Dateline: March 8th 2015 Chiang Mai, Thailand
Now, Part 2. Final Myanmar's secrets revealed
My new daily regime, subject to change, is organised into 4 parts
Walk.
Do something in the morning
Walk some more
Hide in a coffee shop supping iced coffees (very good here in Yangon), till about 4, updating this rubbish
Walk somewhere else
Check out various places
Head back to the hotel and shower
Join the rats in the gutter for dinner
OK, 6 things
No, 9
Repeat
Yangon. Pretty disgusting (theories and examples to follow)
I leave for Chiang Mai tomorrow
I'm not so much Buddha'ed out as Buddhist Monked out.......
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
A fantastic guide (I call her SuzyQ), maybe 22. She's a university graduate and speaks pretty good English.
A magnificent cook, (likewise, Sandwich), about 30
and the 6 of us hikers:
A
few villages, a few interactions with villagers and 4 - 5 hours or so
after we depart lunch, including a walk along the main Yangon/ Mandalay
railway line, and tea at a local station, arrive at our nights
lodging. It's already cold, but I have a Myanmar shower: a few ladlefuls
of pretty chilled water, and I'm free of the days muck.
Those lovable French folks arrive here in this Rousseau esque environment some time later, and decide what the place really needs is some really loud and sensitively selected, techno rap. How totally Constable this is I think.
Onward, suitably cooled.
So, this way, we get a full afternoon of lake touring
Unfortunately, I realise too late that I have not interrogated SuzyQ about "society" here as we walked. Rats! I guess we all loose out.
So, come 6 that evening, we have all departed, weeping of course, and we've "done" most of the gig here
Hah! Walking in sandals was not too clever, and bits of my feet are literally falling off. I can only stumble about 300 metres to the nearest restaurant, then bed
Knackered
Bit of an anti climax here
2 more nights, I forgo the possible tourist stuff, and settle for a latte and pan au chocolate (which is surprisingly good) at the local French bistro
Next day, a mandatory bike ride to nowhere in general, but a village in particular.
I try the local vineyard, can you believe. Probably better than Canadian wines, alright you anti snobs (I know who you are!), better than ANY Canadian wine I'VE EVER TRIED
My feet are quite a mess, and I realise I really don't need 3 days here
Malesh
You can only wander around the town so many times, after all, and the
lake? OK let everyone else share the "magic". You need to be up before
dawn for that anyway
There appears to be 1 day bus "direct" to Yangon, (the others are all overnight), so after 3 days, I'm off South. About 380Kms. I hope to make the night train out of town, (Yangon) departing 19:15, partly for "the experience", partly to avoid the city till later.
The bus takes 11 hours. This, even though 70% of the
route is on a pretty good, new double lane highway, it still takes for
ever. Every trip seems to take a night, or a day, or both.
Here's another aside
Out boozing with these
Canadians, literally, on the street, It seems the infrastructure here
dates back to the Brits in the mid 1800's. With the booming tourism, its
being ripped apart, so streets are almost impassable, there's open
sewers everywhere, and the previous residents, little black furry
things, are now homeless
Yes, rats everywhere. Some even crawling around food displays
Did I say Eughhh!?
The beer tastes great, and I chat to these greying backpackers. They seem to be on quite a thin budget, looking for shared rooms for the 3 of them, for $35 or less. Hmm, I thankfully praise the gods and various
I've not booked a place to stay at. Bad move as all hotels, even the grimier ones are full
As luck works out, I score a mattress on the floor of a hotel for $12. It works, washroom 1 floor down, shower 4 floors down, but it is just for one night.
According to the LP guide, George Orwell and several previous generations lived here. On my scouting next day, I find no traces, and apart from suffering what must have been the most inedible disgusting street food I've ever had, feel that I am now ready for the big city.
