Chiang Mai 5

Our brief time in Thailand is now coming to a close as we fly back to Auckland tomorrow. Yesterday and today we have spent getting more of a feel for the Thai life doing a lot of walking around the city, visiting numerous wats, or temples as we know them, sampling food, eg a whole cooked sea bass last night in a very popular local fish market, drinking Chang beer, riding in a tuk tuk and the local red truck (like a taxi), watching people fish, swimming in the hotel pool, having an hour long, oh so painful, $8 full body Thai massage in a dark upstairs room by a young, ?19 yr old Thai boy, Len having an hour long $6 foot, leg and head massage downstairs by about a 15 year old and revisting Boys Blues Bar last night.

Delicious longan fruit - $1 per kilo!

It has all been a great experience and, apart from the stall-holders in the markets initially being so pushy (but not today for some reason ?because it's Sunday!) the people are very friendly although we are constantly warned by signs to be aware of well-dressed, seemingly nice people who will offer their services and then scam you.

Negotiating a tuk tuk fare

The main things we have had to be careful of is all the traffic and motorbikes when trying to cross the street and all the hazards on the pavements - holes, wet concrete, broken concrete, unprotected manholes, low overhead signs with sharp points. Luckily we have not seen or experienced any pickpocketing although we have often been warned about this.


We have just come back from a lovely, oh-so-cheap meal at a vegetarian cafe called The Bamboo Bee which, on trip advisor, is Number 1 in the eating places. It is run by two English speaking Thai girls who are just del

ightful. The cafe is tiny - only 5 tables seating 2 at a table - and only one menu! But there was only one other couple there at the same time so it was easy to share. They are known for their smoothies and so before our meal we shared an avocado and coconut cream (calories!!!) one which was delicious. For our mains I had spicy stirfried mushrooms and cashews dish and Len had sweet chilli mushrooms, both dishes having other nice veges as well as rice. The price of the meals including the smoothie, a bottle of water and bottomless cups of free Jasmine tea came to 225 baht which is about $9. Amazing!! On our walk back to the hotel we bought some more lovely little coconut milk pancakes for pud from the street vendor in Chinatown.