Chiang Rai
Trip Start
Jun 05, 2007
1
65
82
Trip End
Jan 06, 2009
Chiang Rai,
Thailand
Friday, July 25, 2008
Our view from the bungalows was fantastic. We walked out the front door and had a view of a long stretching green valley leading up to some mountains in the distance. We spent an hour or so just sitting, enjoying the view, and avoiding the malarial mosquitos. We sat down for dinner with our now very tight crew from the pickup, two pommes, two Germans, two Catalans, and us. Banter was back and forth across the table, it was great. Our host was full of flavor, and would announce, "Food Coming!!!" each time he brought a plate. Once the food was squared away he sat down next to the English guys and asked them if they smoked anything more than ciggarettes. They said sure, and he put a highball glass full of green down on the table, broke himself off some and told us to enjoy... for free of course. So we did, and enjoyed it for the next two days.
Our next day was mostly just lazily enjoying the view, though we took two short hikes around to the waterfalls and villages that surround the area. What a gorgeous place this was. All of Northern Thailand seems to be these un-ending green hills and valleys, with a patchwork of burnt forest, rice paddies, soy beans, corn, rubber trees all interspersed with regrowing forests. We just sat in awe of the beauty here. Sunset was spectatular, though anti-climatic because the forever grey sky of the rainy season allows for beautiful dusk, but the sun never really sets.
We enjoyed another evening with our new friends and then headed out the next day, in the rain, in the back of the pickup again, only this time with about 12 of us in there, all standing, and ducking the low branches that came along often. We were unsure, but thought we may stay in the town of Chiang Rai, but after a lunch in town, our two new German friends passed by in the sangtheaw (converted pickup with two benches running the length, and a roof) and asked if we wanted to hitch a ride to the Laos border with them since they had already hired the transport to the Golden Triangle along the way. We seized the opportunity, though I hate riding sideways in the back of those things, but with just the four of us it was nice and comfy.
The Golden Triangle is the area of Northern Laos, Thailanda, and Burma that is well known for its opium growing. Where the Mekong divides the three Thailand has conveiniently placed a tourist trap for you to visit, with a giant Golden Buddha overlooking the giant river, as well as two elephants made of concrete for photo ops. We loved it and got one more Thai iced tea before heading over to the border to cross to Laos.
We crossed the Mekong, the legendary river, and may I tell you, this thing is absolutely massive, and FAST!! And now, on to Lao.
