Thoughts on Thailand after two months

Well on the 3rd of March it will be two months since arriving in Thailand. My first time in Asia. I wanted to relay some of my experiences here, both funny, annoying and gratifying.

 I guess the first thing I noticed was all the bowing and saluting that happens here. When you walk into the mall there is a guard at the door who opens it for you at the same time salutes you! When you say "hello" and "goodbye" which happens to be the same word, a bow follows usually with a smile. I am still figuring out many things, and as several of my readers have been here already I'd love your input at any time. Manners are found here and I will not go into all the various methods of bowing.

 Allan and I were together for the first 3 weeks, he has traveled Asia before so it was not new.
We spent 3 weeks running around to different apartments and houses to find a place to rent with a company called "Expat Homes." www.homeinchiangmai.com After we found Floral Condo, we had to get many goods like towels, dishes, cleaning supplies and the usual set up, so it would feel like home. Luckily it was furnished, but we still had some bulky items to get (clothes drying rack, trash cans and pots and pans) So off to the markets and malls we went. The local Warorot Market had some items that we could buy, but we had to check the malls for most of the wares. You should have seen us with our huge bags stuffed full. We grabbed a Songtauw and filled it for a ride home.At that point we were staying in a very sweet Guesthouse called Baan Ing Ping www.baan-ing-ping.com. Yupa is a wonderful woman and was very helpful, her staff included, always smiling and helping out. Baan ing ping is on the Ping river and has a wonderful garden to sit and contemplate life. I can't wait to go back to see them.

I believe I have now been to 4 of the great malls here in Chiang Mai ( Central Plaza, Kad Suan Kaew, Airport Plaza Mall and Maya) They all feel like any mall USA but actually a bit nicer! The airport mall had a huge aquarium in it with new cars for sale surrounding it. A woman dressed for a fancy dinner spoke into a microphone announcing the cars (I think anyhow). In these malls there are cinema's (a regular one and a first class one),

First Class Cinema, look at the lounge recliners ! Not cheap.

Some kind of meeting center, it was packed!

big public meeting rooms, and even a skating rink! There is food everywhere you turn in Thailand, from fast food to homemade waffles made to order on the street outside the malls. The Thais seem to snack all day long, yet stay so thin.

One of the first items we got were our telephone numbers. We got were allowed to choose the number out of many and then they proceeded to put the chip in for us. It was very easy until the messages came through in Thai language! I just figured out how to cut and paste the messages and go to itranslate to read them!( still can't really figure them out though) It's all coming back to me again, traveling in a country where you can't speak or even try to read the language. Lots of sign language going on, and even then it is not always easy. It seems the first thing people learn here are the numbers. Bargaining is expected and they know their numbers. I of course hate this, always have. I have found myself laughing a bit over bargaining for less than a dollar, I say to myself "really Annie?" I stick out here, it's called "Falang" otherwise known as foreigner. They will try to get the best price, do you blame them? But it's known that you bargain. It can be fun if you make it,other times annoying.Sometimes I choose to just walk, which is something Thai's do not like. I don't really blame them as the sidewalks are terrible and crossing the road is the most dangerous thing one can do next to riding a scooter.

Baan Ing Ping

Water, that resource we can't do without.

They have dispensers around the neighborhoods where you fill your bottles up for cheap. I can get a liter and a half for 1 Bhat, remember 32 Bhats = 1$. The ice cube trays in my freezer are brilliant. you turn a knob and they spill out into the bin. The water pressure and  heater are fine, but most Thai kitchens and bathroom sinks do not have hat water. We are lucky and have hot water in our bathroom but not in the kitchen! There is a spigot like the one you find in a sink, next to the toilet. This is very European, and well, not in my upbringing, but I am getting to like it actually! Most toilets in the malls and hotels are regular porcelain toilets, others are squat, meaning a hole with two foot pads. One toilet I found in a fancy mall had so many buttons on it I wasn't sure what to push (Japanese no doubt). Afraid of some water fountain spay down, I opted not to push any. All the public toilets here, you take your shoes off and put on a pair of slippers to go in, they also cost a few Bhat to use and toilet paper is optional.

