Crisis averted. I have found my luggage scales....
After a good night's sleep and a leisurely breakfast, bags out and checkout for all to get on the coach for our final ride in Thailand. We say a fond farewell to our driver and some are even in tears saying goodbye to Joe, shat confirms to me how much they have appreciated him as our guide. We have been so very lucky having him as he has gone above and beyond every day, right from the get go.
We all got through check in easily and then through immigration. ought a couple of bracelets and have now managed to spend almost all my Thai baht. The time passed quickly enough and although our flight was late landing, we were only 5 minutes late taking off. It isn't a full flight so I had a three seat row to myself. We had a nice meal and were offered French Chardonnay so I was quick to accept that. I had 3 of my kittens sitting behind me and 2 in front of me. We were all drinking the wine and were very happy when the flight attendant offered us a second little bottle, and then a third!!! As our group were about the only Europeans onboard I suggested to the kittens to start talking with an American accent so that if they got rowdy we would be assumed to be typical loud yanks!
Our flight was a bit under 3 hours and as soon as we arrived we headed to the city tour booth and I booked our group on the 5.15 p.m. city lights tour. If you ever have a couple of hours to spare in Singapore airport I highly recommend the free city tour. We stopped at the Merlion by the harbour and were able to get off the coach for 20 minutes to have a wander and take photos. Then we went to Gardens by the Bay which was just fabulous. We only had 45 minutes there but the timing was great as it was just getting dark and the lights in the park and on the super trees came on. Breath taking!
Back on the coach and back to the airport where we have to go through Immigration again.
As we are in Terminal 2 we get the sky train to terminal 3 and most go in search of something to eat as it is now about 8pm. As I am one of the few with Singapore money I come in very handy to pay for coffees and meals for a couple of my kittens. I then have a bit of a wander and end up buying an elephant and a buddha Pandora charm. I then manage to find a pair of sunglasses that are polarized, light and fit me well, with the added bonus that they are 50% off so give the credit card another bashing. Catching up with all my little herd we go through the screening process again to our gate and this is now where I sit. the flight leaves at 11.30 so another hours to wait. I have given my kittens a 'Travel Survey' to complete about our Thailand trip. It will be interesting to see thier collective responses but I am pretty darn sure that there should be glowing responses all round, even from Frugal (who still won't be able to help herself without adding a list of criticisms but I'm expecting that so won't be surprised). This whole trip from start to finish has been exceptional. We have been blessed with great weather throughout, a brilliant guide and an itinerary that has ticked all the boxes. Hope you've enjoyed the trip as well - at least you haven't put on about 5 kilos though from all the eating we've done! My little herd are going to be my best ambassadors to encourage others to travel with us in future as they all want to know 'where to next?" And that is probably your question too.
Well the answer to that is.........
Friday, 6 November 2015
Thursday, 5 November 2015
Chiangmai day 3
Just before we all went in for dinner last night, we all met in the hotel foyer and I announced the Melbourne Cup sweep winners. With my usual flair for the outrageous we had drum rolls, cheering and clapping. As no one could remember the names of the horses they had, only their numbers, no one knew who the winners were even though some of them knew what horse had won the race. There was much speculation and suggestions of horse tampering prior to each announcement. But once all monies were dispersed we headed to dinner. Questions were raised as to how the nominated race Steward and race Detective won first and second but no one was prepared to lodge a formal protest so it didn't end in tears. LOL!
Dinner was western style in the hotel restaurant last night. We were meant to eat in their outdoor area but as it was raining we sat inside the formal part. The food was good and a pleasant enough change from everything Asian. I tried Thai whiskey but won't be changing brands any time soon. By the time we had finished dinner the rain had stopped so most of us decided to venture to the night markets. Once there we all went our separate ways. I wanted to buy a key ring (I attach a key ring from the country I am in to the relevant USB that I load all the photos onto). Anyway, 2 cushion covers, 2 pair of casual pull on pants, a dress and a material shoulder bag later, I head back to the hotel about 10.30 and don't give the darn key ring another thought until breakfast this morning. What a numpty!!! No time for photo uploading so you miss out again.
Awake at 4.45 a.m. for no good reason and that was the end of sleep for the night. Breakfast was a busy affair as many of the JW's were already in the restaurant but I managed to find a table with a couple of my kittens. They leave Saturday so at least we won't all be trying to book out of the hotel at the same time in the morning.
The weather is fine, hardly a cloud in the sky. We continue to be so very lucky. The only bit of rain we saw was yesterday and then only while on the coach and during dinner last night. A light breakfast had by all as we are off to a Thai cooking class for the morning. We meet our chef Anporn at a fresh vegetable and food market where she shows us what vegetables are which and what spices, etc we can use. She then selects all the raw materials we will need for our lunch. Back on the coach and then to her cookery school where our first order of business is to don chef's hats and aprons. She patiently then shows us how to make Pad Thai and we then all had to have a go at making it for ourselves. It was delicious. We then do all the preparation for green chicken curry and hot sour soup. When we then had both these dishes cooked we got to eat them while our bananas in coconut milk were cooking. What a great way to spend the morning. I think most of us were a bit 'unfussed' about the cooking class, but Anporn was so lovely and the set up in the large kitchen was so well done tha it amde it both easy and interesting for us. then when we had finished devouring our cooking she presented us each with one of her cooking books which is a professionally published book that she was more than happy to sign personally for each of us. Even our one token male in the group ended up enjoying himself.
But time to get back on the coach and we started heading toward an orphanage to visit but when Joe called ahead to confirm our attendance he was told that the orphanage is closed for a few days as one of the children has chicken pox. So we all agreed that we were happy to move to the next thing on our itinerary and potentially get back to the hotel a bit earlier as we all ahve to pack and as we have a big special farewell dinner tonight a bit of a rest on the hotel beforehand will be a bonus. So we head to the top of Wat Doi Suthep where there is large temple (no surprise there) but offering fabulous views over Chiang Mai. I think we were about 2 km above sea level. The road was really windy and steep and thankfully we were visiting on a week day because on weekends it is such a popular spot that buses are banned and so we would have had to be conveyed to the hill top via one of the truck/utes. Once we were at the base of the temple we took at lift up to the top. It is about 400 steps otherwise and Joe suggested if we really wanted to do the steps to do them going down rather than up and I liked his thinking!
Back on the coach and back to our hotel abut 3.30. A few wanted to do some shopping and/or exchange money so I headed back towards where the night market was starting to set up but very little was open as it doesn't really get underway properly until about 7ish. However I helped one of my kittens get some money exchanged and I then headed back to the hotel and I want to get the suitcase packed and have a quiet moment to myself before dinner.
