Chaing Mai - Thailand

Greetings from the Chaing Mai, Thailand. Again, I must say that I’m a world away from India. The overnight train I took from Bangkok to Chaing Mai was almost exclusively filled with backpacker travelers and western tourist. Nothing like the trains in India, where except for a couple trips, I hardly saw any westerners. I have come to find out that the T in Thailand stands for Touristic. Thailand has done a very good job at opening the doors for tourism and the country is crawling with white skin foreigners.

Thailand is known as the, “Land of Smiles”. There’s a big sign stating this fact just as you leave the Bangkok airport. For the most part the Thai people are very pleasant and smile a lot. Service is very good and an appreciative “kor khun ka” (Thank You) is used frequently. Most everywhere you go the people are welcoming and hassles are few. Travel is very, very easy. For anyone unaccustomed to overseas travel with an interest in Asia I’d say Thailand is a great place to start. You’ve got the beaches down south and the jungles up north so for variety many folks do a loop through the country. It’s also clean and inexpensive.

Chaing Mai is very touristy with loads of open air cafes, bars, and restaurants. The tourist season starts up around November with the peak around December – February when it’s cool and dry. Although Chaing Mai is all about tourism it still retains a nice appeal. The city is loaded with impressive Buddhist temples complete with golden Bhuddas. They are everywhere. The average person is sure to be templed out within a couple of days. Aside of visiting the local sights there are numerous tour operators offering sightseeing, trekking, etc. to nearby areas. The local tropical forests, jungles, and countryside offer a lot of options for things to do and see.

Chaing Mai is overflowing with places to stay so lodging is really cheap. For the first two nights I was paying $10 but moved to another place because that was way too expensive. I’m now paying around $5. That’s for a clean single room with private bath. I’m spending about $2-$4 per meal and am eating really well.

Ok, combine nice people with clean, cheap, and easy travel amidst a beautiful tropical country with nothing much to worry about and you have Thailand. I can see the attraction for those seeking a nice vacation but for me it lacks an element of adventure. The exotic has been whitewashed and the challenges dumbed down. I haven’t spent time in the hills but even the hill tribes here have seen decades of backpackers seeking a more authentic cultural experience.

I’ve debated where I want to spend my time in S.E. Asia so given my interest in the more exotic and adventurous I’ll be heading into Laos within the next few days. I’ve been very lazy while in Thailand and except for some nice walks and a vigorous bike ride up a mountain, to visit the temple at Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, I haven’t really done much. I probably would have headed to Laos today but I got an email from my good friend Deb. You may remember her from my posts about the Camino and my hike through Wales last spring. Anyway, she’s currently in S.E. Asia hopping trains from Malaysia and is on her way to meet me in Chaing Mai. She’s very well traveled and has little interest in spending time around touristy areas. We seem to be on the same page as travel interest go. So, it looks like I’ll be picking up a travel partner for a little while at least. We get along well so it should be good. I’m looking forward to the company and it will be nice to see her.

In the meantime I’ll enjoy the ease of Chiang Mai by drinking a beer, sipping a latte, and visiting a Buddhist temple. Next week I’ll likely be living off of who knows what and rice while swatting disease infested mosquitoes. Do I really want to leave Thailand?.