While waiting, sitting in a cafe watching the sun sliding down to the horizon over the sea in front of me, waiting for the heat to die down, I watch the waiters carefully empty all the trash in the bins into a bigger bin, then take the full big bin to the sea wall and toss it onto the rocks beneath
Hmmmmmm. Needs work?
So, after a totally non event LP guided tour around town, I gladly board the train to travel back to Yangon that evening.
Well, day trains were almost fun as a first time experience, but night train travel, where you can only guess at how soon the chuddering, complaining sensorially overdriven time on board, becomes distinctly worrying, the sensory equivalent of waterboarding maybe. This ain't Thailand train travel, not even Vietnam. You just wonder if the rickety rails (sideways motion), and the incredible oscillations of the undamped carriage (up and down), are going to throw the entire train off the rails. Or, as it happens, Not
I snooze and wake up chilled, just as I'm getting extra clothes out to warm up, we're there
Its 4:15am
I have come to realise that the country is built around Mr Buddha. Not that he's the cause of what I consider the "people's mêlée". The sheer scale and investment in the temples and pagoda's defy belief. Pitting this against the working folks tin shack hovels leaves me a bit Left Wing. Being a pseudo economist and maths enthusiast (hey! I read the
Its been a blast, more importantly, a warm and hot blast
Take care gentle readers
From Your Correspondent
Now, Part 2. Final Myanmar's secrets revealed
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| Shwe Dagon. Your correspondent pushing back the boundaries in Yangon, Myanmar. |
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| Lamb Dinner for tourist in Kalaw. Massive, 5 courses, about $2.50. I couldn't finish it |
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| And it kept coming. Plus I already had the runs from Mandalay! |
Walk.
Do something in the morning
Walk some more
Hide in a coffee shop supping iced coffees (very good here in Yangon), till about 4, updating this rubbish
Walk somewhere else
Check out various places
Head back to the hotel and shower
Join the rats in the gutter for dinner
OK, 6 things
No, 9
Repeat
Yangon. Pretty disgusting (theories and examples to follow)
I leave for Chiang Mai tomorrow
 |
| We assemble at the walking centre on the edge of Kalaw |
I'm not so much Buddha'ed out as Buddhist Monked out.......
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
 |
| I expected something harder. Quite pleasant, but hot, of course |
 |
| A fairly easy hike through dry bush |
 |
| About 4 hours later, we are on a ridge with great views and lunch |
It's getting hotter every day, and my poor old hat (as seen in most
selfies) is not only battered to hell, but also gets soaked and dries 3
or more times a day now
Eughh!
Also, much more Eughh! Later too
In Kalaw, I have some misgivings about a hike due to something that I began hosting in Mandalay, plus, I'm fat. But I have decided its worth the possible death by agony or similar chance of a lonely hilltop grave, and sign up for the 3 day hike.
There is about 10 minutes of internet per day here in Kalaw, but you never know when it will be. As soon as I lock into this magic cyber access at Thitlaw Lay House (fantastic place), I quickly book a hotel for the day of arrival at Nyuang Shwe. You need to know where you are staying so your baggage, the bits you are not carrying, ends up in the same place you do.
The evening before I leave, I try an actual sit down restaurant, as opposed to street aka, gutter food. I order $2.50 "mutton curry", and surprise! included in this is the two table fulls of etcs as pixed above.
First course and then pud. I only manage about 15% of it. I guess that makes food here pretty cheap. I hope the spare stuff isn't thrown out.......
In the morning, on the way to the departure point, I stock up with about 6 times the necessary doses of a Chinese version of Imodium recommended to combat most urgent possibilities while navigating farm folks toilets, (its about 7% of the price of the real stuff), and arrive at 8:30 am.
The place is totally packed, mostly backpackers. Looks like about 6 - 8 groups of 6, going from just this centre, "Sams Family"
We leave for our 3 day 2 nights hike to Inle lake around 9
It turns out we have everything perfectly set up
Eughh!
