Up in Chiang Mai...

[BabyApe]

xxx

 

[indymom]

Loved Chiang Mai in 2001, just before 9/11 fortunately. I was with my Air Force daughter, and we both got Thai massages for about $10 each. It was great. We went to a respectable establishment for one, and arranged with our 4 star (but cheap) hotel for the other. We didn't want to get involved with the Thai underworld.

 

[preben]

MJ and I caught up but only by phone in Bangkok as our travel plans were not alligned unfortunately!
Lancelot; taking of to the north without informing me? We could have had that FIRE get-together in the north - oh well, next time!
Cheers!

 

[Lancelot]

Sorry that I missed you Ben! Were you in Chiang Mai too?

Last night I had dinner with MJ. He is leaving Thailand soon.

Lance

 

[Honkie]

As the curtain whipped past my nose, I awoke to the clickity-clack of the train chugging north...  Like the man said, "I'm on the road again"

I recall that train ride way way back in 1990. Haven't been back to Chiang Mai since then, although I've visited Thailand many times since. Pretty sure Chiang Mai has changed a lot in the intervening 15 years. On that trip, I went onwards towards the Burmese (Myanmar) border to a place called Mai Hon Son (sp?). Apparently they filmed the Mel Gibson flick "Air America" there a year or two before. But the place seem none the worse for that.

Air Asia has a $35 (one way) flight to Hanoi. Maybe another train journey from Hanoi to Saigon is on the horizon     

I did the trip from Saigon (Ho Chi Mihn City) to Saigon in 1992. I really enjoyed that trip, lovely country and really lovely and kind people. Superb food too and scarily cheap.

One nice journey for those less inclined to get too far off the beaten track is to go from Singapore to Bangkok overland. I did that one in 1994. Took me a month with plenty of stop-offs and leisurely wanderings. Good times.  

Cheers,

Honkie

 

[preben]

From Saigon to Saigon!? You are certainly a daredevil!  Ok; presume you means Saigon-Hanoi...

I love Vietnam too, and have lived there 3 months - but Thailand, especially due to the people, wins first price.

Cheers!

I recall that train ride way way back in 1990. Haven't been back to Chiang Mai since then, although I've visited Thailand many times since. Pretty sure Chiang Mai has changed a lot in the intervening 15 years. On that trip, I went onwards towards the Burmese (Myanmar) border to a place called Mai Hon Son (sp?). Apparently they filmed the Mel Gibson flick "Air America" there a year or two before. But the place seem none the worse for that.

I did the trip from Saigon (Ho Chi Mihn City) to Saigon in 1992. I really enjoyed that trip, lovely country and really lovely and kind people. Superb food too and scarily cheap.

One nice journey for those less inclined to get too far off the beaten track is to go from Singapore to Bangkok overland. I did that one in 1994. Took me a month with plenty of stop-offs and leisurely wanderings. Good times.  

Cheers,

Honkie

 

[pbrane]

Thanksalot, Lancelot...for the great trip report. Since I'm still considering a trip to Thailand myself, I love hearing from "them that's doin.'

Have you considered doing some travel writing?

Also looking forward to hearing more reports from the other intrepid travelers out there (..Ben, Billy and Akaisha, MJ + others?)........

Thanks,
-m

 

[Lancelot]

Have you considered doing some travel writing?

Promise to buy my book?

LAUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Honkie]

From Saigon to Saigon!? You are certainly a daredevil!  Ok; presume you means Saigon-Hanoi...

I love Vietnam too, and have lived there 3 months - but Thailand, especially due to the people, wins first price.

Cheers!

Yup, typo!! Meant Saigon to Hanoi !!

 

[pbrane]

Promise to buy my book?

..being the SKINFLINT that I am, I'll get my library to buy it!

ha!

 

[Billy]

Ben said:

MJ and I caught up but only by phone in Bangkok as our travel plans were not alligned unfortunately!
Lancelot; taking of to the north without informing me?   We could have had that FIRE get-together in the north - oh well, next time!  Cheers

Well guys, we'll have to do it sometime! Always up for a good happy hour.. It's the time we sit back after a hard day here in Cmai, and compare notes. 

Even though today is Thanksgiving, we are celebrating tomorrow. We will go to the Empress Hotel buffet -- all you can eat, in either Japanese food, Thai, Western, Italian, -- roasts, soups, salads, desserts, coffee... all for 139 Baht  ($3.50 US).  You remember, right Lance? 
It's a tuff life!  heh heh   8)  Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement
www.RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

 

[Eagle43]

And I spent 40 bucks last nite on incidentals to go with the turkey.... which we gotta cook!