So suitcase duly packed and I still have plenty of room. Hoever I am really cross with myself as I realize that I have managed to leave my digital luggage scales behind in one of the hotels as they are no longer in my suitcase. I am certain I had them with me as I have taken a fan and my travel clock out of the smae little bag I had them all in. But now no bag and therefore no scales... bugga! Add this to my sunglasses I lost at the last hotel and I am not faring well. I never lose things and to lose 2 items on the 1 short holiday is really annoying. So I told myself that worse things happen at sea and I should know because I've been on the Fairstar. No point stweing over it. I've been online and found where I can ge another one so will do so as soon as I get home. With that decision made I have a shower and get myself dressed up for our farewell dinner. I went downstairs a bit earlier than needed and found a few of my kittens already there. I was telling them my sorry tale of losing my sunglasses and then tonight realizing that I had lost my luggage scales. I then said somehting like, as things tend to happen in 3 I hope I don't lose anything else, or perhaps I might lose one of them. With that my little ditsy kitten who is definitely suffering early Alzheimers shoots up from the loungs and takes off. We are all left looking at each other wondering what the heck has happened when one of the other kittys tells me that she thinks she has left her handbag with her money, ticket and passport in it at the hairdresser that she had been to some time earlier this afternoon! After about 5 minutes of panic, the handbag is located and all is well, but her timing couldn't have been worse when I had barely finished my sentence about losing one of them! Manage to calm the kitty down and no amount of talking could convince her to lock her valuables in the hotel room safe so bag with passport, etc comes with us on the coach to dinner. The friend her loaned her this stupid alleged trave bag should be horse-whipped. The bloody thing has more pockets, flaps and zips on one bag than necessary should war break out! Kitty puts her room key in one pocket and bare moments later spends up to 5 minutes checking every nook and cranny of this Pandora's box to check that it is still there. she was upset that she still hadn't found anything as a thankyou gift for the lady who loaned the bag to her. I told her to forget getting a gift as the person who loaned it to her is no friend of hers to fob off such a dud of a bag!!!
Anyway, that was me getting side tracked aain. We all get on the coach and head to a Kantoke dinner which is traditional norhern Thai, along with traditional dancing. Apparently traditionally the northerners sit cross legged on the floor to eat their meal. Thankfully to venue caters for Westerners and we were able to sit at floor level on cushions but with our feet in a pit. Not easy to get into or up out of , but we managed. The food was great and again way too much of it. And then it was time to come back to the hotel for our very last night inThailand. I took a couple of the kittens down the road to a small shop I'd found this afternoon when I finally got the keyring for my photos USB plus a sweet little brooch that was really cheap. They bought a couple of things they liked and back to the hotel we came. The vening was perfect weather and having no idea what it is like back home, I really am quite happy to stay here longer, but that ain't going to happen so back to the hotel and my room with just enough time to pen these lines and then it is off to bed as I am very, very tired now.
Am in denial that it is our last night inThailand. It has been a super trip, going far beyond my expectations. Who's the spoilsport that said "All good things must some to an end"? What a killjoy.
But time to get back on the coach and we started heading toward an orphanage to visit but when Joe called ahead to confirm our attendance he was told that the orphanage is closed for a few days as one of the children has chicken pox. So we all agreed that we were happy to move to the next thing on our itinerary and potentially get back to the hotel a bit earlier as we all ahve to pack and as we have a big special farewell dinner tonight a bit of a rest on the hotel beforehand will be a bonus. So we head to the top of Wat Doi Suthep where there is large temple (no surprise there) but offering fabulous views over Chiang Mai. I think we were about 2 km above sea level. The road was really windy and steep and thankfully we were visiting on a week day because on weekends it is such a popular spot that buses are banned and so we would have had to be conveyed to the hill top via one of the truck/utes. Once we were at the base of the temple we took at lift up to the top. It is about 400 steps otherwise and Joe suggested if we really wanted to do the steps to do them going down rather than up and I liked his thinking!
Back on the coach and back to our hotel abut 3.30. A few wanted to do some shopping and/or exchange money so I headed back towards where the night market was starting to set up but very little was open as it doesn't really get underway properly until about 7ish. However I helped one of my kittens get some money exchanged and I then headed back to the hotel and I want to get the suitcase packed and have a quiet moment to myself before dinner.
So suitcase duly packed and I still have plenty of room. Hoever I am really cross with myself as I realize that I have managed to leave my digital luggage scales behind in one of the hotels as they are no longer in my suitcase. I am certain I had them with me as I have taken a fan and my travel clock out of the smae little bag I had them all in. But now no bag and therefore no scales... bugga! Add this to my sunglasses I lost at the last hotel and I am not faring well. I never lose things and to lose 2 items on the 1 short holiday is really annoying. So I told myself that worse things happen at sea and I should know because I've been on the Fairstar. No point stweing over it. I've been online and found where I can ge another one so will do so as soon as I get home. With that decision made I have a shower and get myself dressed up for our farewell dinner. I went downstairs a bit earlier than needed and found a few of my kittens already there. I was telling them my sorry tale of losing my sunglasses and then tonight realizing that I had lost my luggage scales. I then said somehting like, as things tend to happen in 3 I hope I don't lose anything else, or perhaps I might lose one of them. With that my little ditsy kitten who is definitely suffering early Alzheimers shoots up from the loungs and takes off. We are all left looking at each other wondering what the heck has happened when one of the other kittys tells me that she thinks she has left her handbag with her money, ticket and passport in it at the hairdresser that she had been to some time earlier this afternoon! After about 5 minutes of panic, the handbag is located and all is well, but her timing couldn't have been worse when I had barely finished my sentence about losing one of them! Manage to calm the kitty down and no amount of talking could convince her to lock her valuables in the hotel room safe so bag with passport, etc comes with us on the coach to dinner. The friend her loaned her this stupid alleged trave bag should be horse-whipped. The bloody thing has more pockets, flaps and zips on one bag than necessary should war break out! Kitty puts her room key in one pocket and bare moments later spends up to 5 minutes checking every nook and cranny of this Pandora's box to check that it is still there. she was upset that she still hadn't found anything as a thankyou gift for the lady who loaned the bag to her. I told her to forget getting a gift as the person who loaned it to her is no friend of hers to fob off such a dud of a bag!!!
Anyway, that was me getting side tracked aain. We all get on the coach and head to a Kantoke dinner which is traditional norhern Thai, along with traditional dancing. Apparently traditionally the northerners sit cross legged on the floor to eat their meal. Thankfully to venue caters for Westerners and we were able to sit at floor level on cushions but with our feet in a pit. Not easy to get into or up out of , but we managed. The food was great and again way too much of it. And then it was time to come back to the hotel for our very last night inThailand. I took a couple of the kittens down the road to a small shop I'd found this afternoon when I finally got the keyring for my photos USB plus a sweet little brooch that was really cheap. They bought a couple of things they liked and back to the hotel we came. The vening was perfect weather and having no idea what it is like back home, I really am quite happy to stay here longer, but that ain't going to happen so back to the hotel and my room with just enough time to pen these lines and then it is off to bed as I am very, very tired now.
Am in denial that it is our last night inThailand. It has been a super trip, going far beyond my expectations. Who's the spoilsport that said "All good things must some to an end"? What a killjoy.
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
Chiangmai day 2
Did I happen to mention that there is an itnernational convention for 180 Jehovah's Witnesses happening at our hotel??? Ye gods, or should I say ye Yaweh??? Having had the great misfortune to have a JW mother-in-law who was as fruity as a bat - the old biddy's wedding present to us was a year's subscription to Watchtower magazines. Give me strength. They wont' be making any converts out of me or my little kitten herd, that's a promise!