Also, much more Eughh! Later too
In Kalaw, I have some misgivings about a hike due to something that I began hosting in Mandalay, plus, I'm fat. But I have decided its worth the possible death by agony or similar chance of a lonely hilltop grave, and sign up for the 3 day hike.
 |
| It's all pretty basic. Not just here, most of Myanmar is |
There is about 10 minutes of internet per day here in Kalaw, but you never know when it will be. As soon as I lock into this magic cyber access at Thitlaw Lay House (fantastic place), I quickly book a hotel for the day of arrival at Nyuang Shwe. You need to know where you are staying so your baggage, the bits you are not carrying, ends up in the same place you do.
The evening before I leave, I try an actual sit down restaurant, as opposed to street aka, gutter food. I order $2.50 "mutton curry", and surprise! included in this is the two table fulls of etcs as pixed above.
First course and then pud. I only manage about 15% of it. I guess that makes food here pretty cheap. I hope the spare stuff isn't thrown out.......
 |
| This is it, the great Burmese railway line It's pretty much exactly as the Brits left it 70 years ago But used, a lot |
In the morning, on the way to the departure point, I stock up with about 6 times the necessary doses of a Chinese version of Imodium recommended to combat most urgent possibilities while navigating farm folks toilets, (its about 7% of the price of the real stuff), and arrive at 8:30 am.
The place is totally packed, mostly backpackers. Looks like about 6 - 8 groups of 6, going from just this centre, "Sams Family"
We leave for our 3 day 2 nights hike to Inle lake around 9
It turns out we have everything perfectly set up
 |
| There's only one train North daily, then back south overnight. |
A fantastic guide (I call her SuzyQ), maybe 22. She's a university graduate and speaks pretty good English.
A magnificent cook, (likewise, Sandwich), about 30
and the 6 of us hikers:
 |
| Water is always needed. Here we stop at a station for tea (and me for shampoo sachets) |
Claire
and Danny, Brits, about 30, both accountants, Jared, 23,
American, recently finished his degree at city, NY, Lola, German, 19
taking a (mum and dad paid for) gap year before, ?? Norman, Australian,
also an accountant, about 30, and me, digital nomad taking a gap life,
about 98.
 |
| It's not exactly an inspiring walk. Just a long walk through the (hot) countryside really |
First day sees us heading into what turns out
to be the only green, protected area. After 3 hours or so of steady
climbing, we are at the top of the peak and lunch is provided in a
marvelous hilltop cafe. The afternoon is brutal: at least 36C and there
is no shade from here on. I continue slathering on my Costco body butter
which apparently also works as sun block, I hope. (Ed: yes indeed, it's
true). We are occasionally reminded of our luck by the French group
about 20 minutes behind us. Some are usually drunk, very loud and
occasionally, just too damn foreign for their own good.
 |
| Dry, dusty. Not really good farming land |
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| A river, where no doubt lots of water buffalo have shit I jump in and cool down |
We
are in the middle of nowhere, no electrical or lights except candles,
plus, as delightful as it sounds, it goes down to about 5 degrees at
night. Bracing stuff
The second day, we hike across endless farmland, and after a magnificent lunch (avocado salad was my favourite), swim in the local river. The farmers bring their water cattle down for a wash, and a really good shit, (the buffalo, not the farmers)
Just don't swallow!
The second day, we hike across endless farmland, and after a magnificent lunch (avocado salad was my favourite), swim in the local river. The farmers bring their water cattle down for a wash, and a really good shit, (the buffalo, not the farmers)
Just don't swallow!
 |
| Everyone else is pretty shy about shuffling off their duds Not me. I hear "Look if this old guy can do it......" |
Those lovable French folks arrive here in this Rousseau esque environment some time later, and decide what the place really needs is some really loud and sensitively selected, techno rap. How totally Constable this is I think.