I am envious. 

 

[Lancelot]

Even though today is Thanksgiving, we are celebrating tomorrow. We will go to the Empress Hotel buffet -- all you can eat, in either Japanese food, Thai, Western, Italian, -- roasts, soups, salads, desserts, coffee... all for 139 Baht  ($3.50 US).  You remember, right Lance? 

Akaisha
Author, The Adventurer's Guide to Early Retirement
www.RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

You bet I remember: DELICIOUS!!!

Lance

 

[Nords]

Lance, could you translate that avatar graphic for us? Thanks!

 

[Lancelot]

Lance, could you translate that avatar graphic for us?  Thanks!

Sure, no problem. "Farang rak Thai" (Farang -caucasian- loves Thai)

It is a play on "Thai rak Thai" (Thai loves Thai) the current majority party in power in Thailand...

Lance

 

[Nords]

Sure, no problem.

Excellent. Appreciate it...

 

[justin]

Is the "W" for whitey (farang)?

 

[Lancelot]

Is the "W" for whitey (farang)?

The "W" is actually the Thai letter "for fa" and is the first letter of "Farang" which is generally attributed to 'Farang set" or French. The French of course had a very large presence in SE Asia.

Now "farang" is attributed to most european/americans.

 

[justin]

Lance,

Is knowing French helpful in SE Asia? Maybe more in Cambodia? Or is english the predominant western language (other than the native tongue)?

 

[WRBT]

My wife and I didn't find very much French speaking in either Vietnam or Cambodia, although most of the people we interacted with were closer to our age (late 20s, early 30s) so maybe it's an older thing. A lot of the menus in Cambodia are in both French and English though and there are plenty of bars/restaurants in both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap that are French owned and have their share of French expats hanging about.

In Vietnam (especially Saigon) people love to practice English and talk talk talk talkety talk. One thing that I really enjoyed in Vietnam was hanging out at their equivelant of a pub, which means an open garage with lawn chairs lined up in it, drinking beer and shooting the proverbial shyt. They never tire man: You like Vietnam? How old are you? You have a big house? How many babies you have? Where you go next? My sister lives in Hoi An, you go there yet? Want take a picture together you remember me? I have email address what's yours? Your city near Los Angeles? How far from Los Angeles? You been Los Angeles? If I go America I go Los Angeles. How many cars you have? You make lots money?

One thing to remember in SE Asia with street vendors: don't say "maybe later" because it means every time they see you (even if you've left town for two weeks and returned) they'll call you on it. We had street kids in Cambodia patiently sit outside a bar beyond beating reach of the owners for three hours until we came out to ding you on the "maybe later" for that cheapo Khmer Rouge genocide book.

 

[Lancelot]

Lance,Is knowing French helpful in SE Asia?  Maybe more in Cambodia?  Or is english the predominant western language (other than the native tongue)?

Especially for younger people, english is pretty much the language used for travelers to communicate in SE asia. It's interesting to hear mainland Chinese speaking english to Thais-but they seem to get their points across.

Lance

 

[Lancelot]

Some photos of T-Room Guest house, that $7.50/night rat hole I camped out in while I was in Chiang Mai...

 

[dex]

Lancelot,
Thanks for those photos. This really gives an idea of what life looks like in the retireearly-lifestye. The traditional photos of tourist areas do not give an idea of what normal everyday activities are like.

Do you have other photos of where you normally eat, shop and read a book?

 

[MJ]

Some photos of T-Room Guest house, that $7.50/night rat hole I camped out in while I was in Chiang Mai...

Wish I had taken some photos of my room.
I stayed at the fairly new Gap's House 2 where I had a huge clean room with fan (didn't need it) , king size comfortable bed, daily room service included replacing 2 thick bath towels and 2 hand cloths and lots of soap. The price of $6.50US (260b) included a new bicycle (a bit small for me) and breakfast (2 eggs, toast, coffee/tea, fruit)

MJ

 

[Billy]

Those photos are great, Lance! wish I knew how to load photos... (could be dangerous!)

Lots of new Guest Houses here and for good prices, as both you and MJ have noted.  Great price and very good service.

Akaisha
Author, The Adventure's Guide to Early Retirement
www.RetireEarlyLifestyle.com