The flight between Europe and NZ is just sooo long, I couldn’t resist the opportunity for a halfway break in Thailand. The ‘Land of Smiles’ is a comfortable and easy place for me to be, another land that holds a space in my heart 🧡 So a short hop from Singapore and here I am in Chiang Mai!
My friend from home, Mike, and his partner, Riam, kindly met me at the airport, and a short drive away, we are at their home in Bo Sang. Having been in three different time zones in less than 24 hours, I was feeling somewhat less than energetic. But being determined to dodge any of that lag business by slotting into local time….. I had several hours to last before bed-time!
A trip into the city treated me to the sights and smells of wonderful Thai food, and I can never get enough of street Pad Thai….So with some of that and the fabulous Singha, and good conversation, I whiled away those hours and fell into bed at the appointed night-time hour. I was asleep before my eyes were closed!
A very relaxed day followed…once again resting my feet and keeping them elevated 🙄 By evening I was over the inactivity, so it was decided that we’d all go into the city for some dinner… and the splendid night markets, which even though my luggage is a whisper off capacity weight, it doesn’t hurt to look, does it….!? 🫢🤗
The night markets are a shoppers paradise! Everything so bright and colourful, different and intriguing ….and cheap! Which makes the wares completely indispensable, of course!!! So what can you do, but buy a little something or two??!!!
Which, needless to say, I did! 🤣
After dinner at the market, we progressed to a groovy little bar, and then to another, and a third. Number 3 belongs to a friend of Riam’s, so then came a few drinks, lots of laughs, and many photos, accompanied by some great music. A thing I love about Thailand are these little ‘sois’ (streets, or more appropriate, lanes), tucked away, which often contain a bunch of tiny bars all as big as your lounge. And they often have live music! We stuck our heads in one between 1 and 2, and there was a 3-piece band 😳 but it was just a tad loud…Number 2 and 3 were in one of the sois, together with 3 others!
Today we ventured to the ‘Umbrella Factory’, Bo Sang being the ‘umbrella village’. I’ve always had a fondness for paper parasols, but thought they were definitely a sun thing or purely decorative. Imagine my surprise, on this tropical-rain day, when we arrived and dozens of these gorgeous things were out in it!! They’re not paper but painted cotton, which makes them waterproof!!! And some are UV resistant, which means they won’t fade….Of course I immediately wanted to fill a crate to send home!
With one more day before I’m in the air again, tomorrow will be spent organising last minute details (phoning the airline and buying excess baggage perhaps 🙄🤣), and readying to bid a fond farewell to my wonderful hosts, and this wonderful country.
Travel Tales 