Yet another lame jungle 'elephant trek.' These elephants spend most of their time foraging for grass and drinking.
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This only goes to prove that the bigger you are, the bigger pile of shXX you will produce.
As we stumble to the finish line of this magnificient Asia leg, we continually see startling contrasts.
We took the one hour flight from Luang Prabang into Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, saving us an arduous 3 day overland journey. Leaving behind the ramshackle tin and thatch roof homes and dirt roads of Laos, we arrive in the Land of Smiles, Thailand. Where the roads are sealed, SUVs outmuscle motorbikes, clay roofs and solid homes are the norm, and fish and chips and German beer cater to the legions of westerners blissed out in this safe, easy going exotica.
It's easy to see why so many westerners adore this area. Many get by without speaking anything other than English. You can get Premier League, even NHL games in pubs n clubs. There is a startling lack of abject poverty within the old city. In essence, it's west meets a safe, sanitized east with cheap eats, massages (and women if you're into that), plus breathtaking hill country, and loads of outdoor activities. Some come for the meditation, the temple touring, the minority hill tribes, it's all here.
Our day trips were classic Asian tours---everybody pays a different price and you get a buffet of things that keep you moving and guessing--whitewater and bamboo rafting, elephant trekking, hike to a waterless water fall (water is extra), tasteless lunch, a sardine packed truck ride, and a visit to a butterfly and orchid farm. It was generally mediocre but what do you want for $25? Met some fun people, though. Afterwards we found out we overpaid by double. Trish went ballistic and got 40% back. I was so proud of her. It was a joy to see her playing the bad cop for a change.
For us, the Asia leg peaked in China, and again in Angkor Wat and Luang Prabang. And to be honest, without a decent camera, one sees things differently. So we focus our weary body on an exit strategy as it's becoming harder to get pumped up. The countdown has begun and we dream of splashing out in a high end hotel in Bangkok.
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New years countdown: thousands of locals and tourists jammed into Thapae Gate area and waded through a phalanxe of street food. Under a spectaclar full moon, thousands of fire lanterns float skyward, while fireworks light up the sky. The Thai really know how to throw a party and this one is worth doing again.
Some of the 300 Chiang Mai Temples:
Most have a stronger Burmese and Indian influence than what we saw in Laos, as well as the use of bricks. Overall they are more ornate, the roofs hang higher, the woodwork is more intricate and elaborate.
Butterfly and Orchid Farm:
Live silk worms:
It takes the threads from 50 dead and boiled silkworms to make a single silk thread.
Bamboo 'Rafting': Each raft was overloaded, everyone tanked.
Most interesting person:
Pui, our tuk tuk driver. Born with 11 fingers and an eternal smile, he embodied the Thai spirit of happiness and karmic recompense. As a former monk, he toured us around the temples, and let us into his life via his friends in the surrounding hills.
Favorite Food:
Red curry chicken and sweet sticky rice topped with mango, that we made in a cooking class.
(First person to respond with an email saying yummmy yummmy gets a feed)
Facts and figures:
1. Thailand is only SEA country not to have been colonized by a western power.
2. 66,000,000 population
3. 93% literacy rate
3. 93% literacy rate
4. GDP, $8,500 avg, much higher in Bangkok, lower in rural areas