Onward, suitably cooled.
 |
| Kindergarten, Myanmar style |
We
are supposed to walk 20, 30 and 20+ Kms by day. Doesn't seem like it,
but maybe we're just having too good a time. The group gets on very
well, and surprisingly, I keep up with the young'uns.
 |
| Hot and dry. Our guide always finds a store with water before we need it |
About
5:00PM, another house, a really cold beer at the local store, another
shower (I'm still the only one having one - wimps!), great grub, some
insights into the various Buddhist meditation techniques from Jared, and
some less insightful thoughts from Norman, around the dinner table,
complete with my typically sensitive and insightful retorts and etc and
finally, a kip. Much warmer here.
 |
| Our home for the night. One large bedroom for all Food (and water barrel for a scratch shower), ground floor |
 |
| We've all made it. Not a very testing walk, but we all seem to get on, unlike the next group behind us |
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| Our guide ("Suzy Q") is the short one I'm hugging She was an English graduate and full of information about the country |
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| Note long shadow, early start, and had breakfast already |
Last day, pause for
group photo about 6AM. Eventually, we are descending through a rocky
hills to the lake. We left earlier than usual because Jared knows that
if we give the guy taking our boat across the lake $1 each, he will take
us around all the tourist spots on the way back. This including the
"jumping cat" monastery. (They don't and by and large, are a mangy lot)
Deal!
 |
| A friendly lot, thats for sure. Relatively decent homes. No power or water though |
Deal!
Unfortunately, I realise too late that I have not interrogated SuzyQ about "society" here as we walked. Rats! I guess we all loose out.
 |
| We arrive at Inle Lake. It's incredibly hot I've bought a kids umbrella to avoid the direct sun Here we negotiate with a boat owner to get to Nyaungshwe |
So, come 6 that evening, we have all departed, weeping of course, and we've "done" most of the gig here
 |
| We do a grand tour of the lake monasteries and cafes |
 |
| Our captain. We have no Burman skills |
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| It's a fairly bust tourist spot with lots of motor boats |
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| Not really squalid so much as peasant housing over generations |
 |
| There's a cafe and silver jewellery store here |
Hah! Walking in sandals was not too clever, and bits of my feet are literally falling off. I can only stumble about 300 metres to the nearest restaurant, then bed
Knackered
Bit of an anti climax here
 |
| This is our destination. It's really just another Burmese town This temple is nothing particularly important. They are literally everywhere |
2 more nights, I forgo the possible tourist stuff, and settle for a latte and pan au chocolate (which is surprisingly good) at the local French bistro
Next day, a mandatory bike ride to nowhere in general, but a village in particular.
I try the local vineyard, can you believe. Probably better than Canadian wines, alright you anti snobs (I know who you are!), better than ANY Canadian wine I'VE EVER TRIED
My feet are quite a mess, and I realise I really don't need 3 days here
Malesh
 |
| A vineyard in Myanmar? And why not. Relatively drinkable |
There appears to be 1 day bus "direct" to Yangon, (the others are all overnight), so after 3 days, I'm off South. About 380Kms. I hope to make the night train out of town, (Yangon) departing 19:15, partly for "the experience", partly to avoid the city till later.
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| The trick is to realise that it's the lake that is the attraction here Everyone around here is just making a living |
Here's another aside
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| Ultra modern bus, 5th world vendors, oxen and carts in all lanes |
During
the ride, I was sitting next to some young guy, and he had a small
plastic bag hooked
onto the seat in front. I thought it was just a drinks container, but, it was actually his modern day spittoon for his Betel nut affliction. (More below)
OK, so we arrived too late for
my train and I join a group of fellow Canadian travelers, backpackers,
some older than me(!!), and find a place for the night. Its $20 for a
minuscule room, about what I'm paying for my current huge accommodation,
but this was Yangon. No big deal.
onto the seat in front. I thought it was just a drinks container, but, it was actually his modern day spittoon for his Betel nut affliction. (More below)
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| Actually, the monasteries are really just a business |
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| I've found the smallest roon in the world for the night in Yangon because we were 3 hours late Up very early for the train south |
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| I've travelled in worse, but probable not when its described as "First Class" |
 |
| The "First Class" carriage. Falling apart, with rat holes, and rats to use them |
Yes, rats everywhere. Some even crawling around food displays
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| The tracks are the originals from the 1930's The rolling stock, probably from the 50's |
Did I say Eughhh!?
