We (Heart) Chiang Mai
Trip Start
Oct 27, 2007
1
15
30
Trip End
Apr 01, 2008
Chiang Mai,
Thailand
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
We had an an hour to kill before the train, but that turned in to 2 1/2 hours as our train was delayed again. Seems that the buses are cheaper and more reliable than the trains, but just not as comfortable, which takes precident over price (especially when it's still only 6 quid) when you're on there for about 7 hours. Most of the attendants at the stations are really helpful as well, and make the whole process a little easier for Johnny Foreigner. We had a much more comfy train than last time, although the swarm of cockroaches that appeared by our seats about half way though the journey would have put me off my meal had we not scoffed it pretty much before we'd left the platform in Phitsanulok.
We arrived in Chiang Mai at around 10, having missed much of the scenery on the journey up as it gets dark around 6 in the evening. Found some accomodation thanks to Nancy Chandler's Map, which is a must. It's a hand drawn map with notes and pointers about what shops sell what, and what stalls there are in the different markets, we only wish we'd found the Bangkok one while we were there so that we could have found our way around the maze of Chinatown without constantly turning a corner to find yet another shop full of
car parts and grease...
After a little wander around the corner from our guest house, we stumbled across a great little street lined with Rasta bars, each with a live band playing Ska, Reggae, and REM of all things.
I think it was then, tired from the journey that we realised that Chiang Mai was going to be a great place to spend some time. Which is a good job as we've got to wait for our Indian Visas to come through, and due to public holidays both here and in India, they're not going to be ready until the 12th. Note to anyone who's interested, the Indian Consulate is no longer on Charoenrat Road, although I didn't spot anything online to say that it has moved across the city to Thung Hotel Road, opposite the amazingly longwinded named 'Department for the Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion and Distribution Centre'... or 'the market' as we referred to it.
Not wanting to pass on anything, we've decided to keep our days pretty full here as there's so much to do. Yesterday we took a look around the markets by the river, about a 25 minute walk from our guesthouse. That's one thing about this place, the centre - or old city - which is within a moat is pretty small and walking is a good way of getting around, although the Taxi pick-ups, or Song Taos, as I think we've finally figured out (thanks to Nancy...) are very cheap. After a spot of lunch in a quiet garden behind Noi's kitchen, we were caught on the way out by the waitress trying to sell us tickets to the Muay Thai boxing that night. As it was the real fights on Monday (they have show fights all through the week) and there was a Brit fighting in the last battle, we decided to go for it. And that, is another story all together...
Will finish the update once we've filled our bellies again... as we've come to realise that our days are totally ruled by what and where we are going to eat next, and it's been a good 2 hours since our last meal... I've never though about food so much in my life, but when you walk down the street with people creating amazing food, the smells of which make your mouth water, it's hard not to start thinking if you want some traditional Thai food, or maybe some more Chinese flavours, or maybe a Thai-Muslim creation, or maybe head along to that Vegetarian place round the corner which was really busy the night before...
You can even have Fish and Chips....
Hope you're all well and bracing yourselves for winter.
Lots of love, speak soon
Peeps and Shells
xxx
