We’re in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand now. We got last minute plane tickets here yesterday after stopping in at a travel agent’s office and using her non-English speaking 10 year old daughter to mediate the purchase over the phone with her mom, who was in another location and also only spoke marginal English. It was a pretty funny exchange.
Chiang Mai is best known for its markets and we’ve already been to two in the two nights we’ve been here (it’s almost midnight right now). Also, it seems like there are multiple wats (temples) on every block. Each is slightly different and all are open to public exploration. Lots of monks in orange robes walking around. It’s marginally cooler in the North, but far more mosquito ridden. I started taking my malaria pills yesterday finally and they’re already making me sick. Hopefully, that will wear off soon.
Tomorrow, Jen and I are going to see about purchasing out tickets to Luang Prabang in Laos. Apparently, there are only three flights per week, so we need to be on top of our travel plans with that trip. We’re also going to visit a big wat outside of the city and one of the closer hill tribes. I’m hoping for clear weather (it’s been pretty rainy so far up here), because the sunset from one of the hills is supposed to be amazing.
Incidentally, our guest house is right next to a fun little alley with a bunch of tiny bars in it, all with live music. It’s like a simultaneous battle of the bands around here (right now I can hear at least three different songs). Mostly reggae and American rock and roll. Fortunately, we’re both tired enough (and equipped with ear plugs), so sleeping through it hasn’t been a problem. The bartender at the place we went tonight, Babylon, says it’s all to be bulldozed in a couple of months…too bad.