While we are on the water topic, the river here has brown water flowing( definitely not the caribbean color), yet the mountain rivers seem to flow clear during this time of year.

So Allan hooked up my iPad to the T.V so I can watch movies from iTunes as Pandora doesn't work and Netflicks doesn't exist either. I get subtitles and I can't figure out how to stop them. I can get movies and music which is great, as long as I keep my iPad charged. We have basic service, so 4 stations of Thai. The internet here is bad, Monday I need to up the service. There are times that it's faster, when everyone is asleep or out dancing! I have battled with electronic failures and challenges with Thai language coming up on my screen a fair bit. I have figured all this out now and have upped the service, internet works nice now.

Speaking of sleep, I am adjusting to the city here. Did you know that Thai's like to party? Not only on the weekends either. The music starts around 10-11 and goes until 1-2am… Monday thru Sunday! There is a Mosque that plays its prayers, a Church that rings is bells, a few dogs and the loudest birds I have ever heard. Chiang Mai has the most scooters I have ever seen.

The Tuk Tuks and the Songtauws are plentiful, and the cars mostly modern ( I think they have a proper inspection here).

Surrounding the condo are these giant rain trees with a majestic canopy that spreads over a massive well groomed lawn with green grass. There is a pair of small owls int he tree outside our window that I love to watch. One of the reason we chose this condo is for the landscape, each window in the condo has a view of trees and a few rooftops as well as the mountain. The light is plenty, breeze flows thru, and there is a large pool, tennis court and a gym. It is the tallest building in Chiang Mai yet none of the taxi drivers knows it! Serious. Lucky for me It is my beacon for getting home. I just tell them Wat Kate (the temple near here) then I walk. It is one of the nicest temples in Chiang Mai I believe and right next door.It is the year of the Dog temple,so many dogs and statues of dogs are around. I will post my temple pictures in another blog, I have been to several.

Floral Condo

 I am alone now and having a different experience. I feel safe walking around day or night. There are so many single women here, I think because of the safe feeling, and the spiritual feel too. I also notice the Farang population seems to be 20-30 year olds and then 60+, just my observation. I think the over 60 population seems to be retired, the 20's are exploring or teaching English. I'm finding interesting things every time I do venture out onto the streets and am enjoying the experience of being alone in a foreign country, though I do miss my friends. I get to see Allan in Phuket mid March! I have just finished my month long TEFL Teaching English as a Second Language. Thanks for reading! Annie

Thai Farm Cooking School

Thai food has been my second favorite cuisine forever, Indian being first. I also LOVE to cook and have been reading cookbooks since I can remember. I enrolled Allan and I into a day of cooking classes at the Tai Farm Cooking School, www.thaifarmcooking.com it was ranked high on Trip advisor, my trusty go to for picks. The other reason I picked this school was because it is organic and it is located out of the city! 

They picked us up at 9 am at our condo and we crammed into the back of the pick-up behind Rika and the driver. Rita was our instructor for the day and so we had the privilege of talking with her on the way. Eight  people were in the back of the pickup,they were from New Zealand, America, Canada and France. 

Our  first stop was at  Ruamchok Market, where again, you could find anything you would want. Rika started to go thru all the different things that we would use that day. All the Fish sauce, Molasses, Soy, Oyster sauces,  Coconut milk, and the Palm Sugar that is made from the Sugar palm tree. Then the spices: Coriander, Cumin, Pandan leaf, . We looked at  Mung Beans, Bean sprouts, Sesame seeds and Peanuts. Are you getting hungry yet?

The fruits and the vegetables I will mention later, but the meat section was behind plastic doors and about 3 long tables worth. I stayed outside and of course Allan had to have a drool, I mean look! We were given a few minutes to look around, buy treats and then back in the truck.We arrived to the farm and got an apron and hat and a tour of the gardens right away. After 10 years in the tropics, I knew most everything they showed us except for the Pandam Leaf which is used in Thai desserts and drinks. and gives food that bright green color that I always wondered about. They also had a Bitter Eggplant that looks like large peas that is used for curries. (I had never seen that either). The gardens looked more like educational gardens as they were small. 

