Day 141 – Chiang Mai, Thailand – 10:35 PM

I am happy to report that my health is improving incrementally from day to day and I am nearly back to 100 percent. The three medications prescribed to me in Bangkok have done their job. I am free of my sinus infection symptoms after two weeks of trying to rid myself of them using homegrown remedies.

I arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand last Sunday after taking a night train from Bangkok. When it comes to overnight travel in Southeast Asia, I prefer trains. Tickets are a bit more expensive than a bus fare but it is worth it in my opinion. I have taken two overnight buses (Vietnam and Laos) and two overnight trains (Vietnam and Thailand). My nights on the bus were fraught with restless periods of light sleep. I was a bit to tall for the accommodations afforded passengers and thus could never get comfortable. After arriving in the morning, I surely felt as though I rode a bus for a considerable amount of time. The rest of the day was spent recuperating and catching up on lost sleep.

My experiences on sleeper trains are a completely different story. Each passenger, if they choose, is provided a bunk and mattress large enough to accommodate a six-foot frame. Staff passed out blankets, sheets and a pillow on each journey. I was very impressed with the service afforded to passengers on my recent overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai. Each car was staffed with one rail employee. Around 8 PM, this gentleman walked down the center aisle lowering each top bunk. He then pulled a fresh pillowcase, sheet and blanket from a sealed plastic bag and made each bunk. Once the top bunks were occupied, he walked the same aisle preparing the bottom bunks. Again, he prepared each with a set of fresh linens. Unlike buses, meals are available for purchase on long distance train rides and employees pass by numerous times selling water, juice and snacks. I got a wonderful night of sleep and felt well rested upon arrival. In a few days, I am returning to Bangkok in order to continue south to Phuket and Ko Phi Phi. Earlier today, I reserved a ticket on an overnight train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok for March 26.

A tourist information desk sits on the arrival platform in Chiang Mai. It was my, along with many others, first destination after arriving early Sunday. Pamphlets from local guesthouses and hotels abound the surface of the desk. I stepped forward and asked the staff member if they could indicate on a map the location of guesthouses. She pointed to the Old City, a mile square section of Chiang Mai that is partially encircled by a large stonewall. She pulled out a nearby pamphlet for SK House 1, a guesthouse in the northeast quadrant of the Old City. At $11.35 USD per night, a single room was affordable and cheaper than my recent accommodations in Bangkok and Luang Prabang, Laos. I weighed the options in my head and attempted a quick mathematical calculation. She noticed by mental debate and informed me that the shuttle from the train station to SK House 1 is free. She suggested I agree to look at SK House 1 in person in order to get the free ride to the Old City. If I did not like it, I was free to look elsewhere. I could not argue her point and agreed.

I, along with five other travelers, walked to a nearby van and loaded our packs into the first row of seats. We occupied the remaining three rows. The driver slid closed the passenger door and jumped in the front seat. He started the engine and we pulled into the mid-morning traffic. Tuk tuks buzzed in all directions shuttling tourists to attractions near and far. Motorbikes weaved in and out of traffic as locals stood behind street food carts hoping for hungry passersby. The van navigated through small city streets and eventually passed through an opening in the large brick wall that separates the old city from the rest of Chiang Mai. The van came to a stop outside SK House 1. We filed out and retrieved our belongings. A staff member invited us to drop our luggage and view a room cooled by a fan and another by air-conditioning. We did as instructed. I noticed the beds were made with fresh linen and bathrooms appeared clean and supplied hot water. I decided to book a single room with a fan. I retraced my steps back to the reception desk and handed over my passport to complete the check-in process. I retrieved 400 Thai Bhat from my wallet and paid for one night, although I intended to stay longer.

I walked through a small courtyard dotted with wooden chairs and tables. In the distance, I noticed the reflection of sunbeams off the surface of a pool.  To my left was a staircase I ascended to reach the second floor. I walked along the narrow balcony and entered my room. A queen bed, adorned with two fresh towels, sat in one corner.  A wooden desk sat against the far wall between the bed and doorway.  A television hung from the opposite wall. I deposited my bags onto the bed and allowed my body to follow soon after. It felt wonderful to have found an accommodation without much hassle.

After thumbing through my guidebook during the train journey, I realized many physical activities (i.e. hiking, climbing, cycling, rafting) are outside the city. I wanted to recuperate an additional day or two before potentially taking advantage of these activities. My guidebook described a weekly night market that is a sight to behold. Vendors sell everything from food to clothes, stickers, hats, shoes and handbags. It was held every Sunday night. I was in luck; I’d wander through it later that evening. I have realized throughout my months of traveling that you can learn a great deal about an area simply by walking around. Often referred to as people watching, this pastime takes on a whole new meaning and greater significance in a foreign country. It gives you a view into how locals interact with each other and how they interact with out-of-towners. You get a feel for the language (how difficult it would be to learn), native food, and how residents earn a living. The Sunday night market in Chiang Mai did not disappoint.

Shortly after sunset I departed SK House 1 with my camera in tow. I walked south along the eastern wall of the Old City. Headlights from personal vehicles and tuk tuks approached and continued past. I meandered by storefronts closed for the evening, food stalls lit by streetlights and small café’s occupied by people-watchers. I walked past Tha Phae Gate, the eastern entrance to the main city and the start of the market. I continued along the small waterway that encircles the city. The full moon, streetlights and reflections from nearby storefronts danced off the rippling water. I eventually retraced my steps and entered the Old City at Tha Phae Gate.

I was immediately struck by the amount of people strolling in both directions looking at items for sale. This was by far the busiest market I have encountered in Southeast Asia. I stepped from the curb and entered the fray. There was nowhere to move. I shuffled forward, shoulder to shoulder, with hundreds of other travelers. I liken it to the mass of bodies that try to move through an arena concourse after a sporting event or concert. You are progressing towards the exit and parking lot but you are moving at a snails pace. The Chiang Mai night market is comparable. I quickly realized I needed to escape the crowds and weaved my way forward for a number of blocks. Eventually the congestion subsided and I breathed a sigh of relief.

From the night market, I proceeded to quieter streets of the Old City. The stillness of these neighborhoods was what I expected and hoped for after a week in Bangkok. I walked further and stopped to photograph anything that looked interesting. I took a detour inside a coffee shop and devoured a piece of Oreo Cheesecake. I knew exactly what I needed to completely get over my sinus infection: sugar and Oreos. The time on my watch approached 9 PM and I decided to slowly progress back towards SK House 1.  Couples walked hand-in-hand, bars began to fill with the Sunday night crowd, and the endless hum of tuk tuks never subsided. I turned off main roads into quiet alleys. Private homes and small guesthouses lined these narrow paths. Families had retired for the night in preparation for an early start the following morning. I arrived at SK House 1 and threw a goodnight wave to the receptionist as I continued to my room. My first day in Chiang Mai was a success. I found an accommodation with relative ease and explored a portion of the Old City. I also began a mental list of activities I hoped to accomplish during my time here.

 

* Additional photographs from Bangkok and Chiang Mai are now available within the Thailand portfolio section found on the Perpetual Footsteps homepage.