KELLY'S GONE AGAIN
…AND HERE'S WHERE I'M AT!Archive for Thailand
#14. Pai: The Motorcycle Diaries; Chiang Mai: Goodbye
Yesterday after a breakfast of spicy udon at a local noodle shop, I boarded a 7 a.m., $1.50 local public bus to Pai, a town in the Mae Hong Son province, about 4 hours north of Chiang Mai and about as close to Myanmar as I’m going to get. Some describe the ride as a series of motion sickness-inducing sharp turns all the way up into the mountains, and the payoff is a laid-back, do-nothing-except-drink-coffee-and-hang-out-at-waterfalls sort of place. It’s been described as “hippyish,” and I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my last full day in Thailand.
#13. Lampang: Yoga for Elephants
So I completed my amateur mahout course this afternoon, and it was fantastic. I’d be perfectly happy to have done a longer training, though my thighs and side body are probably happier to be done.
#12. Border Crossing: Laos to Thailand; Lampang: Thai Elephant Conservation Center
Hey friends. So, I started my journey into northern Thailand on Friday. From Luang Prabang, it went like this: slow [cargo] boat up the Mekong to Pak Beng, slow [cargo] boat up the Mekong to Huay Xai, ferry across the Mekong to Chiang Khong, mototaxi to bus station, bus to Chiang Rei, bus to Lampang, mototaxi back to Lampang after missing Lampang bus station, bus towards Chiang Mai with an exit at “Km 37″ road mark, and walk 1/2 mile towards Thai Elephant Conservation Center (TECC). It’s Monday. How was *your* weekend?
#4. Border Crossing: Thailand to Cambodia
Note: when confirming your alarm setting on your blackberry, also confirm your time setting. I missed my 6 a.m. bus to Cambodia this morning. Brilliant.
It actually wasn’t all that horrible, and worked out in the end — just 3 hours past schedule. Here’s how I got to the end point. From Central Bangkok, I took a taxi to Mo Chit bus station (long), then a bus from said station to Aryana Pathet (loud), where I took a moto-taxi (it’s what you might think) to the visa office, even though I said I already had my visa (drivers get commission for new applicants). Disappointed driver in tow, I then arrived at immigration. Upon approval, I literally walked across the border into Cambodia.
#3. Bangkok: The Best Way to Begin
Hello, vacation. Having a lovely time with Emily (i.e., girlfriend-host extraordinaire) and very glad I eased into Southeast Asia with a quick stopover here in BKK. I feel fantastic and still haven’t felt jet lagged, which I attribute to strict veg meals on the plane (no mystery meat or scary dairy), lots of stretching (Note: some people actually call it “plane yoga.” It’s just stretching.), drinking lots of water and intermittent napping. I also had my favorite chocolate bar with me, which had to help.
So, a few notes on the last 24 hours…
