Thailand - North

By now we’re onto the 2^nd of August, where we did some more random exploring of Bangkok before packing our bags to catch a night bus to Chiang Mai, in the north of Thailand. It was just the same as the other buses, non-eventful and they played the film “Milk,” (with correct subtitles this time) which was pretty good. We arrived in Chiang Mai at 6am and checked into a hotel for 100baht a night (about R25 or 2.50euros), including private bathroom, fan and aircon, with free wifi in the lobby – lekker! Kristin, Jono and I hired some bikes to go to a temple on top of a hill, but decided to turn around when the rain and slippery roads going uphill weren’t the safest anymore. 

I was on the back of Jono’s bike and we nearly fell on a slippery patch, pretty much leaving me breathless the rest of the way. Charlotte, Kristin and I booked a 3day tour in the jungle, including an elephant trek, mountain climbing, waterfall swimming and river/bamboo rafting an hour away from Chiang Mai. We had some chicken panang for dinner and a foot massage before packing a very light bag to take with us on our adventures the next day.

We got picked up around 10am the next morning in a big sort of tuk-tuk with 12 other people and went on an hour long journey into the jungle. 

We stopped for lunch and then waited for the midday rain to finish before getting onto the elephants for our jungle trek. We sat in pairs on a sort-of seat which was tied to the elephant, while the Thai man sat on its neck in front of us. I was pretty much laughing most of the way beacuse it feels as if you’re going to fall out or slip off, since you slide onto each side as the elephant steps or goes downhill. 

We stopped in the river while the elephants drank and then they all followed each other into more foresty-type areas, pooping and eating along the way. Their skin is super rough and seems quite thick when you rub it. We then got off the elephants and hiked on some very muddy roads and steep paths, stopping at a waterfall, and then reaching the “Lahou” hilltop village where we were slept in huts for the night. 

Our shower consisted of cold water falling from a pipe inside the area where you also went to the toilet in the floor. You also don’t throw your toilet paper down the hole but into a bin beside it and then you scoop some water in a cup and flush your own toilet. Super basic, but pretty clever and served its purpose. 

We had chicken fried rice for dinner and sat on the floor on straw mats in our tour group, chatting and eating. We played some card games afterwards and our tour guide played his guitar and sang around our fire too. 

The beds were mattresses on the floor with mosquito nets hanging down and only candlelight to show the way. The next morning we woke up pretty late and got served coffee or tea with eggs and toast. I was wished happy birthday several times throughout the day and got given a kitkat chocolate from Kristin. Our day was pretty easygoing as we hiked a little, then had noodles for lunch in the village and then hiked to a stunning waterfall, where we swam and took scenic photos. 

Along the way, our guide would cut bamboo and leaves and skilfully make things along the way. He showed us how to shoot leaves, blow bubbles from long grass and make a toy from bamboo! 

We slept in a jungle camp, which had the same sleeping arrangements and toilet setup as the village and we chilled after dinner around the candlelight. I had a surprise birthday moment when everyone started singing to me in their respective languages and I got handed a little birthday gift from the Thai men. 

They gave me a banana cake in a bamboo leaf boat, with a bamboo carved knife and cup - It was pretty cute and special. On our last day of the tour we hiked to the river and rafted down until we got to a spot and changed to bamboo rafting. We had lunch and then got back in our big tuk-tuk and transported back to our hotel in Chiang Mai.  We chilled and caught up on sleep and civilisation for the evening.

On 7^th August we headed to Pai, which is more north of Chiang Mai and more hippy. The road there is very windy and made us feel so sick. We met Jono when we arrived and he took us to the rustic place he had been staying at, to get some cheap accommodation for the night. 

We made friends with a Canadian girl, Kathryn, travelling by herself so she joined our group. That night we had burgers at a restaurant and I was quite content with the deliciousness of the western food I had just devoured! Pai only has two main roads that are cool to see, so we walked round for a while and realised how hippy it truely was.

In the morning, we decided to change accommodation since the girls didn’t sleep very well and were eaten alive by mosquitoes, due to the bamboo made hut. Jono returned back to Chiang Mai with his bike, so along with Kathryn we found new, cheap accommodation, paid for washing and walked around more of Pai. 

