WE FLY CHAING MAI AND BEYOND...
MATTHEW AND I LEFT BANGKOK FOR A ONE HOUR FLIGHT UP TO CHAING MAI. HAD WE TRAVELED BY TRAIN AS ORIGINALLY PLANNED, IT WOULD HAVE TAKEN 12 HOURS, ABOUT THE SAME FOR A BUS TRIP UP NORTH, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW SLOW THE TRAIN/BUS TRAVEL. FLYING IS BETTER WHEN YOU HAVE LIMITED TIME.
JENNY AND RON WERE AT THE AIRPORT TO GREET US. WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO PULL OUR VERY LARGE OVER STUFFED BAGS OFF THE BAGGAGE THINGIE, I COULD STAND IT NO LONGER AND RAN THROUGH THE GATES TO HUG THEM BOTH. THE GUARDS VERY POLITELY ESCORTED BE BACK SO I COULD GO THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS OF CHECK-IN, ETC. OOPS....
AFTER CHECK IN TO OUR VERY LOVELY AND VERY CLEAN SRI PAT HOME STAY, WE WENT TO THE SUNDAY ONLY NIGHT MARKET AND IT WAS FANTASTIC, EVEN BEYOND MY HOPES OR EXPECTATIONS. IT WAS MUCH SMALLER THAN THE WEEKEND MARKET MATTHEW AND I WENT TO IN BANGKOK, BUT THE PRICES PUT IT TO SHAME. I PURCHASED MOST OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS CHRISTMAS, BIRTHDAY, ETC. GIFTS PLUS MADE PURCHASES FOR FRIENDS. JENNY AND RON POOPED OUR EARLY AND WAITED IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL, TREE LINED TUNNEL LIKE OUTDOOR RESTAURANT. WHEN WE POOPED OUT, WE MET THEM THERE FOR SOME WINE/BEER AND A CHANCE TO ALLOW OUR FEET TO REST. WHILE THERE AT THE RESTAURANT, WE HAD RING SIDE SEATS TO A PROTEST GAINST THAILAND'S PRIME MINISTER OR HIS ASSISTANT, WHICH THEY WANT OUSTED. GLAD I WAS NOT ON THE STREET AT THE TIME, THEY WERE VERY SERIOUS!!
MY FEET RIVAL THE SIZE OF LOCAL ELEPHANTS. JET LAG HAS NOT BOTHERED ME RELATED TO SLEEPING, BUT IT HAS TAKEN IT'S TOLL ON MY WATER RETENTION, WHICH LIMITS MY KEEPING UP WITH MATTHEW AND THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME HAPPY. MATTHEW IS HIGH ENERGY, AND KEEPS ME GOING, COMPARED TO JENNY AND RON, I AM HIGH ENERGY AND KEEP THEM GOING, SO ALL IN ALL WE ARE A GOOD TRAVELING MIX. PLUS THE FACT THAT WE ALL ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO SHOP AND EAT, WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR??
YESTERDAY, WE ALL HAD BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL, FRIED RICE WITH VEGETABLES AND SCRAMBLED EGGS INCLUDED, CUCUMBERS AND TOMATOES ON THE SIDE AND, THANK GOD, CAPUCINO (NO NESCAFE). THE ORANGE JUICE HAD TO BE PURCHASED FROM DOWN THE STREET, BUT WAS FRESH SQUEEZED. LATER THAT MORNING WE CHECKED OUT TWO TAILORS FOR MATTHEW TO CONSIDER PURCHASING A SUIT. I BELIEVE HE TOLD YOU THE SCAM TO GO TO THE "GOVERNMENT TAILOR SCHOOL" WHICH WE ALL BELIEVE IS NOT REALLY A SCHOOL BUT SIMPLY ANOTHER TAILOR SHOP WHOSE PRICES DID NOT PROVE TO BE CHEEPER AND THEN, TO TOP IT OFF, THE MAN GOT MAD WHEN WE SAID WE WANTED TO THINK IT OVER, YIKES!!