 |
| Never had any issues with the locals here A typical station en route to Mawlamyne |
The beer tastes great, and I chat to these greying backpackers. They seem to be on quite a thin budget, looking for shared rooms for the 3 of them, for $35 or less. Hmm, I thankfully praise the gods and various
Pagan deities (yes, thats a lot of praising), that I'm no longer this
financially challenged
For some reason, hotels and agents can book your bus tickets, but not train travel, so I have to present my passport to the guy at the ticket window for my ticket south to Mawlamyne on the 7:15. At 6:45 I am at the ticket window for "FOREIGNERS" and ask for an "Upper Class" ticket. I guess Richard Branson is part of their marketing strategy.
The cost? About $4.00
Well, the seat is comfy, there's a constant stream of sellers of most food and drinks and smoking stuff, quite entertaining in fact. I settle for three hard boiled eggs. By 1:30, it's getting hot in this ancient tin can on wheels
I can see why it takes all day.
The carriage sways and leaps around, even at about 50 klicks. I honestly expect the whole train to derail. You have to tie your bags onto the rack above or it will fall off, maybe even out of the window... wild eh? No, we don't derail, but I expect to hear about one doing this soon
For some reason, hotels and agents can book your bus tickets, but not train travel, so I have to present my passport to the guy at the ticket window for my ticket south to Mawlamyne on the 7:15. At 6:45 I am at the ticket window for "FOREIGNERS" and ask for an "Upper Class" ticket. I guess Richard Branson is part of their marketing strategy.
 |
| Above the town. Mawlamyne is actually quite the pit |
The cost? About $4.00
Well, the seat is comfy, there's a constant stream of sellers of most food and drinks and smoking stuff, quite entertaining in fact. I settle for three hard boiled eggs. By 1:30, it's getting hot in this ancient tin can on wheels
 |
LogisticsMyanmar style |
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| Mawlamyne - it's a cultural thing |
I can see why it takes all day.
The carriage sways and leaps around, even at about 50 klicks. I honestly expect the whole train to derail. You have to tie your bags onto the rack above or it will fall off, maybe even out of the window... wild eh? No, we don't derail, but I expect to hear about one doing this soon
 |
| This is so typical of just about everywhere in poor Asia |
 |
| Yangon. I'm on the central lake. Totally deserted |
I've not booked a place to stay at. Bad move as all hotels, even the grimier ones are full
 |
| Yangon sunset |
As luck works out, I score a mattress on the floor of a hotel for $12. It works, washroom 1 floor down, shower 4 floors down, but it is just for one night.
 |
| The Lake in central Yangon is a pleasant way to pass the final few days here |
According to the LP guide, George Orwell and several previous generations lived here. On my scouting next day, I find no traces, and apart from suffering what must have been the most inedible disgusting street food I've ever had, feel that I am now ready for the big city.
While waiting, sitting in a cafe watching the sun sliding down to the horizon over the sea in front of me, waiting for the heat to die down, I watch the waiters carefully empty all the trash in the bins into a bigger bin, then take the full big bin to the sea wall and toss it onto the rocks beneath
Hmmmmmm. Needs work?