Next we were in the classroom and given a tray of an assortment of foods and spices on it. The lessons began. Rika did a demo and then it was up to us to repeat it. We all had our own stove to work with and knives, measuring cups etc. were all provided.

 Rita’s english was fantastic, she knew all the culinary terms, even heaping teaspoon! She is a funny, playful woman always adding an extra splash calling out "For YUM YUM!"

Each of us had chosen earlier what we wanted to prepare: 

Choose one: green, yellow or red curry,(chicken or veggie).

Choose one: Chicken with cashew nuts, Sweet and sour or Chicken with basil

Choose one: Tom Yam soup or Coconut Milk soup

Choose either: Spring rolls or Pad Thai

and for dessert: Bananas in Coconut milk or Mango with Sticky rice.

I suggested we choose different things so we learn more. It was a fast and furious day of cooking, adding chili’s carefully as both Allan and I ended with a dish we couldn’t eat! I enjoyed making the paste in the mortal and pestle with the herbs. Unfortunately I have been sick and so taste and smell for me was limited, however the chili’s cleaned me out a bit! I learned that you don’t cook Kaffir leaves long as it will turn the dish bitter, I also learned if you put mushrooms into a pot of rice and it turns the rice colors than the mushrooms are poisonous! The Thai use so many types of fresh and dried mushrooms, I just keep asking myself where does all this food come from? I learned about all the different rices and why we rinse them and which to soak. I learned about coconut milk and which ones you must use in one day. After each course we made we all sat down at the table in the serene setting and ate our meal. There were moans going on, all good except for a woman in the other class who got too much chili, her moan was the hurting kind. Our food was just as good as in the restaurants and this being because of fresh ingredients and lots of laughter and joy making it, not to mention the recipes. We stuffed ourselves into a food coma, and most of the other people had agreed that the farm needs hammocks for a half hour nap after eating. But NO, we still had two courses to go. Rika was on a time clock and it was ticking fast. We hurried through the desserts and they bagged our last dish up for us to take home. At the end we were given a really nice recipe book. I would recommend taking a cooking class to anyone visiting Thailand. They had 40 students a day at 1,200 Baht ($37.00) Not a bad living, seeing the veggies are next to nothing in price! This cooking school was booked everyday in season (which lasts a long time). We boarded back in the truck for the 40 minute ride back to the city. Another wonderful day in Thailand! Thank you Rika.

Trip to the Top of Thailand

When travellers meet there is often a discussion of the best way to see the country. Do you hire a car or bike and go it alone or go with an organised tour? Obviously there are pro's and con's on both sides of the discussion. As Annie and I don't have a car and nor do we want to rent a bike we decided on an organised tour. We may not have the freedom of our own vehicle but we will get to where we are meant to go and have some expert guides along the way. We didn't want to do the mundane and be in a large crowd of people so we turned to Trip Advisor to seek some advice.

The first day tour company we came upon on Trip Advisor, Chiang Mai was the Lanna Kingdom Tour company  http://www.lannakingdomtours.com/detail.php?viewID=24 which had fantastic reviews. I checked out the website which was professional and full of information. Browsing through a multitude of tours there was one that caught my eye, "One day stunning Doi Inthanon National Park and soft trekking." It sounded good, private tour, no crowds for much of the tour and some physical activity. We would visit the highest mountain in Thailand as well as trekking over some stunning Thai countryside. It wasn't particularly cheap at 7500baht ($230USD) but for what we hoped to be a unique Thai experience well worth it.

I completed the booking over the phone without any problems at all and we were all set to go for an 0800 pick up from our condominium. We went down to the lobby at 0800 and were surprised to find our tour guides there waiting to meet us. Our tour guide was a lovely Thai woman named Yuen and our drivers name was Puma. Yuen led us to our vehicle which was another surprise. It was a large, modern van that was super comfortable inside. Annie and I had the vehicle to ourselves for the day. We had a little counter which had water, snacks and Mentos candy to have at will. The interior was plush even down to a 20" TV.

