Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai never leaves you cold – even though the city is much cooler than Bangkok – or maybe just because of that.
What did the two Aussies and I do so far:

• Rent a bike and go up Doi Suthep
• Zoom back down from there after seeing the temple
• Visit the local zoo
• Hang out in town and see a HUGE night bazar

Well, and I checked my further travel itinerary and again met a fascinating person: „Apple“. Well, that isn’t her real name of course, but she is cool anyway.

For all who want to know the details, read on

First, the travel itinerary (especially for you, Ma & Pa 😉 )

• 23rd Feb: fly to Bangkok and further to Siem Reap (Angkor Wat)
• 24-25 Feb: Angkor Wat
• 26th: Take the boat via Tonle Sap to Phnom Penh
• 27-28: Phnom Penh
• 1st March: Fly to Saigon/Ho Chi Min City and further to Hué
• 2-3 Mar: Hué
• 4. Mar: travel to Hoi An
• 5. Mar: Hoi An
• 6. Mar: travel to Nha Thrang
• 7-8 Mar: Nha Thrang
• 9. Mar: travel to Dalat
• 10-11 Mar: Dalat
• 12. Mar: travel to Saigon
• 13.-15. Mar: Saigon
• 16. Mar: fly to Bangkok
• 17. Mar. fly/boat to Koh Tao (diving)
• 18-22/23: Diving
• 24. Mar. return to Bangkok
• 25. Mar: Bangkok
• 26. Mar. RETURN TO AUSTRIA (yak, is that early)

So, what about Doi Suthep: That is the local mountain here, with a temple close to its top. So after arriving here in the morning and being dropped off outside town (the private buses do not go into town because they would have to pay a fee) and taking a taxi to our guesthouse, we rented bikes and wanted to go up there. My bike soon proved not to work properly, so I had it changed. Then we rented a taxi to bring us (and the bikes) up the mountain. Good decision! Even the car nearly choked on the way up, so steep and windy roads they have here. But the view up there and then the zooming down again was big fun! And again we gave interviews to several school groups. It seems it’s a national sport for youngsters here, approaching „Farang“ and do a short interview in English with them.

Anyway, even with our not-so-good breakes at the mountain bikes we made it down again and there it was: Chiang Mai Zoo, the said-to-be best-kept zoo in Asia. Indeed, it was quite nice, fit into the hills and everything. They have a couple of amazing things here:

• a giant aviatory, where birds fly freely inside and you also can walk inside
• a real big, healthy and strong Tiger
• two more WHITE Tigers!!! I never saw white tigers before!

And for all that, we paid only 30 Baht + 1 Baht parking fee for the bikes 🙂

After that we just had a shower and a walk around town first. Later, Greg just went to bed, and Jim and me visited the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. WOW!!! It was the biggest market area I have ever seen, with prices just incredible. A fake Breitling, which unfortunately didn’t work (some of the pointers were just painted) for only 300 Baht, a more „realistic“ one for finally 1600 (coming down from 3800). And there’s lots more: food, handicraft, textiles and clothes, all forms of soaps… you name it, they have it.
After having experienced that, I rescheduled my travel plans: Everything one day earlier so that I get a chance to see the weekend market in Bangkok at my last days there. Jim said, it was even bigger than this one.

Anyway, my two Aussies left this morning for Bangkok and then Phuket, and I used the day to bike a bit around town, buy a travel guide for Cambodia (thanks Christina for your advice: I got the Rough Guide now!) and try to book all the flights I still needed. And that’s where I met again a fascinating person: Panthip „Apple“ from R&G Travel was really helpful, taking her time to find out the best times and fares and while doing so having a lot of laughs together. Thanks Apple, for all the fun!

Well, tomorrow I will be off from here, but I guess I need to come back. Chiang Mai and the surrounding area truly polarises: either stay only very short and see very few, selected highlights or stay longer (much longer) and learn to cook Thai, learn Muay Thai (kickboxing), trek around in the hills, etc. etc. etc. And overall, it’s more cosy than busy Bangkok. Chiang Mai, I love you 🙂