WE ATE OUR WAY THROUGH THE DAY, WE WALKED A LITTLE, STOPPED FOR FRESH STRAWBERRY SHAKES THAT WERE SO FLAVORFUL THAT I COULD CRY, THE BEST SOUP IN THE WORLD...TOM YOUNG GUNG, A VERY SPICY, FLAVORFUL, SWEET BUT SOUR SOUP. YOUR TASTE BUDS DO NOT KNOW WHICH DIRECTION TO GO IN, IT IS SUCH A SURPRISE TO YOUR MOUTH. WE ARE CONSIDERING GOING TO THE COOKING SCHOOL HERE IN CHAINGMAI OR MAYBE WAIT UNTIL PAI SO THAT WE CAN LEARN HOW TO MAKE THIS SOUP FROM SCRATCH. APPARENTLY THE INGREDIENTS ARE ALL AVAILABLE RIGHT AT THE LOCAL SAFEWAY, YIPPEE!!
WE HAVE ALL POOPED OUT AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER DURING THIS TRIP DUE TO PURE EXHAUSTION. LAST NIGHT WAS MATTHEW'S TURN. WHEN WE RETURNED FROM OUR DAY OF WALKING, SHOPPING, EATING, WE DECIDED TO GET A FOOT MASSAGE, BUT MATTHEW DECIDED TO TAKE A LITTLE NAP AND SO DID RON. MATTHEW NEVER REVIVED UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING. BUT, BOY DID HE MISS OUT ON THE EXCITEMENT AND HE'S KICKING HIMSELF NOW....
WE WENT TO THE LOCAL NIGHT MARKET LAST NIGHT, MORE FABULOUS FINDS/BUYS AND BOY ARE THE GIRLS BACK HOME GOING TOLOVE ME :) ...
ON OUR RETURN TO OUR HOTEL WE DECIDED TO STOP FOR A DRINK OF WATER, SHAKE, BEER AND WHEN LEAVING THE RESTAURANT WE HIT THE LIGHT CHANGE BUTTON. ALL TRAFFIC STOPPED, WE STARTED TO WALK ACROSS THE CROSSWALK, BUT ONE TUK TUK DRIVE RAN THE RED LIGHT AND ALMOST HIT RON. THE TUK TUK DRIVER CONTINUED ON AROUND THE CORNER LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. WHEN WE ROUNDED THE CORNER, HE WAS PARKED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THOUGH WE WERE JUST ANOTHER SET OF CUSTOMERS. HOWEVER....JENNY GAVE HIM, IN SHORT ORDER, A PIECE OF HER MIND IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. HE GRABBED A PIPE HE WAS CARRYING AND BANGED IT AGAINS HIS EXHAUST PIPE IN HOPE OF SCARING US. RON APPROACHED HIM AND TOLD HIM THERE WAS NO NEED TO GET PHYSICAL AND POINTED OUT HE WAS OUTNUMBERED BY THREE ANGRY PEOPLE. TO MAKE THE STORY SHORT, IT STARTED TO ESCALATE BUT SUDDELY HE REALIZED WE WERE SERIOUSLY GOING TO TAKE DOWN HIS TUK TUK NUMBER AND CALL THE POLICE. WE POINTED OUT HE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A PROPER LICENSE. AT THIS POINT HE, AS HE FLIPPED US OFF, DECIDED TO LEAVE. WE RETURNED TO THE HOTEL AND CALLED THE POLICE. I COULD STAY AWAKE NO LONGER AND GAVE IN TO SLEEP. SO, THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THIS STORY WILL BE A SURPRISE TO ME AS WELL :)
THIS A.M. MATTHEW AND I ARE UP EARLY AND WALKING THE STREETS TAKING PICTURES AND CHATTING UP STRANGE AND WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND OF COURSE, WRITING OUR BLOG ENTRIES AS I HAVE BEEN REMISS FOR A FEW DAYS. WE ARE OFF NOW, AFTER A NICE CUP OF CAPUCINO TO FIND BREAKFAST AND THEN RETURN TO THE HOTEL TO WAKE UP JENNY AND RON.
TODAY WE GO TO DOI SUTHUP, A TEMPLE AT THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN IN HOPES OF BEAUTIFUL PICTURES AND WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. LATER WE WILL RETURN FOR, OF COURSE, MORE NIGHT MARKET SHOPPING AND THEN TO THE FAMOUS SIMON CABARET, WHERE MEN DRESS AS WOMEN AND THERE ARE NO WOMEN IN THE PERFORMANCE, YOU FIGURE IT OUT HOW TO TELL THE LITTLE ONES.... HA HA.
