A few days after watching the greatest game of the football season (Spurs beat Chelsea 2-1 and lift the Carling Cup), I leave Chiang Mai and head North-West to the small town of Pai. Pronounced more like the English word "bye", Pai lies close to the border between Thailand and Myanmar (Burma). The windy four hour drive takes you up high into the mountains before you reach a valley where Pai suddenly emerges.
Pai is unique. The population is small (about 3000) and everyone, from locals to backpackers, are completely chilled out. The two main roads with a few interlinking streets that make up the town are filled with shops that you would expect to see at London's Camden Market and the atmosphere is similar to that found at Glastonbury Music Festival. Pai is a hippy paradise. No-one here pushes you to buy anything or attempts to rip you off at every oportunity simply because you come from the west, you can just relax here.
Although I only have a few days in Pai, it's now easy to understand how many travellers you meet have ended up staying for months and longer, most of which perform in many of the live music bars. You hear about Pai from travellers long before you reach the north of Thailand. Everyone recommends it although they try and keep the secret away from the tourists who could quickly take over and ruin everything that makes this place special.
Only a short distance outside of Pai and your up in the mountains. I took a trek through the mountain Jungle, stopping at a number of hill-tribe villages (namely the Lahu hill-tribe who originate from China and the Karen hill-tribe who came over from Burma 250 years ago). The trek saw us pass through farmland, jungle and river setting and through some small caves where bats flourish.
I also took an elephant ride. The animal is incredible - it's shear power and size are phenomenal. The ride was an hour and a half, stopping in a nearby river where the elephant took great pleasure in hurling me off into the water. It loved to play and became mischievious at every opportunity. The ride was well worth it - even if my bottom says otherwise.
After completely chilling out for the last few days, I leave Pai and Thailand tonight. I'v spent 3 amazing weeks in the country but I'm now heading off to Laos. I will be back in Thailand in a few months however, to experience the beachy south, but first I'm off to explore Thailand's northern neighbours (Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia). My 3 day trip across land and slow boat to get to Laos leaves soon and so I'm off to get ready. So, until then......
Thursday 28 February 2008
Pai
Spurs 2 - 1 Chelsea (Carling Cup Final)
It doesn't matter where you are in the world. You could be standing on the terraces or (as in my case) on the other side of the globe, watching in an Irish pub in Chiang Mai (Northern Thailand). Either way, seeing your beloved football team out-class your opponents in the Carling Cup Final is pure heaven. So much so that it (in my opinion) it deserves its very own post. I know many of my friends back home will be sickened by this, not suprisingly it will be those who don't support Tottenham Hotspur, yet nevertheless - for all those who love the right half of North London - then all I have to say is - COME ON YOU SPURS!!!
Sunday 24 February 2008
Chiang Mai
Finally I reach the north of Thailand and the great city of Chiang Mai. The place is a cultural haven. Unlike Bangkok, Chiang Mai is littered with book shops, music stores and coffee houses. Travellers come here to learn - in every aspect of Thai culture. From cooking courses, to the art of Muay Thai (Thai boxing) - you can indulge in it all. I myself took a cooking course which involved a trip to the local market - where we picked up all our fresh ingredients (most of which I had never heard of before) and then cooked a variety of traditional dishes including spring rolls and northern Thai curry (mum - you would have been proud). If only I had picked up such tips before university where many of the recipes learnt could have easily replaced the toasted cheese and ham sandwhiches which I had lived on for 3 years!!! Oh and of course you get to eat everything you make and so you end the day feeling like a bloated elephant.
As well as my photo's - the cookery school also took some snaps - which are apparently up at - www.baanthaicookery.com. Go to the day - Saturday 23/02/08 and you will see me in cooking action.
A trip to the very popular night bazarr is also a must while in Chiang Mai. The streets are lined with stalls selling pretty much anything you can think of. The prices are cheap but every seller is willing to go lower with their "special price" just for you. You don't even have to haggle here - you just start walking away and they will suddenly half the cost of anything you were looking at!!!
As well as all the learning courses, trekking out in the mountains and seeing local hill tribes is also very popular here but you get the impression that it has become too much of a tourist seen. I have met up with Harjeet again and a load of other people here in Chiang Mai and we are all heading to a mountain (hippy) town called Pai where we believe the treks are a little more authentic.
I'm off now to prepare myself for the big match (Spurs Vs Chelsea of course). So until next time......
Come On You Spurs!!!
Sukhothai
The few days that I spent in Sukhothai were perhaps the most relaxing of my trip so far. After a bit of reading up, I realsied that the highlights here are not seen in the new city of Sukhothai (a combination of dust and people which I quickly skipped through), but instead are 15km away, in the old city, dominated by the Sukhothai historical park. The area is clean, the temples here are some of the oldest in Thailand and the place has a very relaxed feel to it.
The best way to get around is to hire a bike for the day and you can quickly reach the edge of the park and beyond. Riding out of the city walls you soon reach surrounding countryside, quickly ending up on your own with just fields around you and what feels like true Thailand.
After a short time in this charming location, I again continued north.
Ayuthaya
After an enjoyable two days in Kanchanaburi, I headed back to Bangkok. In one day I had sorted myself out and booked my trip up north. That night a fair few drinks were consumed with Jon and some random people we had met, most of which seemed to come from North London and support Ars*nal. To my delight we all watched the gooners get trashed by Manchester United 4-0. It really was a great night.
Early the next day I waited for my minibus (which I had payed 250 Baht - about 4 pounds) to pick me up and take me on my two hour journey to Ayuthaya. I waited....and waited. After an hour I realised I had been conned and headed to the train station pretty annoyed. For the same trip by local train - it cost me 15 Baht which works out to be about 25p. I learnt a big lesson that day.