However back to the matter at hand. The hotel was quite noisy as it is near the centre of the city and it is a very busy city, however it was still quite fine for our purposes. Funny how quickly we got used to the 5 star restort lifestyle and expectations. After breakfast we were off to the Elephant campe and the day proved to be one of the absolute highlights. We had rides on the back of elephnts which took us into a river bed and up stgeep enbankments into the jungle and down ssteep embankments back into the water. Fantastic, although as was my lot in life I had to share with Frugal and she sat white knuckled the whole time, complaining that the ride was too long and when would it finish? I reminded her that we knew that from the beginning it was going to take 45-60 minutes. Boy that woman is hard work!!! In true Karen form I kept carrying on that this was the best experience EVER, taking heaps of photos and getting the rest of the group to pose for photos whilst on their elephants, with lots of laughing happening the whole time. Our mahoot was only a young lad and he kept singing different songs to us in his very limited English (his version of the songs were based on what he thought the English words sounded like to him even though he didn't understand what he was actually singing. It was hilarious. He started off with 'in the jungle the mighty jungle.... and I joined in with the whimaway, whimaway. This was closely followed by a few choruses of Happy birthday to the elephant, jingle bells, the wedding march, John Denver's County Roads and he even snuck in a 'Jesus loves me this I know'. How could Frugal not see the funny side of this? Anyway once back on land and off the elephants all the kittens were talking at once telling their stories of how good their elephant was and what it got up to and what it's name was, gender, age and anything else they could think of. Clearly a roaring success. Then we wentbamboo rafting down the river for about another 45 minutes and it was jsut so peaceful and beautiful all at the same time. I made sure I wasn't on the same raft as Frugal this time as she was doing my head in and my patience was about at its limit with her. Then back on the coach to take us back up river to the elephant camp again where we got to see them bathe and then watch their show as they put on a demonstration of soccer, disco dancing, sitting, hopping, standing on front legs, back legs, laying down and then painting with their trunks. So many wow moments and cameras were going berserk. I'm already onto my 2nd 8GB memory card.
Whilst we were waiting o watch the elephants get in the river to bathe there was an opportunity to have your photo taken sitting on the elephants knees while it was seated. I had my back to the elephant trying to get some of the kittens to come and pose for a photo, and next thing I know the elephant's trunk is between my legs and it has lifted me up towards its head. What fun and my kittens were cracking themselves up so much so that some of them couldn't hold their cameras steady. After that they nearly all wanted their photo taken sitting on the elephant's knee, but I noticed Frugal was standing way back away from the group so I went up to her and asked her point blank if she was enjoying herself, to which she replied yes. I then simply said, Well, it's hard to know with you, and then walked away. Somewhat surprisingly I haven't heard her complain since, but then again she has probably been avoiding me.
However enough time wasted on my one problem kitty. Reluctantly it is time to get back on the coach and leave this wonderful place. But needs must and it is now time to head to our lunch location which is an orchid farm and butterfly house restaurant. Once again a buffet lunch with great choices and great food. I recommend the Pad Thai and spring rolls, especially as I had 2 servings. The orchids were simply beath taking, so many colours and varieties. Puts my poor cymbidiums to shame. Oh well. The butterfly house was lovely too but my camera lens kept steaming up inside it so most of those memories will just have to stay in my head. Back on the coach and the skies are staying to get grey. It has been a perfect day today, a bit cooler, perhaps mid 20s and no humidity at all with a gentle breeze. But now on the coach there is a light rain, the first we have seen since we have been here. We then have a look through the largest temple in the old city. Every temple we have been in is so very different from the previous and one of us have had that feeling of being "all templed out" at any stage. Much of this temple was destroyed in an earthquake in the 1700s (keeping in mind it was built in the 1300s and was then left untouched for some 400 years) but since then there has been a steady renovation of it to bring it back to its former glory. One more temple to see beofre we call it a day and it is the oldest temple in the old city. In the closed temple next to it is house a supposed hair of Buddha which makes it a very revered and holy place. We have become accustomed to seeing young boys in monks orange robes as w now know that that are not monks for like and can start training with the monks from as young as about 7 years of age although most are more likley to be in their teens. The old traditions require all young men to be a monk for at least 3 month's training where a key learning is that of controlling their temper so that they will become very good heads of their own household. They are also required to do 2 years national service after they turn 19 (or ws it 21?) and so should not marry before they have done both their monks and national service training. The way of avoiding the compulsory national service is to go to university, but even then they have to do similar to the Army Reserves one day a week. Maybe this is something Australia needs to reconsider. Just a thought.
Just as we are getting on the coach to head for our hotel a light rain falls and once agin we are so darn lucky with the weather. Back to the hotel just before 4.30 and we have had another fabulous day. There was so much chatter on the coach after the elephant camp that I know this has been a stand out day for my little herd, and I am super chuffed. We did manage to do our Melbourne Cup sweep draw on the coach jsut before the elephant camp but knew that we would have to wait until the evening when I could get online to check out who won. It was all a bit of fun organising it and at 20 baht per horse (less than $1) none of us are thinking we might win enough to pay for our trip, but we all want to have scored a winner none-the-less. I appointed a race steward to oversee that all horse names were entered and appointed a course detective to make sure there was no illegal activity or doping scandal. She got the position as we said that as she was the only one who had slept with a real detective (her husband was a D) then she had the best credentials to fill that position. One of my kittens told me that she normally organises the sweeps at her workplace and another kitten wanted to be invovled so they became the offical "ball girls" who held the two hats with the respective names in. All this was done whilst travelling on the coach so there was much laughing, ooh and aahing as names were called out and yelled out repeatedly for those calling out, "what did you say" and "what's my horse number again?" I even wore my hand made fascinator (which in an earlier life was the foam webbing from around my bottle of scotch). Much mirth and jocularity over that.
So back in my hotel room I duly go on line and find out the placings in the race. Thankfully there are 3 different kitten winners as we all had more than 1 horse. I didn't score a placing so have done my 60 baht (about $2.50). I told them all that I would announce the winners at dinner and all reckon that's a great idea.
I am actually going to finish early for today as I now want to get ready to go to dinner and most of us are then going to venture out to the night markets. It is likely to be a late night so rather than finish typing at midnight I shall leave you panting for more. However if I do manage to get back in at a reasonable hour I will attempt to upload some photos, but I'm not promising.
However back to the matter at hand. The hotel was quite noisy as it is near the centre of the city and it is a very busy city, however it was still quite fine for our purposes. Funny how quickly we got used to the 5 star restort lifestyle and expectations. After breakfast we were off to the Elephant campe and the day proved to be one of the absolute highlights. We had rides on the back of elephnts which took us into a river bed and up stgeep enbankments into the jungle and down ssteep embankments back into the water. Fantastic, although as was my lot in life I had to share with Frugal and she sat white knuckled the whole time, complaining that the ride was too long and when would it finish? I reminded her that we knew that from the beginning it was going to take 45-60 minutes. Boy that woman is hard work!!! In true Karen form I kept carrying on that this was the best experience EVER, taking heaps of photos and getting the rest of the group to pose for photos whilst on their elephants, with lots of laughing happening the whole time. Our mahoot was only a young lad and he kept singing different songs to us in his very limited English (his version of the songs were based on what he thought the English words sounded like to him even though he didn't understand what he was actually singing. It was hilarious. He started off with 'in the jungle the mighty jungle.... and I joined in with the whimaway, whimaway. This was closely followed by a few choruses of Happy birthday to the elephant, jingle bells, the wedding march, John Denver's County Roads and he even snuck in a 'Jesus loves me this I know'. How could Frugal not see the funny side of this? Anyway once back on land and off the elephants all the kittens were talking at once telling their stories of how good their elephant was and what it got up to and what it's name was, gender, age and anything else they could think of. Clearly a roaring success. Then we wentbamboo rafting down the river for about another 45 minutes and it was jsut so peaceful and beautiful all at the same time. I made sure I wasn't on the same raft as Frugal this time as she was doing my head in and my patience was about at its limit with her. Then back on the coach to take us back up river to the elephant camp again where we got to see them bathe and then watch their show as they put on a demonstration of soccer, disco dancing, sitting, hopping, standing on front legs, back legs, laying down and then painting with their trunks. So many wow moments and cameras were going berserk. I'm already onto my 2nd 8GB memory card.