THAT'S IT FOR NOW AS WE CAN NOT WAIT ANY LONGER FOR FOOD. LOVE SUSIE
JENNY AND RON WERE AT THE AIRPORT TO GREET US. WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO PULL OUR VERY LARGE OVER STUFFED BAGS OFF THE BAGGAGE THINGIE, I COULD STAND IT NO LONGER AND RAN THROUGH THE GATES TO HUG THEM BOTH. THE GUARDS VERY POLITELY ESCORTED BE BACK SO I COULD GO THROUGH THE NORMAL PROCESS OF CHECK-IN, ETC. OOPS....
AFTER CHECK IN TO OUR VERY LOVELY AND VERY CLEAN SRI PAT HOME STAY, WE WENT TO THE SUNDAY ONLY NIGHT MARKET AND IT WAS FANTASTIC, EVEN BEYOND MY HOPES OR EXPECTATIONS. IT WAS MUCH SMALLER THAN THE WEEKEND MARKET MATTHEW AND I WENT TO IN BANGKOK, BUT THE PRICES PUT IT TO SHAME. I PURCHASED MOST OF THE NEXT TWO YEARS CHRISTMAS, BIRTHDAY, ETC. GIFTS PLUS MADE PURCHASES FOR FRIENDS. JENNY AND RON POOPED OUR EARLY AND WAITED IN A VERY BEAUTIFUL, TREE LINED TUNNEL LIKE OUTDOOR RESTAURANT. WHEN WE POOPED OUT, WE MET THEM THERE FOR SOME WINE/BEER AND A CHANCE TO ALLOW OUR FEET TO REST. WHILE THERE AT THE RESTAURANT, WE HAD RING SIDE SEATS TO A PROTEST GAINST THAILAND'S PRIME MINISTER OR HIS ASSISTANT, WHICH THEY WANT OUSTED. GLAD I WAS NOT ON THE STREET AT THE TIME, THEY WERE VERY SERIOUS!!
MY FEET RIVAL THE SIZE OF LOCAL ELEPHANTS. JET LAG HAS NOT BOTHERED ME RELATED TO SLEEPING, BUT IT HAS TAKEN IT'S TOLL ON MY WATER RETENTION, WHICH LIMITS MY KEEPING UP WITH MATTHEW AND THAT DOES NOT MAKE ME HAPPY. MATTHEW IS HIGH ENERGY, AND KEEPS ME GOING, COMPARED TO JENNY AND RON, I AM HIGH ENERGY AND KEEP THEM GOING, SO ALL IN ALL WE ARE A GOOD TRAVELING MIX. PLUS THE FACT THAT WE ALL ABSOLUTELY LOVE TO SHOP AND EAT, WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK FOR??
YESTERDAY, WE ALL HAD BREAKFAST AT THE HOTEL, FRIED RICE WITH VEGETABLES AND SCRAMBLED EGGS INCLUDED, CUCUMBERS AND TOMATOES ON THE SIDE AND, THANK GOD, CAPUCINO (NO NESCAFE). THE ORANGE JUICE HAD TO BE PURCHASED FROM DOWN THE STREET, BUT WAS FRESH SQUEEZED. LATER THAT MORNING WE CHECKED OUT TWO TAILORS FOR MATTHEW TO CONSIDER PURCHASING A SUIT. I BELIEVE HE TOLD YOU THE SCAM TO GO TO THE "GOVERNMENT TAILOR SCHOOL" WHICH WE ALL BELIEVE IS NOT REALLY A SCHOOL BUT SIMPLY ANOTHER TAILOR SHOP WHOSE PRICES DID NOT PROVE TO BE CHEEPER AND THEN, TO TOP IT OFF, THE MAN GOT MAD WHEN WE SAID WE WANTED TO THINK IT OVER, YIKES!!
WE ATE OUR WAY THROUGH THE DAY, WE WALKED A LITTLE, STOPPED FOR FRESH STRAWBERRY SHAKES THAT WERE SO FLAVORFUL THAT I COULD CRY, THE BEST SOUP IN THE WORLD...TOM YOUNG GUNG, A VERY SPICY, FLAVORFUL, SWEET BUT SOUR SOUP. YOUR TASTE BUDS DO NOT KNOW WHICH DIRECTION TO GO IN, IT IS SUCH A SURPRISE TO YOUR MOUTH. WE ARE CONSIDERING GOING TO THE COOKING SCHOOL HERE IN CHAINGMAI OR MAYBE WAIT UNTIL PAI SO THAT WE CAN LEARN HOW TO MAKE THIS SOUP FROM SCRATCH. APPARENTLY THE INGREDIENTS ARE ALL AVAILABLE RIGHT AT THE LOCAL SAFEWAY, YIPPEE!!