As we set off into the usual Chiang Mai traffic Yuen briefed us on the day ahead. Yuen's English was excellent she had to learn the language as part of her four year tourism degree. She also had to undergo stringent tests and checks to be accredited as a tour guide. This is a little different from my experience as a tour guide in Australia where the only qualification required is passing the interview and training course.

Our first stop was at a roadhouse where we loaded up with coffee and treats. This was a typical tourist stop selling cheap junk and people using the restrooms, really no different from anywhere else in the world.

After an interesting trip through the Northern Thailand countryside and a quick stop for Yuen to buy some roadsides snacks, tamarind with sugar and freshly cut sugar cane pieces we came to our first event of the day, our two hour soft trek. We were met at a side road by a local Karen man by the name of Roti. The Karen were originally from Burma and some 300,000 have fled to Thailand to escape various types of persecution. Most famous of the Karen refugees are the long-necked Karen women who place layer upon layer of metal bands around their neck to stretch the neck.

Sign at the start of our trek

Roti's village didn't practice the neck stretching which occurs farther to the north of Thailand but they do adopt other traditional Karen customs and dress. Karen men and women can only wear certain coloured clothing  and some colours are reserved for special occasions and events. Only Karen can act as guides in the national park and there are large fines for tourists who enter the national park without a Karen guide.

Our two hour trek was downhill so it was nice and easy. Roti stopped continuously to point out different plants and trees the Karen use as food and to treat a variety of ailments. Annie with her background in herbal medicine particularly enjoyed her interactions and questions to Roti who was a gentle soul who had spent his entire 33 years living in the mountains. His village of 360 people only gained electricity 10 years ago.

Roti explaining how to get bamboo worms a Karen delicacy

On the way to the village we stopped at three beautiful waterfalls, each one bigger and grander than the last. If the day was a little warmer I would have jumped into the clear, swirling water. Finally the thickish rainforest gave way and we came in sight of the rice terraces, dry and barren now as the harvest is done. The rice paddy fields dotted the landscape like a patchwork quilt, as did small rudimentary farmhouses which often had several water buffalo grazing contentedly outside. Yuen remarked the the buffalo are on holiday at the moment as there is no work for them to do when the paddies are fallow.

Happy travellers

The path to Roti's village

 Once inside Roti's village we were led to a coffee shop which was actually an open sided building that looked to be in threat of tumbling down at any time. A Karen women in elaborate local dress prepared our coffee. Annie helped her out by grinding some of the beans and remarking that it was hard work on the coffee grinder. Throughout the restaurant were photographs of the time the King of Thailand visited the village 40 years ago. It was and still is the most momentous thing that has ever happened here. Roti mentioned the visit several times during our trek such a positive impact it had on the local people. The Karen coffee was fresh and tasty and we bought a pack to go as well as some local rice.

Annie observing the coffee making

Our trip with Roti was an amazing experience whereby Annie and I learnt so much about the Karen people and the lush landscape they inhabit.

Our next stop was a short drive to lunch. The restaurant was huge, located under an iron roof about a third of the size of a football field. Tables were laid out in rows and several restaurants serviced the throngs of tourists. Not a particularly scenic or romantic lunch stop but the food was both plentiful and delicious. We had five large dishes and a plate of watermelon between us. As much as we tried we could not eat it all. Feeling guilty about leaving so much food we asked for a doggy bag and received a hearty chuckle in reply. I don't think doggy bags are the done thing in Thailand.

Yuen & Roti explaining Thai native fruits

Filled with remorse about leaving behind all the yummy food we climbed into the van for our next adventure, a ride to the top of the highest mountain in Thailand, Doi (means mountain) Inthanon. The road to the top was windy and as we climbed higher the temperature dropped. The top of the mountain is nondescript as there is no view or vantage point. There is a sign though that states that this is the highest point in Thailand and that alone was pretty cool. There is also a digital thermometer which records the current temperature. When we were there in the early afternoon it was 13c (54F). Not what you expect in the tropics. That morning it was just 3c (36F). Chilly!

