Yesterday we crossed the border from Thailand to Laos (two days after our visas expired), Its crazy to think its been over two months in Thailand. We had a fair blinder of a last night in Pai and on Friday morning we headed to Chiang Mai. Pang, a friend from Pai who was picking up her things from Chaing Mai and moving more permanently to Pai joined us for the weekend. Pai really was fantastic, I managed two weeks there but could have done many many more, relaxed, fun and super super friendly.
Some of my funniest moments would have to be the Vegemite, Marmite, Yellow T-shirt Incident. Chuiwawa’s a funny one, during a conversation Chessy, Irene and I were having regarding the merits of Vegemite and Marmite. We were comparing the similarities of the packaging when I realised that lids were both yellow and probably fitted the other Jar. I tried it out and they did, we had a bit of a laugh and continued with the conversation. Chuiwawa, who had been listening in but didn’t have much to say, (Thai people aren’t that big on the yeast extract) returned back in the room with 2 yellow T-shirts, we looked at the lids, looked at the t-shirts laughed and the girls did a quick swap and put the shits on. Chuiwawa came back in with a t-shirt for me as well, now I’m not sure how or why (we weren’t even exceptionally drunk) but we ended up with a fairly big series of photos of us in the kitchen holding any thing yellow we could find. I still wish I could find out what Chuiwawa had read from the conversation…. Photos are here
Roy’s birthday was a great night, me and Chessy spending a wicked arts and craft arvo. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROY started of with drawing the letters, then cutting them out with a little Stanley knife, then to just free hand cutting, then just tearing letters out by hand from scraps of crepe paper. To see Francesca and Chessy walking the streets of Pai with a 10 metre long string of giant balloons and a big poster was very very worth it.
It was interesting to be there during some descent flooding as well, some parts of town were waist deep in water. The army came in early that morning helped every one evacuate, the water came through, deposited about 10cms of mud, and then receded. The people came back started cleaning up and submitting forms for financial relief from the government. No hysteria, screaming, running or panicking, people just went about the jobs that needed to be done, helping neighbors and friends when they could. The Main bridge out of town got washed away, and so were a few of the smaller ones up river, If one of you guys from Pai is reading this, let me know how the repair work is going. Photos from the flood and clean up are here.
Roy finally bought a new camera in Chiang Mai and I finally got a hair cut. I’m well impressed with it actually it was a little on the pricier end at 90 baht (around $3). It was great having a local to guide and translate. Just a little off putting when you walk into hair dressers, Pang and the hair dresser have a 10 second private conversation in front of you, both turn to me and nod, so I sit down and she starts chopping at my hair. We also went to a BBQ Buffet, each table has a little charcoal bbq with a ring around the hot plate that you fill with broth. You grab a plate and grab what you want from a big table of raw meats, greens and noodles. You fill the ring with soup chuck a wad of fat on the top of the hotplate and start laying bits of meat around the top. Seafood, greens and noodles go in the soupy stuff and you just graze on what you can cook on this little stove. It really was quite fun.
OK, to celebrate the halfway point of my trip, and to thank all the very cool people I’ve met in Thailand I’m giving any one who reads this, the chance to win one of two great Prize Packs. It’s nice and simple, in 100 words or less do a quick story on an experience you think I’m going to have while traveling. You get extra points if it rhymes, and if it’s a haiku you get an extra prize. So courtesy of me, First Prize (as judged by Me, Roy, and any one we meet when we need to judge this thing) is one unopened pack of L&M Lights, complete with Thai Teeth warning photo, one genuine Hill Tribe friendship bracelet, and a choice of one of the Lucky Rocks that I got from the river during Chuiwawa’s Adventure. Runner Up gets all the same but with out the pack of smokes, I’ll post them any where in the world. Entries close Monday the Tenth of October ( 1 week from today ) and must be posted, in the comments section of www.willcowan.com , or emailed to me. Chogde Kap everyone.
Cheers
Will Cowan
Http://www.WillCowan.com
http://photos.WillCowan.com
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4 comments:
a haiku by goolia.
Death. Dodgy thai food.
gravy bum, vomit then dead.
Tragedy, despair.
damn it, now i have to think of an extra prize..... so yeah good work gouls for getting the idea of it....
thats easy!!!! you'll loose importent stuff, trip over hurt yourself,
grab 17 breasts of various shapes and sizes, loose something else, get
munted with a dash of mo'ot eye, try to kiss Roh, grad the 18th bresst,
try to convince an athority figure to get messy with you (ie. police,
security guard, person behind counter in hostle) trip over and find the
first thing you lost, read the map wrong and miss the turn off to tamworth a
mean airport, shall i continue??????????????
Will he get on the wrong plane or will he miss a train.
Will he know he is on the wrong plane going to Japan and miss China.
What about the visa oh no a night in detention or will he talk his way out
of it oh yeh of little faith
I know he has fallen down a drain.
Of course he caught the right plane
Of course he had all the visas
What an organised man.
Love mumsie
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