WE HAVE ALL POOPED OUT AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER DURING THIS TRIP DUE TO PURE EXHAUSTION. LAST NIGHT WAS MATTHEW'S TURN. WHEN WE RETURNED FROM OUR DAY OF WALKING, SHOPPING, EATING, WE DECIDED TO GET A FOOT MASSAGE, BUT MATTHEW DECIDED TO TAKE A LITTLE NAP AND SO DID RON. MATTHEW NEVER REVIVED UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING. BUT, BOY DID HE MISS OUT ON THE EXCITEMENT AND HE'S KICKING HIMSELF NOW....
WE WENT TO THE LOCAL NIGHT MARKET LAST NIGHT, MORE FABULOUS FINDS/BUYS AND BOY ARE THE GIRLS BACK HOME GOING TOLOVE ME :) ...
ON OUR RETURN TO OUR HOTEL WE DECIDED TO STOP FOR A DRINK OF WATER, SHAKE, BEER AND WHEN LEAVING THE RESTAURANT WE HIT THE LIGHT CHANGE BUTTON. ALL TRAFFIC STOPPED, WE STARTED TO WALK ACROSS THE CROSSWALK, BUT ONE TUK TUK DRIVE RAN THE RED LIGHT AND ALMOST HIT RON. THE TUK TUK DRIVER CONTINUED ON AROUND THE CORNER LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED. WHEN WE ROUNDED THE CORNER, HE WAS PARKED OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THOUGH WE WERE JUST ANOTHER SET OF CUSTOMERS. HOWEVER....JENNY GAVE HIM, IN SHORT ORDER, A PIECE OF HER MIND IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. HE GRABBED A PIPE HE WAS CARRYING AND BANGED IT AGAINS HIS EXHAUST PIPE IN HOPE OF SCARING US. RON APPROACHED HIM AND TOLD HIM THERE WAS NO NEED TO GET PHYSICAL AND POINTED OUT HE WAS OUTNUMBERED BY THREE ANGRY PEOPLE. TO MAKE THE STORY SHORT, IT STARTED TO ESCALATE BUT SUDDELY HE REALIZED WE WERE SERIOUSLY GOING TO TAKE DOWN HIS TUK TUK NUMBER AND CALL THE POLICE. WE POINTED OUT HE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE A PROPER LICENSE. AT THIS POINT HE, AS HE FLIPPED US OFF, DECIDED TO LEAVE. WE RETURNED TO THE HOTEL AND CALLED THE POLICE. I COULD STAY AWAKE NO LONGER AND GAVE IN TO SLEEP. SO, THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THIS STORY WILL BE A SURPRISE TO ME AS WELL :)
THIS A.M. MATTHEW AND I ARE UP EARLY AND WALKING THE STREETS TAKING PICTURES AND CHATTING UP STRANGE AND WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND OF COURSE, WRITING OUR BLOG ENTRIES AS I HAVE BEEN REMISS FOR A FEW DAYS. WE ARE OFF NOW, AFTER A NICE CUP OF CAPUCINO TO FIND BREAKFAST AND THEN RETURN TO THE HOTEL TO WAKE UP JENNY AND RON.
TODAY WE GO TO DOI SUTHUP, A TEMPLE AT THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN IN HOPES OF BEAUTIFUL PICTURES AND WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. LATER WE WILL RETURN FOR, OF COURSE, MORE NIGHT MARKET SHOPPING AND THEN TO THE FAMOUS SIMON CABARET, WHERE MEN DRESS AS WOMEN AND THERE ARE NO WOMEN IN THE PERFORMANCE, YOU FIGURE IT OUT HOW TO TELL THE LITTLE ONES.... HA HA.
THAT'S IT FOR NOW AS WE CAN NOT WAIT ANY LONGER FOR FOOD. LOVE SUSIE
posted by Matthew DeWitt at 4:37 PM
2 Comments:
Hey Mathew and Aunt Susie,
Great to read about your travels. Can't wait to see pictures. Sounds like you are having a real whirl-wind adventure.
Noah
You're making me hungry - Nola and I are going to order Chinese food (thats as close as we can get) for tonight!! Keep up the fun stuff!!
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