 Though there wasn't a vantage point at the top of the mountain there is an interpretive boardwalk that takes visitors through the lush mountain top landscape. Whilst on the boardwalk we were lucky enough to spy one of the colourful local birds which was a real treat.

At the end of the boardwalk we were happy to jump back into the warm van for the short downhill trip to the Twin Pagodas or to use the official name the Great Holy Relics Pagoda of Naphamethanidon. The twin pagodas, one for the King of Thailand and one for the Queen were built to commemorate the 60th birthday of the King. The pagodas are set atop two small hills facing each other. A steep flight of steps lead to each pagoda, though if you don't feel like climbing the steps you can take an escalator to the pagoda.

King & Queen Pagodas

Each pagoda took five years to build and the artwork is stunning. Within each pagoda is a large representation of Buddha. On the walls of the King's Pagoda are stone reliefs which tell the story of the Buddha. The Queen's Pagoda has a 360 degree stone relief that depicts many of the Queen's good and charitable works. Another highlight of the Twin Pagodas are the beautiful gardens that surround the hillside and even though it is winter in Thailand the flowers are flourishing and the hill was alive with colour.

Our next stop was at a local hill tribe marketplace which was basically a set of stalls set up beside the road. The main products for sale were a variety of dried local fruits, fresh fruit and vegetables as well as some local handicrafts. Nearly every stall was a replica of the one beside it so competition was limited. There was no pressure to buy the local people just smile and only approach you if you had a question or query which is a refreshing change from many places in the world.

Annie somehow managed to get herself into a local wine tasting whereby she was given small shots of the local wines to taste, strawberry, mulberry, kiwifruit and loganberry wines. After tasting the wines Annie felt she had to buy a bottle and selected the strawberry wine which she states she is saving for guests to Chiang Mai.

Artwork on the walls of the King Pagoda

Our final stop of the day was at a large waterfall which even at this time of the year when there is virtually no rain had a mighty flow which sprayed a light mist across the viewing point. Yuen informed us that in the summer the waterfall is inundated with local Thai people who come here to escape the hot weather in the city.

The day was drawing to a close and we faced a 90 minute drive back to Chiang Mai. It wasn't so much the distance that made the trip so long but the traffic we would meet once we hit the city. Chiang Mai is a compact city but at certain points the traffic is horrendous.

We made it back home just a little after 1800 and said our farewells to Yuen and Puma. They had treated Annie and I to a fantastic day where we had learnt so much about Thai traditions, culture and the natural landscape.  Before departing Yuen informed us that the owner of Lanna Kingdom a man named Mr Pop wanted to meet us and he was on his way. We thought this a little strange but this was Thailand after all so we happily agreed. 

Not long after Mr Pop arrived with his wife and his school age daughter in tow. Mt Pop said that when he found out that Annie and I were staying in Chiang Mai for 12 months he wanted to meet us and welcome us to Chiang Mai. Mr Pop spoke perfect English and had a calm a personable nature as did his wife and daughter. Mr Pop had been a Buddhist monk for a number of years, one of the hard-core monks who live in isolation in the jungle. He leads tours himself from time to time and usually does the meditation and Buddhist tours. When he found out Annie's interest in such things he invited Annie to join him on a private mediation visit to the jungle.

They were a lovely family and we were invited to their home for dinner. He also said that Annie can call on him at anytime of the day for help and advice and now we weren't customers anymore we were his friends. What a beautiful sentiment!

Mr Pop's visit was the culmination of a fantastic day whereby we were able to immerse ourselves in the "real" Thailand. We will certainly be back for more.

Night Bazaar, Sunday Walking Street Market, Warorot Market

Seems to me every time I turn around there is another market. You can not believe how much is sold on the streets here. Everything from Socks to bee and ant eggs to beautiful hill tribe clothing and jewellery. It is a feast for your eyes, and a maze for your feet. If your legs get sore from too much  walking there are massage places everywhere, as I have said. Sometimes the chairs line both sides of the street and are FULL too ( all day and night)! No wonder Thai people smile. If you are tired just find a Black Canyon Coffee and get a napkin that says "A drink from paradise...available on earth".