So, after a totally non event LP guided tour around town, I gladly board the train to travel back to Yangon that evening.
 |
| Shwe Dagon. It's big, it's dirty, It's crowded, it's hot As its a sacred temple, you have to take your footware off too |
Well, day trains were almost fun as a first time experience, but night train travel, where you can only guess at how soon the chuddering, complaining sensorially overdriven time on board, becomes distinctly worrying, the sensory equivalent of waterboarding maybe. This ain't Thailand train travel, not even Vietnam. You just wonder if the rickety rails (sideways motion), and the incredible oscillations of the undamped carriage (up and down), are going to throw the entire train off the rails. Or, as it happens, Not
 |
| Yangon Main rail station A vendor selling bettle nut |
I snooze and wake up chilled, just as I'm getting extra clothes out to warm up, we're there
Its 4:15am
 |
| Packed with huge numbers and various believers |
No problem, the hotel is happy to check me in at no additional cost, and a shower and few hours kip are very welcome
Yangon, more sewers, more filth, a lot just oozing out of, well, not really sure, than I've seen in a long time
It would appear that only the prices of hotels can keep up with the tourist boom. Although come the morning, the streets are swept and the piles of night trash have been removed
OK, I'm here in town, now what? Well, your correspondent "does" various parks, wanders around the "downtown core", up to the Shwe Dagon pagoda, various coffee shops, all in the name of research dear reader
The rail loop around Yangon
goes fully around town, and takes 3 - 4 hours, is, apparently "worth
checking out". Maybe if you haven't been on a "real" rail trip.
The strangest moment was getting my ticket. I ask for a regular one at the "normal" ticket window, but I'm urged to talk to the guy inside the ticket hut. He asks "aircon, or not aircon?"
 |
| Betel nut spittoon/ recepticle |
It would appear that only the prices of hotels can keep up with the tourist boom. Although come the morning, the streets are swept and the piles of night trash have been removed
OK, I'm here in town, now what? Well, your correspondent "does" various parks, wanders around the "downtown core", up to the Shwe Dagon pagoda, various coffee shops, all in the name of research dear reader
 |
| Shwe Dagon Central. |
The strangest moment was getting my ticket. I ask for a regular one at the "normal" ticket window, but I'm urged to talk to the guy inside the ticket hut. He asks "aircon, or not aircon?"
 |
| Lots of mingling monks, |
I know this one, "not
aircon" I say
No more tickets he says, (I know that's rubbish),
come back at 10, (now being 8:50). There's a tour group doing the loop, and I ask the guide to help. She talks to the ticket Meister, and signs me up for the "aircon" extravaganza (its still only 20 cents for this "luxury")
Of course, the joke is, when the train arrives, there has probably never even been an "aircon" carriage, certainly nothing like one here, but I needed a "FOREIGNERS" ticket with my name and nationality on it. Ha ha! The locals tickets apparently aren't as demanding.
No more tickets he says, (I know that's rubbish),
come back at 10, (now being 8:50). There's a tour group doing the loop, and I ask the guide to help. She talks to the ticket Meister, and signs me up for the "aircon" extravaganza (its still only 20 cents for this "luxury")
 |
| devotees and bins full of betel nut spit |
Of course, the joke is, when the train arrives, there has probably never even been an "aircon" carriage, certainly nothing like one here, but I needed a "FOREIGNERS" ticket with my name and nationality on it. Ha ha! The locals tickets apparently aren't as demanding.
 |
| Sunset, and I'm done |
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| Your correspondent with Shwee Dagon in the background. What a money shot you say |
On board, there are several betel nut makers, complete
with pots of liquid lime, serving customers out of a tiny tray
(cigarettes, cigars, popcorn, Bettel Nuts?). The entire country appears
to quaff incredibly amounts of these things. If you're a manual worker,
typically, you have red stained teeth. Get a taxi, and almost the first
thing he does, if refresh his supply. At every other traffic light, the
door opens, and a stream of red liquid is ejected onto the road. Even in
the holiest of holies, the Shwe Dagon pagoda, there's enough traces to
be aware of it. There's also a surprising amount of dexterous use of a
thumb to one side of the nose as the other side is evacuated
How did I start this?
So, I've wandered around and about, finally, retreat to a local version of a department store for their bakery and "fresh" milk. Pretty good actually. At least there's very few rats here.
