with knapsacks on our backs: The Thai Visa Clock Is Ticking

Dawn "Resting" At A Wat

We ended up spending a few more days than planned in Chiang Mai to give us both a chance to rest up a bit, get some chores done, and to see some of the Chiang Mai sights we didn't see when we were here last. Chores included a visit to the hospital to get Dawn's ribs checked out. The hospital was incredibly efficient with nurses whisking us throughout the facility for everything from registration to prescriptions. Conversely, the doctor's examination of Dawn's ribs was little more than putting on a stethoscope and the x-ray images looked pretty inconclusive to us so despite the great processes they had in place we weren't terribly confident in the medical care. But we did acquire some pain meds and muscle relaxants and left with doctor's orders for "lots of rest and no heavy lifting".

Matt's Green Curry

Easily the highlight of our few days in Chiang Mai was a cooking day course we joined at A Lot of Thai. The morning of the course I still wasn't feeling 100% in the stomach area so handling and cooking food all day and then having to eat it felt like a really bad idea. A sore tummy in the morning ended up being a worthy sacrifice for what was a very enjoyable day. We had a wonderful instructor (Yui) who walked us through several basics of Thai cooking, took us for a visit to a local market, and taught us five classic Thai recipes.

Just as fun as learning about Thai cooking was meeting more fellow travellers. We haven't had many opportunities to meet other travellers largely because being a couple insulates us from the need to meet others and we aren't really into the twenty-something backpacking bar scene anymore. But a course like this gave us a chance to meet people we might not otherwise bump into and to learn from their experiences traveling in the region. As most of the participants were at the end of their travels so we managed to get some good tips and contacts for Vietnam and Cambodia.

Fellow Bus Traveller

After our stay in Chiang Mai we jumped on a bus for the 3.5 hour eastbound trip to Chiang Rai. Chiang Rai is much less busy and touristy than Chiang Mai but still a popular spot for travelers with some of the comforts that affords. We were fortunate enough to find a great spot away from backpacker row and all its associated bars and massage parlours. Chiang Rai ended up being one of my favourite stops so far in part due to the nearby sites but likely more to do with the people we met up with and the spontaneous and busy itinerary we managed.

Matt Seeking Good Fortune

After spending our first day wandering around town to see some of the sites and happily bumping into a vibrant Saturday night street market we planned a visit out of town to Wat Rong Khun (White Temple). We met a couple of American women on the local bus who were heading in the same direction so we ended up connecting for the rest of the day to view the White Temple and then head to the other side of town to check out Baan Si Dum (Black House). Both sites, projects of two separate and seemingly eccentric artists, are rather bizarre but interesting and even entertaining at times. I think the pictures at the bottom of this post will give you the best idea of what we encountered. Pictures weren't allowed inside the White Temple but to give you a bit of an idea the back wall of the building interior was painted with a mural containing images of guns, a plane crashing into the Twin Towers, Kung Fu Panda, Michael Jackson, and so much more. It was a strange day.

Jan And Bob

We met a lovely British couple - Jan and Bob - at our guesthouse who we travelled with out to the Doi Tung Royal Villa on day three in Chiang Rai. It was about a two hour journey via bus and songthaew to the villa and associated gardens. The villa was built for the late princess mother (the king's mother) in hopes that a royal presence in the area would curb local opium cultivation. The villa was nothing too notable other than the gorgeous mountain location with excellent views into Burma and refreshing fresh air. More than anything the trip there and back and the few hours we spent on the doi (mountain) gave us the chance to get to know Jan and Bob better and swap traveling stories. Good people.

Mekong Longtail Leaving Thailand

With just one day left on our Thai visa we jumped on another bus for the 2.5 hour ride to Chiang Khong. The road was one of the more scenic rides to date from our bumpy seats at the very back of the bus. Chiang Khong is northern Thailand's gateway to Laos. From here it's a short tuk tuk ride (or not-so-short walk in our case) to the Thai immigration station and the long-tail boat that makes the three minute hop across the Mekong River to Laos. And so as we walked onto the teetering long-tail boat our journey in Thailand came to an end (for now at least).

The White Temple