 If you want to support Local there are plenty of options for Thai Ice Tea or passion fruit and avocado, Mango, Lemongrass... you name it there is a new and exciting drink that you can discover. Some slimy black liquorice type thing I haven't yet dared to try. You see it isn't always in English, and the Thais in the markets only speak a little (numbers usually).  It's tiring bargaining  dodging cars and weaving thru people. One must get to the markets early to avoid the stampede of people.

We just got back from the Sunday Walking Street Market in the middle of the old city.  I like this market as it has many artisans selling their crafts and the quality is a bit better. We bought some nice things for the condo, a wooden vase, placemats and coasters, slippers (we take our shoes off before entering the home), wooden trash bin, coconut bowls( 25 cents a piece!) and some pottery. It's starting to look like a home now.

I find the best Thai food is that made for you on the street. I have had grilled corn, some veggie things (not sure what they were but served in a bag with a stick as most finger food is), fresh spring rolls, samosas, and the best fresh local strawberries! When we were with Scott and Kate, they showed us around Warorot market and all the places to get fabric, household items and this woman who fresh squeezes oranges! ( now we go all the time to buy the juice, it is divine) I love the markets, both the clothing and the food. I get a bit wigged out with the flies on the food items and will not buy anything that isn't wrapped. Often I don't know what I would do with the food as I have no clue what it is.

I believe this rice is home grown!

This is outside the old mall, some great food.

Many street musicians from Blind to Students,  playing to earn money.

Warorot Market, Everything and the kitchen sink too!

Not sure what he's selling but look behind him,all the massages going on!

I look forward to taking part in cooking class this Thursday. As you know I love to cook, so the market with its spices and 80 types of dried fish and everything else turns my head. Allan gets annoyed with me as I could spend hours just staring, photographing, wandering and wondering. I enjoy seeing how people do things from folding a banana leaf into a bowl and fastening it with toothpicks, to eating and serving meatballs with a stick, to serving food in a bag and pouring sauce in it for a whole meal. In the supermarkets the Tofu display has a special water machine to keep it wet. There is information overload, and I must stop sometime, but one last comment for tonight and that is that the Thai's seem to love their cartoon characters, you see these cutsie images on pocketbooks, tshirts, cutouts in front of buildings and just about anywhere!

Did I mention Allan had a clown following him in the market? We herded ourselves out of the market with our giant sack of wares and into a super speedy Tuk Tuk. Ahhh another exhausting but fulfilling day.

Chiang Mai Thailand Medical Check Up

Whilst undertaking general research prior to our move to Thailand I came across a post on the Thai Visa, http://www.thaivisa.com Chiang Mai forum about this great Thai doctor who conducted a general practice in Chiang Mai. Expats who had visited the doctor wrote glowing reviews about how she treated her patients with real care and concern and how thorough her services were.

Intrigued I Googled the doctor and found her website http://www.healthcaremedicalclinic.com/index.php whereby I located the section where she offered complete medical check ups by gender and age group. The checks and tests were exhaustive and to me well worth the $192AUD price tag.

After discussing it with Annie we decided to make an appointment for a few days after we arrived in Chiang Mai. Annie’s check up was a little more expensive at $177USD as females have several tests that differ from the male tests.

It appears that Annie and I are not alone in our quest to obtain medical services in Thailand as there is a constant influx of people travelling to Thailand to have small and major medical procedures within the Thai health system.