How about some insights, failing that, some of my thoughts.....
 |
| Great home for rats and there's lots Running around food displays and waiting at your feet for bits of food (yes, really!) |
So, I've wandered around and about, finally, retreat to a local version of a department store for their bakery and "fresh" milk. Pretty good actually. At least there's very few rats here.
How about some insights, failing that, some of my thoughts.....
I have come to realise that the country is built around Mr Buddha. Not that he's the cause of what I consider the "people's mêlée". The sheer scale and investment in the temples and pagoda's defy belief. Pitting this against the working folks tin shack hovels leaves me a bit Left Wing. Being a pseudo economist and maths enthusiast (hey! I read the
 |
| Chiang Mai Feet People - I needed a good massage |
Economist!), its easy to draw an inverted straight line correlation
between peasant poverty and monasteries excess. Now extrapolate this
over 2500 years. I'm not sure this set up will last much longer.
Certainly, even young teenage lovers, even in a group, will quite
happily genuflect at multiple images all over any given shrine. Don't
get me wrong, the people are wonderful, I've never felt any animosity,
let alone threat here. Maybe, like other Buddhist countries (my ideas
here), its all down to the concept of the next life being better than
this if you show you're worthy. Whatever it is caused by, its very
obvious that these are a gentle, respectful, open and accepting people.
 |
| Chiang Mai Night Market |
Maybe too accepting for what must be a totally new future now tourism is
booming
booming
But
I'm reminded of the history of dark ages Europe, where the Catholic
church ruled and controlled every aspect of the peasants life
Its also obvious how a lot of the tourist stuff here is built around Mr Buddha, and the actual creation of " tourist attractions are all Buddhist related. OK, but not for me.
Its also obvious how a lot of the tourist stuff here is built around Mr Buddha, and the actual creation of " tourist attractions are all Buddhist related. OK, but not for me.
Another thing
that appears pretty back world is hygiene (those of you with weak
stomachs should skip this). For example, the stray cat in the market in
Mandalay licking a freshly filleted fish, the filliter minding his own
business and filleting a few more, or the end of day market in
Mawlyamine where not only are the cats and dogs running over the
displays, but are fighting over some left over bits of animals.
Maybe these cats and dogs are hoping for a better reincarnation next time around.....(note irony). i'm pretty much inured to muck, so maybe its me thats changed and its time for a cruise
I'm glad to be leaving to Chiang Mai. More like home after Yangon. I have even parted with my trusty roll of bog paper
Shock horror
Moving on
Finally, I'm here, back in Thailand, currently enjoying an iced latte and eggs Benedict with salmon for brunch, here, just inside the ancient city walls in Chiang Mai, (life certainly is tough out here), where, ever seeking a respite from Toronto's winters, I continue my researching. Is this place worthy of a few months as world travelling retirees? Lets see if the missus knee is up for it, either way, France and New Zealand beckon us both
Maybe these cats and dogs are hoping for a better reincarnation next time around.....(note irony). i'm pretty much inured to muck, so maybe its me thats changed and its time for a cruise
I'm glad to be leaving to Chiang Mai. More like home after Yangon. I have even parted with my trusty roll of bog paper
Shock horror
Moving on
 |
| Night market in Chiang Mai from my hotel window |
Finally, I'm here, back in Thailand, currently enjoying an iced latte and eggs Benedict with salmon for brunch, here, just inside the ancient city walls in Chiang Mai, (life certainly is tough out here), where, ever seeking a respite from Toronto's winters, I continue my researching. Is this place worthy of a few months as world travelling retirees? Lets see if the missus knee is up for it, either way, France and New Zealand beckon us both
Mind you, I've still got a lot of
research left to do, hopefully, with the missus new and improved
mobility, we can delve further and farther for all our readers in the
not too distant future
OK, that's it. My flight leaves tomorrow, then home about 6:30PM local.Its been a blast, more importantly, a warm and hot blast
Take care gentle readers
March 8th, 2015, Chiang Mai, Thailand
From Your Correspondent