Ayuthaya was once an important city in central Thailand. It was the capital for 417 years and formed a major shipping route, due to the conversion of three rivers (Mae Nam Lopburi, Chao Phraya and Pa Sak), which creates a moat around the city. As such the main way to reach the island of Ayuthaya is by boat. I took a trip around the whole city by an impressive watery transporting vehicle. You quickly realise that life here still revolves around the river, for transport, for food and for bathing. The few days I spent here were mainly a cultural experience. The important historical aspect that Ayuthaya displays means that there a variety of old, but impressive temples scattered around town, with influences from Thailand, China and Cambodia incorporated into the designs.
After a few pleasant days, I decided to continue north with a 6 hour bus trip to Sukhothai....
Sunday 17 February 2008
Kanchanaburi
Kanchanburi is only 2 hours away but forms a complete contrast to Bangkok. The small town, made famous for having the Bridge over the River Kwai is quiet and relaxing. The bamboo hut that I stayed in for two nights sits nestled right on the River Kwai and is a pleasure to stay in after the prison-like cell that awaited me in Thailand's capital.
In just two days you can cover a great amount in Kanchanaburi. The Bridge over the River Kwai can be reached easily and a trip to both the World War 2 (JEATH) museum and the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre soon gave me an undrstanding of the horror that the POW's and local Thai people went through building the railway track under Japanese control. And if the reality hasn't quite hit home, the World War 2 memorial Cemetry quickly puts it into perspective. I also ventured out to Hellfire pass - where men had to calve out huge sections of rock to build the route for what became known as the Death Railway. I later took a ride on the Death Railway - perhaps the scariest train journey of my life. Thai kids love to hang off the sides and yet, while I don't have a fear of heights - I stayed pretty much whithin the cabin doors.
On a lighter note - a trip to the nearby Erawan falls was a geologists heaven. It's a fair climb up the seven levels of the waterfall, and I took a swim at section four - where fish proceed to come up and bite your feet!!!
I met some cool people here too - a girl from Holland named Mariska, a guy called Jon from Kent and Harjeet from Slough. We are all heading back to Bangkok together - where I can plan the next part of my journey......
Bangkok (Thailand)
Here goes - the start of my one year adventure.
After some emotional goodbye's, the 11 hour flight that transported me around the globe from London to Bangkok went a fair bit quicker than expected. Five minutes in and I get talking to two Australians who above all love their drink and insist on everyone around them - joining in. Accordingly, after a few hours of drinking the Ausie version of stella (known as VB) I fall asleep for the entire flight!!!
After shaking off a mild headache - I arrive. Bangkok is quite possibly the scariest place to land into, on your own, with not a clue what your doing. To say the place is chaotic does'nt quite sum it up. You have to see it to realise the complete culture shock that awaits. Its busy, bustling and quite mad. However, beyond all the fumes, Bangkok is fun - there's no denying it. Once youv'e worked out how to catch a tuk tuk, haggle for basically everything and worked out how to cross the road - its all plane sailing (well sort of).
I spent five days in Bangkok. Many travellers argue that even that is too long. Yet it was my first time and I needed to see some sights. A trip to the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (also known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddah) really gives a flavour of what ancient Thailand is all about. Its temple heaven and a must see. Other trips included yet more temples to Wat Pho with a giant gold reclining Buddah statue, the national museum, a ride on the ultra modern Sky Train to the equally grand Siam Square with its high quality shopping at ultra cheap prices, and a stroll around many of the parks around town.
Meeting people is easy - you just have to enter a bar or walk down the backpackers central - "The Khao San Road" to get chatting. However, meeting Toby and Vicky after 4 hours of landing made my first night interesting, quite awkward and a bit surreal. Where once they had been close friends, we had not spoken for 4 months due to some unspeakable behaviour on Toby's part a while back. We decided to have a drink and clear the air, which by the time they left, a few days later, I think we had.
Night life is perhaps more chaotic than day, especially down the Khao San Road. You keep your distance from the ladyboys, who are basically everywhere and you will generally be alright. Its party atmosphere and meeting other travellers from all over the world makes each night very different but always interesting. Its good to get talking to the locals too and who above all love to chat about football - generally by shouting out random footballers names when they find out which team you support. I tried my first bug too. It was a cricket, deep fried and horrible to the taste. They are big also, so as you try to eat the thing you often have a leg hanging out of your mouth as you attempt to slurp the whole thing in your gob like spaghetti. It's very pleasant!!!
After 5 days I decided to move on. Although I have'nt done everything I wanted to do in Bangkok - i'll likely still get my chance. Bangkok is the hub of South East Asia - you always end up returning and often more than once. So, next stop - to the West and Kanchanaburi.
Thursday 7 February 2008
Leaving On A Jet Plane - I Don't Know When I'll Be Back Again!!!
Its finally time for me to say goodbye. Tomorrow I leave the outskirts of suburban London and head for greener shores. My one year trip will take me east across the globe, setting upon the delights of South East Asia, through Australia and New Zealand and finally on to South America before returning full circle - back home.
This post is really to say a huge thank you to all my family and friends - for the cards and the gifts, the tea parties and the drinking sessions, the hugs and the farewell's. Remember, I'm not really gone, the internet is an incredible gift and when the urge takes over - join me on my travels simply by clicking on this blog.
Right, im afraid I have to go and finish packing, so to all of you - have a great year, take care of yourselves (and each other) and i'll see you all around sometime.
Goodbye world.......
