High on Chiang

the travelers
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As Clare and I always manage to do - we bussled our way as quickly and efficiantly as possible. Leaving from Umphang at 1:30pm on Sunday, we migrated the 4 hours north along Death Highway back to Mae Sot - this time I managed to count 27 people in the back of the toyota pick up truck, discluding those on the roof. I myself was standing on the open tail gate of the vehicle, clinging on for dear life and throwing up in my mouth a little every time we turned yet another corner at great speed.  Upon arrival in Mae Sot, we took a gov't bus to Tak - waited a few hours and got on another gov't bus to Chiang Mai - finally rocking up to the great walled city around 2 am.

the night market
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As it turns out, Chiang Mai happens to be one of my favourite places. It's a little city, surrounded by moats and a big (broken) wall - divided into little neighbourhoods, each with their own personalities. There are temples everywhere, almost as though the city planner chucked a bunch of marbles on the map and said build one here, here and here. There's a beautiful sunset every night, which can be seen from plenty of roof top pattio bars. When the sun goes down, the town is alite with fairy lights, lanterns, street meat vendors, reggae bars painted in bright colours, night bazzars selling everything under the moon, Vegas-look-a-like-working girl-"bars" and tuk-tuk's zipping here, there and everywhere.

When the sun goes down, the town is alite with fairy lights, lanterns, street meat vendors, reggae bars painted in bright colours, night bazzars selling everything under the moon, Vegas-look-a-like-working girl-"bars" and tuk-tuk's zipping here, there and everywhere.

night market dancers
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Clare and I have had our first big night out together on the town, promptly followed by several more the following nights. Tourists are almost in equal numbers to the lady boys, Sangsum whisky is a dollar a mickey and there's plenty of live music to be found everywhere. Tonight, it's back to Bert's Reggae Bar to relax a little and prepare for our bike mission around Chiang Mai tomorrow. Chug Di Ka!