Foreigners seeking treatment for everything from open-heart surgery to gender reassignment have made Thailand the world’s No. 1 destination for so-called medical tourism, luring as many as 1.8 million overseas visitors in 2013. That ranks Thailand, a developing nation with a per capita gross domestic product of just $5,700, ahead of the U.S. -- and also Thailand’s more prosperous Southeast Asian neighbors, Singapore and Malaysia -- as the preferred destination for international patients. Last year, medical tourists pumped as much as $4.7 billion into the Thai economy, according to government statistics.  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-18/medical-tourists-flock-to-thailand-spurring-post-coup-economy.html

Chaigmai Ram Hospital

After fasting for 12 hours we headed off for our appointment at Dr Nisachon Morgan’s surgery, which is located on a main road about six kilometers from the centre of Chiang Mai. The surgery is housed in a non-descript building sharing shop fronts with a variety of other businesses. If it wasn’t for the green crosses on banners out front we may have missed the surgery.

Health Care Medical Clinic

The surgery was air-conditioned and we were greeted by a receptionist who took our details and blood pressure. After a few other preliminaries we were both off in separate directions to do our tests.

The EKG machine looked a little past its use by date but it worked and spat out a graph of squiggly lines that only a doctor can interpret. The nurse drew a vial of blood painlessly and I was given a bottle to pee in.

My final stop was with Dr Morgan who is a small woman who speaks perfect English. She was thorough in her questioning about my medical condition and asked a range of searching questions. By far the most exhaustive questioning I have ever had from a medical practitioner. Next came the physical examination, which was also extremely thorough.

Both Annie and I completed out range of tests in around 45 minutes and we both agreed that the service was professional and extensive. The doctor wanted to go over our test results and requested that we come back in two days.

Our return appointment was on a Saturday, which happened to be Children’s Day and the traffic was horrendous. Our driver went miles out of her way to avoid traffic but only ended up getting caught in a larger traffic jam. The end result was that we were 30 minutes late for our appointment, which meant we were shuffled back to the end of the line.

Children's Day Chiang Mai

After an almost two hour wait we both went in to see Dr Morgan who had our tests results in front of her. In turn she went through each of our reports in minute detail. She highlighted what we needed to be doing to improve our health and lifestyle and what things we were doing right. Both Annie and I left the room with a clear indication of what we needed to do to maintain our health.

A quirk of Thailand is that medical practitioners write prescriptions on a piece of paper that has been photocopied. There is no control number or anything that appears to regulate prescriptions. The drugs are located in the front office and the receptionist hands out the drugs from an open display behind her desk. The drugs that we were given were all manufactured in Thailand and were probably 30-40% cheaper than comparable drugs in Australia.

We delivered one of our samples late so couldn’t get the results on the day of our follow up visit but just a day later we received an email with all the test results and observations.

For around $200 both Annie and I received a complete and thorough medical check up which included a number of prescribed drugs. Dr Morgan was caring and thorough and had a lovely manner. On both of our visits her waiting room was busy with foreigners so the word must be out that she is a great doctor.

SA-WAD-DEE-KA

SA-WAD-DEE-KA! means Hello.

It's about time I write my Blog, it's been challenging with my computer down and also I'm out exploring! My computer is at the shop here in Chiang Mai and photos are building up in the camera and phone as you can imagine. I'm working with limited photo's on Allan's computer. It's been 12 days here in Thailand and instead of day by day I will just let you know my impressions and what has transpired in random as things blur together like in the markets here after about a half hour, I get cross-eyed!

 We landed in Bangkok, my first time in Asia. It is January 3rd so all the holiday decorations are still around. I think my first photo was of the electrical lines. I am back in Mexico 25 years ago! What a tangled mess.

Then the giant Buddah sculpture that I wrap myself in. I am so happy to be in a city again with Artwork everywhere. They have telephone booths, and of course I must pose in it, and giant times square like electronic billboards. Let me also say it was a breeze getting to the Lit hotel, transportation isn't a problem here. The hotel was very modern and interesting. The bathroom was long and narrow and quite fancy. All in all it was very clean and comfortable room. We had a day to explore so we walked around and saw the malls and street venders (got my Thai Ice tea immediately of course!) and then decided to go to Jim Thompsons house that Allan talked of in his blog. What I enjoyed was the river walk behind the house where the boats rushed past as we walked along the graffiti filled alley. The smells and noises and action just stimulating my senses completely. I felt like my eyes were circling around in my head trying to take in all the sights.