Whilst we were waiting o watch the elephants get in the river to bathe there was an opportunity to have your photo taken sitting on the elephants knees while it was seated. I had my back to the elephant trying to get some of the kittens to come and pose for a photo, and next thing I know the elephant's trunk is between my legs and it has lifted me up towards its head. What fun and my kittens were cracking themselves up so much so that some of them couldn't hold their cameras steady. After that they nearly all wanted their photo taken sitting on the elephant's knee, but I noticed Frugal was standing way back away from the group so I went up to her and asked her point blank if she was enjoying herself, to which she replied yes. I then simply said, Well, it's hard to know with you, and then walked away. Somewhat surprisingly I haven't heard her complain since, but then again she has probably been avoiding me.
However enough time wasted on my one problem kitty. Reluctantly it is time to get back on the coach and leave this wonderful place. But needs must and it is now time to head to our lunch location which is an orchid farm and butterfly house restaurant. Once again a buffet lunch with great choices and great food. I recommend the Pad Thai and spring rolls, especially as I had 2 servings. The orchids were simply beath taking, so many colours and varieties. Puts my poor cymbidiums to shame. Oh well. The butterfly house was lovely too but my camera lens kept steaming up inside it so most of those memories will just have to stay in my head. Back on the coach and the skies are staying to get grey. It has been a perfect day today, a bit cooler, perhaps mid 20s and no humidity at all with a gentle breeze. But now on the coach there is a light rain, the first we have seen since we have been here. We then have a look through the largest temple in the old city. Every temple we have been in is so very different from the previous and one of us have had that feeling of being "all templed out" at any stage. Much of this temple was destroyed in an earthquake in the 1700s (keeping in mind it was built in the 1300s and was then left untouched for some 400 years) but since then there has been a steady renovation of it to bring it back to its former glory. One more temple to see beofre we call it a day and it is the oldest temple in the old city. In the closed temple next to it is house a supposed hair of Buddha which makes it a very revered and holy place. We have become accustomed to seeing young boys in monks orange robes as w now know that that are not monks for like and can start training with the monks from as young as about 7 years of age although most are more likley to be in their teens. The old traditions require all young men to be a monk for at least 3 month's training where a key learning is that of controlling their temper so that they will become very good heads of their own household. They are also required to do 2 years national service after they turn 19 (or ws it 21?) and so should not marry before they have done both their monks and national service training. The way of avoiding the compulsory national service is to go to university, but even then they have to do similar to the Army Reserves one day a week. Maybe this is something Australia needs to reconsider. Just a thought.
Just as we are getting on the coach to head for our hotel a light rain falls and once agin we are so darn lucky with the weather. Back to the hotel just before 4.30 and we have had another fabulous day. There was so much chatter on the coach after the elephant camp that I know this has been a stand out day for my little herd, and I am super chuffed. We did manage to do our Melbourne Cup sweep draw on the coach jsut before the elephant camp but knew that we would have to wait until the evening when I could get online to check out who won. It was all a bit of fun organising it and at 20 baht per horse (less than $1) none of us are thinking we might win enough to pay for our trip, but we all want to have scored a winner none-the-less. I appointed a race steward to oversee that all horse names were entered and appointed a course detective to make sure there was no illegal activity or doping scandal. She got the position as we said that as she was the only one who had slept with a real detective (her husband was a D) then she had the best credentials to fill that position. One of my kittens told me that she normally organises the sweeps at her workplace and another kitten wanted to be invovled so they became the offical "ball girls" who held the two hats with the respective names in. All this was done whilst travelling on the coach so there was much laughing, ooh and aahing as names were called out and yelled out repeatedly for those calling out, "what did you say" and "what's my horse number again?" I even wore my hand made fascinator (which in an earlier life was the foam webbing from around my bottle of scotch). Much mirth and jocularity over that.
So back in my hotel room I duly go on line and find out the placings in the race. Thankfully there are 3 different kitten winners as we all had more than 1 horse. I didn't score a placing so have done my 60 baht (about $2.50). I told them all that I would announce the winners at dinner and all reckon that's a great idea.
I am actually going to finish early for today as I now want to get ready to go to dinner and most of us are then going to venture out to the night markets. It is likely to be a late night so rather than finish typing at midnight I shall leave you panting for more. However if I do manage to get back in at a reasonable hour I will attempt to upload some photos, but I'm not promising.
Chiangmai
It's a bit disappointing to have to leave my luxurious suite but needs must, so after breakfast we set off to Chiangmai. Yet again the weather is perfect. No humidity and the heat just right. We were meant to go to see a couple of temple ruins in Wang Kum Kam but instead Joe has taken us to the White Temple. And boy are we ever glad he did. As the temple first comes into view I thought I was seeing a snow palace out of a Disney movie. It is absolutely spectacular. All in brilliant white with only mirror glass mosaic as any adornment. It is a one of a kind. The guy who got it built is a famous artist in Thailand, from Chiangmai. He has sold his paintings for millions of dollars. As he didn't want the government to intervene with the making of this temple he funded it fully himself and would not accept donations from any other source. He was keen to encourage young Thai people to follow the buddhist religion and wanted to make a temple that was attractive and different and something that might engage young people, so he drew up beautiful paintings of all aspects of the temple and under his tutelage and direction got 12 more artists/architects to follow his plans to get it done. It is now about 18 years old (the artist ii now in his 60s and a professor at one of the universities.) We were able to take photos of the outside but not in the actual temple itself. It was lovely wandering around the other outer buildings too. Also had the chance to go into his art gallery where all the original paintings for the temple plus many more of his paintings were on view. Unfortunately we didn't have nearly enough time to take it all in, but this visit was truly a little gem that we are all so glad we got to see. Dont know why this isn't included in the itinerary so am going to write to the tour company when I get home and encourage them to add it. It really was a highlight.
However back on the coach we get and have about a 2 hour drive before we get to an umbrella making factory and shop where some of the ladies go berserk in getting painting on their bags, wallets, glasses cases and one of my kittens even got her trouser leg painted with the most delicate butterfly and dragonfly scene. I remember visiting here last time and got a bag painted plus bought an umbrella - can't remember what happened to the umbrella but I still have the hand bag and the painting hasn't aged a day.
Back on the coach and we head to a lovely out of the way open air restaurant in a huge park where we are treated to a lovely northern Thai style buffet. they really like their chilli and spices so I just love their food, but I don't add more chilli to everything like the locals do. The coconut chicken soup is to die for. Hope I can find a recipe for it later. Back on the coach and we then visit one of the 3 government run gem galleries in Thailand. Everything is absolutely beautiful but very pricey. I looked at a nice little pair of earrings that I might have paid a couple of hundred dollars for but not the $1660 they wanted. It is the bane of my life having champagne tastes on a beer budget... sigh...
So back on the coach and then to a silk making factory and store. I bought myself a 3/4 sleeved top that I can think I look quite stunning in, even if I do say so myself. Not as stunning as in the blue tafetta but a close second. LOL!!!
Back on the coach and to our hotel which is very close to the night market which is huge. it goes for about a kilometre on 2 sides of a main street, and then there are 2 large under cover markets off to each side. I know that many of them are going to have the exact same items but it is going to be fun wandering about them when we get a chance. Time for a cuppa and chance to start the blog. My room is a very nice modern (but boring) standard style. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it except it isn't one of the resort ones we have become accustomed to.. sigh...