We had an amazing, filling breakfast and then just chilled and got some street food for dinner. We met up with the Israelis from our jungle tour and had a drink or two with them. Sadly, we left Pai the next day and took the sickening bus ride back to Chiang Mai, where we climbed on a night train back to Bangkok. At about 8pm they came and folded out the seats into comfy beds, with blankets, pillows and curtains. I slept for most of the journey to Bangkok, as the train was alot more comfortable than the bus. We arrived around midday and sorted our accommodation and then I had a final bag packing session while the girls had massages. 

We decided to get all dressed up and pretty for our last night in Thailand and then we went for dinner and last minute market buys. I got two dresses, a shirt and a hair braid. 

We hung out until about 1.30am before I had to say goodbye and get some sleep before heading to the airport at 5am. I successfully made it all the way from Asia to Italy in one piece, pretty tired but more surprised at how quickly my time in Asia had gone. Definitely going back...next time with an empty backpack, a boyfriend and more weeks to spend travelling! 

Thailand - South

Thailand...oh my! I’ve divided my trip into south and north, the south being more beachy and islandy, with the north having more mountains and waterfalls. Thailand has a dip in its rainy season in June/July, so we decided to head south first and soak up as much sun before it got wetter. We arrived in Bangkok airport, quickly made friends with a German family and rode on our first local “tuk-tuk” – sort of like a Thai taxi on three wheels. 

They drive quite fast and dangerously, so we had to simultaneously hold our luggage while trying to keep ourselves inside the vehicle. We went to a Thai travel agent to sort out our first few days and booked a bus and three nights’ accommodation in Krabi, south of Thailand (near to Phuket but not as touristy.) We stayed a night in a Bangkok hotel near to the famous Khaosan Road and walked the market in the evening. The vibe was so cool, people so friendly, lots of bartering, cheap food, fresh fruit, clothes, bags, hair braids, massages etc. 

I bought a nice little leather bag for 400baht, having bartered it down from 750baht! 100baht is about R25, so to give you a feel as to how cheap it was:

Foot massage (1hr) = 200baht

Pad Thai (big Thai meal) = 30baht

Dresses = between 150-300baht

Leather slops = between 300-500baht

Coke = 20baht

Bag of mango/pineapple = 20-30baht

We met up with our German family again and had some Pad Thai for dinner, which is a traditional Thai meal consisting of noodles with cabbage, some veggies, spices, chicken/pork and nuts – very filling and delicious. 

I also paid for a manicure and for fish to eat the dead skin off my feet for 15mins...weird sensation! 

The next morning I got a haircut and bikini wax before we took our night bus down to Krabi for 14hrs. They played “21 Jump Street” on the television, but with seriously bad English subtitles, which made it hilarious to watch. Made some friends with Swiss, French and Poland travellers along the way as most of the people that use these buses are tourists.

We arrived, checked in to our hotel which was 1minute away from the beachfront and headed straight for the full-body massage tents on the beach. 

I also got a couple beaded braids in my hair and then got a lift with a local on her bike to a good place for lunch. Chicken fried rice was also fast becoming one of my favourite meals for only 50baht with a coke...still keeping it under 2euros! We had chicken panang for dinner (DELICIOUS) as suggested by a local and chilled on the street at “Mr Cock’s bar,” with a good mix of tourists, easy-going people and some friendly Thais. 

The next day we went on a “4 island tour” taking us to the four small islands just off Krabi, in a longtail boat. There were about 50 other tourists on the boat with us and we stopped at each island to swim, snorkel or eat and just relax. 

The water was so warm, clear, beautifully greeny-blue, fish swimming right up to you, white sand and scenery straight out of those Thailand advertisements that you think are fake. 

The next two days in Krabi we just spent lazing around, driving the bike, eating at a local market, swimming, lying on the beach, having drinks with our German, French and Polish friends etc, with the rain only drizzling down for about an hour in the afternoon, not affecting our trip much at all. 

The weather was still humid and warm, but much more bearable than South Korea or Japan. I tried some new fruit called “rambutan” which is very spiky looking on the outside, but very similar to a litchi on the inside. 

On the evening of the 31^st, we took a night bus back to Bangkok to meet up with my friends, Kristin and Charlotte. They had just flown in from Taiwan the night before and so I explored a bit more of Bangkok with Kristin the next day. We saw the famous “Reclining Buddha” statue in a place with lots of temples and then we decided to get lost and just walk wherever we wanted to, with no direction or plan in mind. 

She got her palm read by a fortune teller and then we found ourselves on a water taxi, luckily taking us closer to where we lived. We had a bit of a girl’s night and shared an ice-cream fondue and then got foot massages for half an hour. Pure bliss!