Out of Chiang Mai to Small Villages in the Mountains

Tuesday, July 22, 2008--Chiang Mai (Continued)

After being at the cyber cafe to do some travel research, I returned to Thai Airways and finalized my plans for the new Around-the-World IX ticket. As I wrote yesterday, I had to cancel several parts of my original plans because they have tightened the restrictions for the ticket while increasing the price. My main goal in Asia for next year had been to go to Borneo to visit the Malaysian Provinces there and Brunei, then to go to Cambodia (which I have never visited before) and return to southern Vietnam to see parts of it I missed and to revisit Saigon. Well, that put too many stops on the itinerary. But I knew that low-cost airlines might give me an option of covering part of that. So I went to the cyber cafe and searched. Air Asia has a flight from Bornea to Kuala Lumpur and another flight from Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap in Cambodia that together would cost only $140 U.S. today. Next year, it will be more, but probably not much more. Anyway, I canceled plans to fly from Borneo to Singapore, Singapore to Saigon, and from Phnom Penh to Bangkok and substituted traveling overland from Borneo to Saigon and then flying from Saigon to Bangkok. What I can do is buy the tickets on Air Asia to get me from Borneo to Siem Reap (home of Angor Wat) and then travel overland from there down to Phnom Penh, from Phnom Penh down into southern Cambodia and southern Vietnam, and then finally to Saigon. Then I can fly to Bangkok from Saigon to finish the trip. It will work out okay. But the air ticket is so much less than what I have had in the past while costing $4500 U.S.--$900 more than I paid last year. Next year I will either buy one more ticket to go to a few places I have missed so far, or I will just return to Texas from Bangkok. Either way, the around-the-world trips are coming to an end soon!

I walked to the bus station to check on buses into the mountains around Chiang Mai. When I was here a few years ago, I was short on time and didn't get to go into what is called the Mae Rim area and is centered around Mae Hong Son. I got the bus schedule, but was told they do not sell tickets in advance. I'll just arrive early tomorrow. Now that my ATW ticket has been arranged, I'm ready to get out of Chiang Mai and see something new.

On the way back from the bus station, I stopped and ate green curry with chicken over rice. UMMMMM! It was at a very clean place on the street. It wasn't a large plate, but it was absolutely delicious. It had Thai eggplant and another vegetable that looks like a berry that is often in Thai food. Right after that, I stopped at another street stall and bought a waffle with raisins and ate it as I continued to walk back to my hotel.

I wanted to go out in the evening to experience the Night Market. I had nothing I planned to buy, but it is one of THE things to do in Chiang Mai. So I got back out around 7:30. The market wasn't as crowded as it had been when I was here before. Maybe that is because it is spread out coverning a bigger area now. Or maybe it is just because it was Tuesday night. I didn't really look much at the merchandise, because I didn't want to shop. But I did notice the fabric I bought there for my sister Sue when I was here before and the light fixture that I bought for a friend who was looking after my plants at home while I was gone.

I was still hungry. I just haven't been eating much lately. So I broke down and stopped at Burger King. I haven't had a burger in so long, and I don't care for McDonald's which is all they had in China. So I had the meal deal with a Whopper, fries, and diet cola. It was so nice for a change, although I missed the charcoal taste that the meat is supposed to have.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008--Chiang Mai to Mae Sarieng (Sometimes spelled Sariang)

I left the hotel at 9:30 for the bus station. I walked. It was only about 35-40 minutes. My bus wasn't until 11:00, so I had plenty of time. I bought my ticket, put my luggage on the bus, and visited with others who were waiting for buses.

It was a beautiful, but tiring, 4 1/2 hour trip into the mountains to get to Mae Sarieng, my first village I am visiting in the area northwest of Chiang Mai. It and the other two villages are all close to the border with Myanmar. The land is populated by tribal groups (the Karen in particular) that have lived in this area without regard to borders for centuries.

I've checked into a small guesthouse. My room has no TV. But it opens to a balcony overlooking the flowing river that comes through this valley. I plan to relax here for two nights and then head on to the next town I want to visit here in the mountains. It's time for reading, walking, eating, and nothing stressful after finishing the planning for the next air ticket!