However time to head to dinner wehere we are taken to an outdoor northern style restaurant. As usually there are so many courses that there is no chance of us eating it all. One of the main dishes is a whole chicken baked upright on a stand, but just before carving it has whiskey poured over it and set fire to! Waste of good whiskey for my liking, but made for a nice spectacle on the dinner table. One of my kittens is a first time traveller with us, being invited along by one of the other kittens. I am convinced that she has clear signs of alzheimers as she is forever wandering about 'lost' any where we stay and forgets where she has put something onl moments before plsu lots of oter little tell tale signs. Anyway she was seated quite near the 'flaming' chicken and silly me says something like surely we should sing Happy Birthday so that someone can blow out the flame. Well with that, the little kitten blew out the chicken!!!! I almost fell off my chair. Everyone else was way too polite to say any thing. I just couldn't' help myself and cracked up laughing. Kitty looked dumbfounded and bewildered so I said to her "Well done you, I was worried that that flame was going to get out of hand." With that she was pleased and everyone else pretended that what just happened didn't, and got on with the business of eating dinner. I did later manage to knock over one of the kitten's wine glass, but in my defence I was the one who ended up carving up the chicken and only knocked he glass when I tried to serve her some of it!!! At least she had drunk most of it but I bought her another one anyway. We all commented on how nice the vegeables were that the wine dropped into too!
Over dinner amongst lots of laughing (except for Frugal who sat stoney faced through most of the night) there was discssion about tomorrow being Melbourne Cup day/. One of my kittens is a slef-confessed big gambler and was keen for us to do a sweep so I am now incharge of running a sweep tomorrow. On the coach trip back to our hotel I told Joe that we were going to run a sweep in the morning for he melbourne Cup and what it is all about, however we woldn't do it i it offended him (being a Buddhist and all). Not only did he say he didn't mind at all, he wants to be in it too! Bless him. So I have now come back to my room, very tired and so ready for bed, but not before I've drawn up the sweep names and horses and finished today's blog. I was hoping to add some more photos but you have missed out for now as enough is enough to fit into one day.
It's been another great day and I'm so looking forward to tomorrow as I know my kittens are in for a great treat - you will just have to stay tuned.
However back on the coach we get and have about a 2 hour drive before we get to an umbrella making factory and shop where some of the ladies go berserk in getting painting on their bags, wallets, glasses cases and one of my kittens even got her trouser leg painted with the most delicate butterfly and dragonfly scene. I remember visiting here last time and got a bag painted plus bought an umbrella - can't remember what happened to the umbrella but I still have the hand bag and the painting hasn't aged a day.
Back on the coach and we head to a lovely out of the way open air restaurant in a huge park where we are treated to a lovely northern Thai style buffet. they really like their chilli and spices so I just love their food, but I don't add more chilli to everything like the locals do. The coconut chicken soup is to die for. Hope I can find a recipe for it later. Back on the coach and we then visit one of the 3 government run gem galleries in Thailand. Everything is absolutely beautiful but very pricey. I looked at a nice little pair of earrings that I might have paid a couple of hundred dollars for but not the $1660 they wanted. It is the bane of my life having champagne tastes on a beer budget... sigh...
So back on the coach and then to a silk making factory and store. I bought myself a 3/4 sleeved top that I can think I look quite stunning in, even if I do say so myself. Not as stunning as in the blue tafetta but a close second. LOL!!!
Back on the coach and to our hotel which is very close to the night market which is huge. it goes for about a kilometre on 2 sides of a main street, and then there are 2 large under cover markets off to each side. I know that many of them are going to have the exact same items but it is going to be fun wandering about them when we get a chance. Time for a cuppa and chance to start the blog. My room is a very nice modern (but boring) standard style. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it except it isn't one of the resort ones we have become accustomed to.. sigh...
However time to head to dinner wehere we are taken to an outdoor northern style restaurant. As usually there are so many courses that there is no chance of us eating it all. One of the main dishes is a whole chicken baked upright on a stand, but just before carving it has whiskey poured over it and set fire to! Waste of good whiskey for my liking, but made for a nice spectacle on the dinner table. One of my kittens is a first time traveller with us, being invited along by one of the other kittens. I am convinced that she has clear signs of alzheimers as she is forever wandering about 'lost' any where we stay and forgets where she has put something onl moments before plsu lots of oter little tell tale signs. Anyway she was seated quite near the 'flaming' chicken and silly me says something like surely we should sing Happy Birthday so that someone can blow out the flame. Well with that, the little kitten blew out the chicken!!!! I almost fell off my chair. Everyone else was way too polite to say any thing. I just couldn't' help myself and cracked up laughing. Kitty looked dumbfounded and bewildered so I said to her "Well done you, I was worried that that flame was going to get out of hand." With that she was pleased and everyone else pretended that what just happened didn't, and got on with the business of eating dinner. I did later manage to knock over one of the kitten's wine glass, but in my defence I was the one who ended up carving up the chicken and only knocked he glass when I tried to serve her some of it!!! At least she had drunk most of it but I bought her another one anyway. We all commented on how nice the vegeables were that the wine dropped into too!
Over dinner amongst lots of laughing (except for Frugal who sat stoney faced through most of the night) there was discssion about tomorrow being Melbourne Cup day/. One of my kittens is a slef-confessed big gambler and was keen for us to do a sweep so I am now incharge of running a sweep tomorrow. On the coach trip back to our hotel I told Joe that we were going to run a sweep in the morning for he melbourne Cup and what it is all about, however we woldn't do it i it offended him (being a Buddhist and all). Not only did he say he didn't mind at all, he wants to be in it too! Bless him. So I have now come back to my room, very tired and so ready for bed, but not before I've drawn up the sweep names and horses and finished today's blog. I was hoping to add some more photos but you have missed out for now as enough is enough to fit into one day.
It's been another great day and I'm so looking forward to tomorrow as I know my kittens are in for a great treat - you will just have to stay tuned.
Monday, 2 November 2015
Changrai - 2nd day
Although I am in a magnificent suite,I didn't get a good night's sleep. Maybe I'm not used to such richness, certainly not used to the 4 post netting canopy overhead! However, no one ever died from a bad nigh sleep so onward and upward. Breakfast is the open air restaurant by the river. I caught up with Joe as he came into breakfast and got him to check the itinerary he had planned for us for today compared against the one with our ticketing. He saw that included in my copy from the tour company was a visit to see the Karen people (long neck hills tribe) and he was going to take us into Myanmar to see them. Re going into Myanamar (Burma) this wasn't on our itinerary but we all agreed yesterday that as we were so close to the border and it is relatively easy to go in for a few hours without visas, etc that we all wanted to at least have a look. Joe intended in getting us on tuk tuks once we were across the border and see a Karen tribe in the Myanmar hills. But after my conversation with him at breakfast he changed the plans around to confirm that the tour company would pay for our visit to see local Karen people and therefore it wouldn't cost us so much to go into Myanmar. Not sure that I've explained that well, but it makes sense to me and after all this is MY travel blog...
However, back to my day. We were on our coach and away for an 8.30 day touring the region. We had to get off the coach and transfer to a small truck type vehicle - imagine a long ute with a covered canopy and plank seating along the two sides - where we then went up to Mae Salong Mountain. The roads were so narrow and winding that our coach would never have made it. Mind you, on a couple of corners I wasn't sure we were going to make it either! however both trucks managed to get to a tea plantation where we had a short look around and then were invited to drink tea, Thai style. It really ws quite a ceremony and just wonderful. I was very impressed with the tea pot used, so impressed that I bought one for myself. the lass who did the demonstration was really sweet and gave me a big box of tea bags as a gift. No one else got a gift so I considered myself very special. [NB to Princess Shiny Bright when she reads this - I am using 'special' in the correct manner, not the way you use it when describing our friendship!!!) The tea plantation is about a kilometre above sea level. The hillside was just beautiful and again so contrasting with all the different things being grown, interspersed with dense jungle.