Uwe's Place

The airbnb was as pictured, clean, well decorated and comfortable for us for the next 8 days. The funny thing in this place was that the shower curtain opened onto the kitchen sink, so as you washed your dishes you could watch your partner shower! Actually it was made to let light in the bathroom as it was a studio railroad apt. We were in Hillside Condo 4 with a balcony, pool, fitness centre, minimart, massage spa, a little restaurant and of course their Spirit House (I'll talk later on those). Hillside Condo 4 was centrally located, where we could walk to "Maya" a giant mall or "Kad Suan Kaew" the older mall. Nimmanhaemin road was also close (a chic happening street). Those damn roosters followed me here, one with a scratchy throat woke me up early each morning. I am just amazed at how you can get anything you can possibly want except a Tea ball (you know the metal ones you put loose tea in!) I'll just have to buy a funky elephant one in ceramics that I saw!

Allan and I have been exploring each day different areas. Crossing the road may well be the most dangerous thing in the city. I am feeling safe here otherwise. The different modes of transportation for us are the Tuk Tuk's, Rickshaws, Songtaos and Taxi's.

Tuk Tuks are scooters with an attached seat you ride in (two maybe 3 people). They are 50 Baht and up based on distance or night time. Bargaining is part of the fun for some, not me! 

32 baht = $1.00.

Rickshaws are more like a bike with an attached seat and they are at markets and 30 Baht.

 The Song taos are a shared kind of taxi with multiple seats fixed onto a truck. You tell the guy where you want to go, if he wants to go that way he will say a price, you bargain, then jump in. Along the way he will pick up passengers going the same way. It is not direct unless you hire him for yourself. Taxi's, like back home, must be called and are more expensive then the above mentioned. Allan and I have ridden in all but the rickshaws so far. I enjoy the Tuk Tuk's as they weave in and out of the traffic and get you there quicker, but the Songtao's are cheap and efficient as well. I will not be driving in this town, not because they drive on the left but because they come from both sides and weave in and out and the streets are narrow and far too many people.

Rickshaw

 We have been to the Night market ( I will write a blog on that later), the Warorot market, the local old market ( not too many foreigners go there) and the Old City with its Wat's (another Blog). I am told there are 400 of these Wats around the city and I believe it. They are incredible, I need lots of time to just sit and take them all in. 

After 3 days we had arranged to go Apt./House hunting with a company called Expat Homes. (This is also another Blog to follow.)

I was happy to get a phone number the second day we got here. Dtac is one of many carriers that you can find anywhere. I had unlocked my phone before I left so it went smoothly. There is cell service and internet EVERYWHERE in Thailand, and FAST!

What have I noticed you ask? 

That people do not honk their horns much at ALL. I haven't heard but one siren either. You rarely hear a parent yelling at their kids, if fact, I haven't. The people are not pushing you to buy from them, they just smile and wait. The Thai's are quiet as well.

Elders are respected, and people are respectful in general.

You bow with your hands together after saying thank you, and there are different ways to bow depending on the person you are talking to. There are guards opening doors and saluting you at the malls. You pay your electric/water and internet bill at the 7/11 stores ( there are plenty). Foreigners don't own businesses or houses, Thai's do. We can own condo's, as it is not land, and many do and rent them on Airbnb. At our meeting with Brett and TaTa from Expat's Homes, we learned plenty of things, about where to go for electronic repair, to get household items, Thai culture and how to write our names in Thai!

Another difference for me is that the Thai's do not all have hot water in the whole house, Sometimes not in the Kitchen and sometimes not in the Bathroom sink either, only the shower. The average salary for an office person of sorts is 500 Baht a day some labourers much less! 

Massage is available all over the street as well. You can be massaged in front of people walking by or have a mattress on the floor with a curtain around you, after changing into some of their comfortable jammies! I can tell you about my 3 treatments later. Average price is about $8/hour. So much more to say, but saving it for another day! Thanks for reading. SA- WA- DEE- KA!