (he really is one crazy guy) to get fresh drinks. Gabi had made her decision sober but now it was made she was going to drink and I'd been on it since about 4pm. The tattooist was happy for me to stand and watch and take pictures. I watched the entire outline to the design get tattooed on and then I got a little bored and went and sat in Crazy Joes with Joe and the guy who'd spent half the afternoon beating me at pool. At around 10.30pm the tattoo was done and it looked really good. I was impressed by Gabi's spontaneity in getting it done but had no temptation myself (so no need to worry mum). We were finally booted out of Joe's around 11.30pm and by the time I realised I'd eaten no evening meal it was too late to rectify so I went to bed hungry.