Back on the truck and we then went to the tribal village of Yao where we had an opportunity to walk through the village. the women do the most amazing cross stitch. The also weave and all the traditional clothing, hats and bags are very colourful. Back on our truck and back down the mountain to get back onto our coach that takes us to lunch at a restaurant called 'Cabbages and Condoms'. Joe had told us the story of how the restaurants came into being and how they were named and had us in stitches. the short version is that a local Thai doctor was working amongst the hill tribes and at the time HIV was a serious problem. The local tribes had no concept of birth control so the doctor attempted to reduce the spread of the HI virus and improve the health of women from having one kid after another so attempted to teach the local men how to use condoms. That's where all the hilarity was had with Joe telling us the stories of the failed training attempts.
The doctor initially had limited success in getting the message through but as his information was getting out to the local tribes he needed money to fund his continued research and training, so set up a restaurant in the city. In deciding what to name the restaurant he decided on the C & C name because the locals grew cabbages and he needed the money from the restaurant to fund purchasing condoms. The initial restaurant was such a success that I think there are about 3 or 4 others in Thailand.
Our meal was once again a banquet with 6 courses and we have all learnt to take it slowly and no obligation to consume everything in sight! The restaurant was good fun too as the staff were nearly all young local people who volunteered to work there to learn their hospitality skills. Joe ended up doing most of our serving!!! As we walked into the restaurant we were met with an Elvis mannequin - it was only when you got closer to it that you saw that the entire costume was made from condoms!!! Hilarious. Waddled back to the coach and away we go towards the border with Myanmar. It was a real eye opener, that's for sure. we actually had to hand in our departure cards as we left Thailand and had our passports stamped accordingly. Then we walked across a small bridge and had to have our passports stamped again by the Myanmar customs officers, who were very friendly and laughing with us. We then got on to small trucks similar to those that took us to the mountains and went to a high point of the city to get a look out over Myanmar. We were accosted by women and children wanting to sell us flowers for the temple and postcards but none of us were buying. The difference between Thailand and Myanmar was palpable. Having a little knowledge of each country's history makes it understandable. We take our little truck back down the hill to the market right along the border. If you remember the likes of Hong Kong 30 plus years ago, then it was
similar with very narrow pathways through the stalls, motor scooters trying to barge their way past you as you walked by the stalls and copies of copies and therefore very cheap and nasty. The only person who bought anything was Joe, and that was a re-chargeable outdoor lantern. We then filled out our entrnce form to get back into Thailand, queued to go through Immigration where they put three stamps in my passport and we were back into beautiful Thailand once more. What an experience.
Back on the coach and off we head in search of the Karen people, where the women have the brass rings around their necks to stretch them as a supposed sign of beauty, therefore giving them the name of long neck hills tribe.
As this clearly wasn't part of Joe or Chook's original plan, neither were exactly sure to go and we ended up going about 45 minutes out of our way before joe got on the mobile to get directions from his office, where we then had to re-trace our steps to eventually find the turn off wch we had passed about 40 minutes earlier. The road was not one that considered a large coach might want to go down it one day. Chook did an amazing job of getting around very tight bends and the couple of on-coming cars were able to pull off the road just far enough for us to get past. Once we finally got there, Joe told us that his office people he rang had told him that a coach couldn't use the road that we finally got there on, which is why they had tried another way (even though it clearly wasn't even close to going in the right direction - I think that both men were too proud to ask for directions earlier...) but the wait and oute was well worth it. there were 5 women and a couple of children in the area we went to. It broke my heart to see the women with these metal rings around their neck, arms and lower legs. the 2 young girls, one no more than 4 also had the rings around their necks and as they grow older, more will be added. A couple of the women were weaving scarves, although all of the women had scarves and shawls (the latter not of their making) for sale. Some of our group bought scarves and had their photos taken with the women, but I wasn't prepared to buy from one and not the others and I really didn't want that many items so instead bought none. I have no right to impose my views or beliefs onto anyone and each of the women seemed happy enough for us to be there looking at them, but if what they go through stretching their necks the way the rings work and the pain they go through each time a new ring is fitted (they will weigh about 4 1/2 kilo by the time they have added them all), if this is not a form of mutiliation that subjugates women then what the heck is?
I am really pleased I had the opportunity to meet these peaceful kind women, but it is not something I ever want to see again.
Time to get back onto the coach and head for our hotel where we finally get back about 6.30 p.m. Just enough time to get to my luxurious suite, make a cuppa and then head to dinner at the ho9tel restaurant where we have a spectacular buffet dinner that had every conceivable delicacy to suit every taste. I started with Sushi, moved on to Thai curries and rice, then had the thinnest slice of beek cooked to perfection in front of me that I accompanied with paw paw salad (yum). There was no way I could even look at sweets but my hungry (read "some people don't know when they have had enough" or perhaps just read "greedy gutses") little kittens did and came back to the table with things like coconut milk icecream, bread pudding and custard, creme caramel, jelly (Thai style), toffee tart, butter cake and cream and other little delicacies that I don't know the name of. I think that I have managed to eat more than the cost of the trip's value!!! I came, I saw, I ate my way through Thailand.
So, at a very reasonable hour I am back in my room with trusty night cap regaling you with my action packed day. there is absolutely no rest for the wisked as we are off again to a new hotel and lots more adventures tomorrow in chiangmail. Sadly that will be our last destination for our remaining nights. No one wants to think about it as we are truly have a fabulous time. Even Frugal who is a gigantic pain in the bum for being so damn serious and negative all the time (having any conversation with her is like being lectured to by a university professor who loves the sound of their own voice and is not interested in any response or opinion you may hold - she has no concept of small talk or humour) is allegedly having a great time. Not sure how you can tell other than if you ask her and then ignore the inevitable "but" that she adds to the end of her answer so that you are forewarned that she is now going to launch into all the negatives she can conjure up. However I don't want to end my day thinking of her as that truly can be a big downer. Instead I can tell you that MW who is the president of PL texted me the other day to check on how we are going. I texted back that we are having a fabulous time. He then asked when do we get back and I replied that I had checked with the kittens and we are all in agreement that we are not coming back!!! MW is delightful but very serious. It could just be that he thinks I am serious, and come to think about it, we just might be. LOL...
There might still only be 24 hours in a Thai day, but we are fitting a day and a half into every one of them. I now need to replenish my night cap and put myself to bed. Looking forward to Chiangmai as I know lots of the things we have to look forward to. My kittens are going to love them.
Now where did I put the scotch bottle??
However, back to my day. We were on our coach and away for an 8.30 day touring the region. We had to get off the coach and transfer to a small truck type vehicle - imagine a long ute with a covered canopy and plank seating along the two sides - where we then went up to Mae Salong Mountain. The roads were so narrow and winding that our coach would never have made it. Mind you, on a couple of corners I wasn't sure we were going to make it either! however both trucks managed to get to a tea plantation where we had a short look around and then were invited to drink tea, Thai style. It really ws quite a ceremony and just wonderful. I was very impressed with the tea pot used, so impressed that I bought one for myself. the lass who did the demonstration was really sweet and gave me a big box of tea bags as a gift. No one else got a gift so I considered myself very special. [NB to Princess Shiny Bright when she reads this - I am using 'special' in the correct manner, not the way you use it when describing our friendship!!!) The tea plantation is about a kilometre above sea level. The hillside was just beautiful and again so contrasting with all the different things being grown, interspersed with dense jungle.
Back on the truck and we then went to the tribal village of Yao where we had an opportunity to walk through the village. the women do the most amazing cross stitch. The also weave and all the traditional clothing, hats and bags are very colourful. Back on our truck and back down the mountain to get back onto our coach that takes us to lunch at a restaurant called 'Cabbages and Condoms'. Joe had told us the story of how the restaurants came into being and how they were named and had us in stitches. the short version is that a local Thai doctor was working amongst the hill tribes and at the time HIV was a serious problem. The local tribes had no concept of birth control so the doctor attempted to reduce the spread of the HI virus and improve the health of women from having one kid after another so attempted to teach the local men how to use condoms. That's where all the hilarity was had with Joe telling us the stories of the failed training attempts.
The doctor initially had limited success in getting the message through but as his information was getting out to the local tribes he needed money to fund his continued research and training, so set up a restaurant in the city. In deciding what to name the restaurant he decided on the C & C name because the locals grew cabbages and he needed the money from the restaurant to fund purchasing condoms. The initial restaurant was such a success that I think there are about 3 or 4 others in Thailand.
Our meal was once again a banquet with 6 courses and we have all learnt to take it slowly and no obligation to consume everything in sight! The restaurant was good fun too as the staff were nearly all young local people who volunteered to work there to learn their hospitality skills. Joe ended up doing most of our serving!!! As we walked into the restaurant we were met with an Elvis mannequin - it was only when you got closer to it that you saw that the entire costume was made from condoms!!! Hilarious. Waddled back to the coach and away we go towards the border with Myanmar. It was a real eye opener, that's for sure. we actually had to hand in our departure cards as we left Thailand and had our passports stamped accordingly. Then we walked across a small bridge and had to have our passports stamped again by the Myanmar customs officers, who were very friendly and laughing with us. We then got on to small trucks similar to those that took us to the mountains and went to a high point of the city to get a look out over Myanmar. We were accosted by women and children wanting to sell us flowers for the temple and postcards but none of us were buying. The difference between Thailand and Myanmar was palpable. Having a little knowledge of each country's history makes it understandable. We take our little truck back down the hill to the market right along the border. If you remember the likes of Hong Kong 30 plus years ago, then it was
similar with very narrow pathways through the stalls, motor scooters trying to barge their way past you as you walked by the stalls and copies of copies and therefore very cheap and nasty. The only person who bought anything was Joe, and that was a re-chargeable outdoor lantern. We then filled out our entrnce form to get back into Thailand, queued to go through Immigration where they put three stamps in my passport and we were back into beautiful Thailand once more. What an experience.
Back on the coach and off we head in search of the Karen people, where the women have the brass rings around their necks to stretch them as a supposed sign of beauty, therefore giving them the name of long neck hills tribe.
As this clearly wasn't part of Joe or Chook's original plan, neither were exactly sure to go and we ended up going about 45 minutes out of our way before joe got on the mobile to get directions from his office, where we then had to re-trace our steps to eventually find the turn off wch we had passed about 40 minutes earlier. The road was not one that considered a large coach might want to go down it one day. Chook did an amazing job of getting around very tight bends and the couple of on-coming cars were able to pull off the road just far enough for us to get past. Once we finally got there, Joe told us that his office people he rang had told him that a coach couldn't use the road that we finally got there on, which is why they had tried another way (even though it clearly wasn't even close to going in the right direction - I think that both men were too proud to ask for directions earlier...) but the wait and oute was well worth it. there were 5 women and a couple of children in the area we went to. It broke my heart to see the women with these metal rings around their neck, arms and lower legs. the 2 young girls, one no more than 4 also had the rings around their necks and as they grow older, more will be added. A couple of the women were weaving scarves, although all of the women had scarves and shawls (the latter not of their making) for sale. Some of our group bought scarves and had their photos taken with the women, but I wasn't prepared to buy from one and not the others and I really didn't want that many items so instead bought none. I have no right to impose my views or beliefs onto anyone and each of the women seemed happy enough for us to be there looking at them, but if what they go through stretching their necks the way the rings work and the pain they go through each time a new ring is fitted (they will weigh about 4 1/2 kilo by the time they have added them all), if this is not a form of mutiliation that subjugates women then what the heck is?
I am really pleased I had the opportunity to meet these peaceful kind women, but it is not something I ever want to see again.
Time to get back onto the coach and head for our hotel where we finally get back about 6.30 p.m. Just enough time to get to my luxurious suite, make a cuppa and then head to dinner at the ho9tel restaurant where we have a spectacular buffet dinner that had every conceivable delicacy to suit every taste. I started with Sushi, moved on to Thai curries and rice, then had the thinnest slice of beek cooked to perfection in front of me that I accompanied with paw paw salad (yum). There was no way I could even look at sweets but my hungry (read "some people don't know when they have had enough" or perhaps just read "greedy gutses") little kittens did and came back to the table with things like coconut milk icecream, bread pudding and custard, creme caramel, jelly (Thai style), toffee tart, butter cake and cream and other little delicacies that I don't know the name of. I think that I have managed to eat more than the cost of the trip's value!!! I came, I saw, I ate my way through Thailand.
So, at a very reasonable hour I am back in my room with trusty night cap regaling you with my action packed day. there is absolutely no rest for the wisked as we are off again to a new hotel and lots more adventures tomorrow in chiangmail. Sadly that will be our last destination for our remaining nights. No one wants to think about it as we are truly have a fabulous time. Even Frugal who is a gigantic pain in the bum for being so damn serious and negative all the time (having any conversation with her is like being lectured to by a university professor who loves the sound of their own voice and is not interested in any response or opinion you may hold - she has no concept of small talk or humour) is allegedly having a great time. Not sure how you can tell other than if you ask her and then ignore the inevitable "but" that she adds to the end of her answer so that you are forewarned that she is now going to launch into all the negatives she can conjure up. However I don't want to end my day thinking of her as that truly can be a big downer. Instead I can tell you that MW who is the president of PL texted me the other day to check on how we are going. I texted back that we are having a fabulous time. He then asked when do we get back and I replied that I had checked with the kittens and we are all in agreement that we are not coming back!!! MW is delightful but very serious. It could just be that he thinks I am serious, and come to think about it, we just might be. LOL...
There might still only be 24 hours in a Thai day, but we are fitting a day and a half into every one of them. I now need to replenish my night cap and put myself to bed. Looking forward to Chiangmai as I know lots of the things we have to look forward to. My kittens are going to love them.
Now where did I put the scotch bottle??
Sunday, 1 November 2015
Changrai
Well here I sit, late at night (it is currently 10.50 p.m.) with my trusty scotch by my side as I attempt to recap on my day, and what a day it has been. I had breakfast in the outdoor restaurant overlooking a river this morning and on the coach for our 8 a.m. departure. the weather is absolutely perfect and as we continue to be very lucky with so little humidity, everyone has become quite acclimatised to the heat which although I'm sure it won't make sense, the heat here is different for the same temperatures at home. Anyway, I'm even getting a bit of a tan and it doesn't wash off in the shower so the sun is certainly kinder to me here than at home.
We had a long drive to Chiangrai which is the northern most district of Thailand. Joe being the excellent tour guide that he is, only talks for part of the time, and only when it is relevant. He is very knowledgeable on so many subjects, and no topic is taboo. He makes even history stories interesting and making you ask questions wanting to know more. He also has a great sense of humour and often jokes with us.
Only had 1 comfort stop along the way and I found a lovely little shop while the coach was refuelling, that had some lovely scarves in. As everything was in Thai I did my best arm waving, gesturing and pointing to find out how much they cost and as they were such a great price I started picking up a couple, but before I knew it I had created a frenzy amongst the kittens who saw what I was doing and I think the store ended up doing more business in 15 minutes than they would in a month!!! Joe had to come and hurry up the last one to get on the coach and on the orad again we went. It was very mountainous area and one minue we were looking at very dense jungle and the next pineapple, corn, rice, paw paw and goodness knows what other crops. I even saw a local leading a herd of water buffalo along the side of the road, but I wasn't quick enough with my camera to capture the moment so you have to take my word for it and use your imagination - come on now dear armchair traveller, you have to do something more than sit back and contemplate the fluff in your navel every now and then or you will go to seed!
We finally arrived in Chiangrai which is s very big city and headed to the Golden Triangle hotel which has an amazing view over the Mekong River so that you are standing in Thailand but looking at Myanmar (100 metres away across a canal) and Laos (about 700 metres away on the other side of the Mekong) . Lovely buffet lunch with excellent glass noodles amongst the many offerings. So much food that we are beginning to feel like battery hens being forced fed. Even just sampling a little bit from each plate means that you have over eaten yet again.
Anyway, back on the coach for a very short ride to the port where we have the opportunity to do the trip I had asked Joe about and he promptly arranged for us where we got onto a motorised boat that took us very close to the Golden Triangle island and then to Laos where we were able to disembark and have a wander in their local markets for about an hour. Some of my kittens went berserk whereas i bought a cotton short for myself and hmmmm, not telling you what else as you may be on the receiving end of one of the items for Christmas (if I like you enough, that is). I also bought a postcard that I sent to msyelf so that I would have proof that I had been to Laos. As it turned out I could have saved that 80 baht as when we got back to Chiangrai side Joe picked up our passports from the Immigration office where we had to leave them prior to going on the boat (to make sure we came back- yeah right...I'm from Australia and I'm going to jump ship and claim refugee status in Laos)
Anyway, bless their cotton socks, as I found a brand new Laos stamp at the back of my passport - and the year shows 2558 because their calendar is about 500 hears ahead of ours!!!
So we all return to our coach and back into the city. there is a lot of roadworks throughout the country that so that certainly slows us down and traffic is also very heave so we don't get to out hotel until 6.15pm. We are staying at The Legend hotel resort which is a sister hotel to another Legend hotel we stayed in earlier. It is a huge place but down a narrow road so how Chook managed to get the coach there safely is beyond me. There are bungalows in every direction and they are spread out far and wide. i finally find my room which is at the far end of one corner of the compound and as I go in I practically tumble over myself. This room is in fact about 4 rooms and even has its own courtyard with a swing seat and outdoor setting. The room is a 5 star suite of rooms. The shower room is bigger than my first room I lived in for 2 years in the RAAF! The 2 large single beds both have a four poster netting over them and the day bed has pillows scattered over it. Ive taken photos but to see it is to believe it!
However I only have a few minutes in the suite before I head back to reception and gather my kittens as we head back onto the coach for dinner in the heart of the city. Joe has changed our dinner venue to Ayes restaurant as it is directly opposite the night market. He couldn't have chosen better, however we are all starting to feel the pinch of so much food at every meal and we all felt guilty that so much food was left on plates, but what we did have ws excelletn. it is a 5 star Northern Thai restaurant, so everything was very spicy and hot which I love, however they put pineapple in a lot of dishes and I don't touch them. After dinner we wandered across the road and had some time to wander the market but i think we were all pretty pooped as there wasn't much buying so a very tired but fully sated herd of kittens once agin scrambled onto the coach and back to the hotel where I now have come to the end of my day,and my scotch, so I bid you a sincere goodnight because i need to get some sleep!!!
We had a long drive to Chiangrai which is the northern most district of Thailand. Joe being the excellent tour guide that he is, only talks for part of the time, and only when it is relevant. He is very knowledgeable on so many subjects, and no topic is taboo. He makes even history stories interesting and making you ask questions wanting to know more. He also has a great sense of humour and often jokes with us.
Only had 1 comfort stop along the way and I found a lovely little shop while the coach was refuelling, that had some lovely scarves in. As everything was in Thai I did my best arm waving, gesturing and pointing to find out how much they cost and as they were such a great price I started picking up a couple, but before I knew it I had created a frenzy amongst the kittens who saw what I was doing and I think the store ended up doing more business in 15 minutes than they would in a month!!! Joe had to come and hurry up the last one to get on the coach and on the orad again we went. It was very mountainous area and one minue we were looking at very dense jungle and the next pineapple, corn, rice, paw paw and goodness knows what other crops. I even saw a local leading a herd of water buffalo along the side of the road, but I wasn't quick enough with my camera to capture the moment so you have to take my word for it and use your imagination - come on now dear armchair traveller, you have to do something more than sit back and contemplate the fluff in your navel every now and then or you will go to seed!
We finally arrived in Chiangrai which is s very big city and headed to the Golden Triangle hotel which has an amazing view over the Mekong River so that you are standing in Thailand but looking at Myanmar (100 metres away across a canal) and Laos (about 700 metres away on the other side of the Mekong) . Lovely buffet lunch with excellent glass noodles amongst the many offerings. So much food that we are beginning to feel like battery hens being forced fed. Even just sampling a little bit from each plate means that you have over eaten yet again.
Anyway, back on the coach for a very short ride to the port where we have the opportunity to do the trip I had asked Joe about and he promptly arranged for us where we got onto a motorised boat that took us very close to the Golden Triangle island and then to Laos where we were able to disembark and have a wander in their local markets for about an hour. Some of my kittens went berserk whereas i bought a cotton short for myself and hmmmm, not telling you what else as you may be on the receiving end of one of the items for Christmas (if I like you enough, that is). I also bought a postcard that I sent to msyelf so that I would have proof that I had been to Laos. As it turned out I could have saved that 80 baht as when we got back to Chiangrai side Joe picked up our passports from the Immigration office where we had to leave them prior to going on the boat (to make sure we came back- yeah right...I'm from Australia and I'm going to jump ship and claim refugee status in Laos)
Anyway, bless their cotton socks, as I found a brand new Laos stamp at the back of my passport - and the year shows 2558 because their calendar is about 500 hears ahead of ours!!!
So we all return to our coach and back into the city. there is a lot of roadworks throughout the country that so that certainly slows us down and traffic is also very heave so we don't get to out hotel until 6.15pm. We are staying at The Legend hotel resort which is a sister hotel to another Legend hotel we stayed in earlier. It is a huge place but down a narrow road so how Chook managed to get the coach there safely is beyond me. There are bungalows in every direction and they are spread out far and wide. i finally find my room which is at the far end of one corner of the compound and as I go in I practically tumble over myself. This room is in fact about 4 rooms and even has its own courtyard with a swing seat and outdoor setting. The room is a 5 star suite of rooms. The shower room is bigger than my first room I lived in for 2 years in the RAAF! The 2 large single beds both have a four poster netting over them and the day bed has pillows scattered over it. Ive taken photos but to see it is to believe it!
However I only have a few minutes in the suite before I head back to reception and gather my kittens as we head back onto the coach for dinner in the heart of the city. Joe has changed our dinner venue to Ayes restaurant as it is directly opposite the night market. He couldn't have chosen better, however we are all starting to feel the pinch of so much food at every meal and we all felt guilty that so much food was left on plates, but what we did have ws excelletn. it is a 5 star Northern Thai restaurant, so everything was very spicy and hot which I love, however they put pineapple in a lot of dishes and I don't touch them. After dinner we wandered across the road and had some time to wander the market but i think we were all pretty pooped as there wasn't much buying so a very tired but fully sated herd of kittens once agin scrambled onto the coach and back to the hotel where I now have come to the end of my day,and my scotch, so I bid you a sincere goodnight because i need to get some sleep!!!
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