Part II Chiang Mai - Trip down memory lane

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I'm here, I'm here! And I didn't have to wait for any luggage wootwoot! Tried to get a Bolt (taxi via app), but it wouldn't connect. Still kept trying because the Airport Taxi was more expensive, this is when the backpacker in me comes out again. You see, the hotel had a free pick up from the airport but the driver was out sick or something and so they would reimburse the cost of the taxi, but I still I wanted to get the best deal possible haha. I still ended up taking the Airport taxi though after trying Bolt for 10minutes. It's a fixed rate of 150THB btw which is a about €4 (Bolt was around €3). I know, who cares right?! Well, I do 😅🙈.

Taxi driver was friendly, asked me what I was doing tomorrow and during my time here. They always do, it's the same as in Indonesia, because they're trying to get your business as a private driver and usually have flyers or booklets of tours in the car. He soon found out I wasn't doing much and that I was here 15 years ago, that made him laugh. Got to the hotel, Thai style hotel, looked really nice. The girl at reception was super friendly and took me up to the room (3rd floor and no elevators, just like back home haha). I immediately asked, with bathtub? And she said, no this room doesn't have a batthub. I showed her the printscreen where it said it had one and told her that's why I booked it (my god, I felt so posh all of a sudden haha). And so she called the manager and I got to switch rooms but had to switch again the last night because it was booked and so I asked for a discount for that night haha. She would ask the manager. They told me the next day, I didn't have to move anymore. One can always ask :-).

I settled in and went on my first walk through the city. Went outside of Old town and there was so much traffic. I didn't remember there being this much traffic. I also noticed crosswalks, which people don't really stop for haha. But I've learned early on, you just have to go at some point. And they did stop or slowed down, so I guess they're still learning. I would sometimes catch a glimp of something and it would remind me of something in the past but then I couldn't pinpoint it or get an exact memory and figured it might have been somewhere else. It had all changed so much. I kind of recognized the walking street outside of old town and I found a book store that had been there since 1993. Did I recognize it? Not really. I do remember a photo of my friend and another guy we met in a book store but pretty sure that wasn't Chiang Mai. 

The old town is also surounded by a river and that make me think of the time me and my friend (in 2010) went for a walk and had to use the toilet. We crossed a river (in my mind a bigger one so probably not here) and went into a super fancy hotel to use the toilets. We were western and so the staff didn't think anything of it and greeted us with "welcome back miss" haha and we acted as if we stayed there in search of the toilets haha. Probably one of our best pees ever haha!

These weren't here before but are now everywhere (also in Pai)! This was the only one I've seen with plants in the window though.

Tuk tuk parade

"Alle duiven op de dam" 

Old vs new

Anyways back to the present. Went to a night market, didn't ring any bells. But I knew I had gone to one before when I was here and I did have pretty vivid memories of what it looked like. There was a daily one, a saturday one and a sunday one. Luckily I was here for the weekend so I saw all of them. It ended up to be the sunday one (only did a little bit of it according to my blog) and I indeed recognize some of the set up! But my god, it was neverending. Turn after turn after turn, I just kept to my right, crossed at the end and went the same way back, another turn the right, crossed at the end, etc. etc. until I was back at the start. It ended up being 5km!!! Some parts were super busy but there wasn't any point in turning back, I was too far in already so I just kept going. Hardly ate anything, was too busy everywhere haha. Had a few snacks and a lot of water! That was every night to be honest, I started the day with steamed white rice and a thai omelette nextdoor to my hotel anywhere between 12 and 2pm, went for a walk and back to the room for a bit and then to whatever nightmarket was on that day, had a few snacks and went back to the room for a bath before going to bed. I also had a footmassage on day 1, a pedicure (without polish) and a back/head/everything massage on day 2, that left me a bit bruised so nothing on day 3 haha. We did some serious acrobatics together.

My favorite!!

"Next round's on me" 

Snacks/dinner

New earrings

Great music, reminded me of a pasar malam and so I had thai satay!

Haha this was crazy. Rings made from coins, brass and silver. I think one ring was 3 or 4 euros and the more you bought, the less you would pay per ring.

I also walked to the new part of Chiang Mai, the modern side. And I noticed lots of Japanese influences as well, also in old town and on the night markets. Didn't remember that from before either. According to Google it's something from the last 10-15years so sounds about right. Happy days, I had a lot of gyoza, my favorite!!

Japanese style products on every market

I loved these little cats in Japan, funny to see it on the markets here as well!

I walked an average of 10km a day in Chiang Mai, just discovering the city and daily life. On one of the night markets I heard a girl tell her friend " I wasn't prepared moneywise fot all the shopping here'. Haha, there is a lot of shopping in Thailand, and I remember my first time here and what I bought. It wasn't much but still, even stuff you need, a shirt or shampoo. You really don't need to bring much but you'll probably bring more back home. I didn't buy a lot in Chiang Mai. A few hairclips, the same I had before but broke recently and couldn't find them back home. And postcards that I send on day 2 or something. Found them outside of old town in a really nice artsy shop. Post office was accross from the hotel/place I ate so easy peasy! Luckily I'm not a big shopper, although I did see some pretty cool stuff, mostly for others of course haha. But I also have to fly back to Bangkok and don't want to pay for luggage.

And life is still pretty cheap here. It's more expensive now because of the exhange rate but compared to 2010, prices in Thai Bath are pretty much the same. Some prices went up a bit but nothing to complain about. Cheapest massages I saw was around 3euros for 30minutes, outside. Inside, maybe 4. I paid 7-8euros for an hour. And always left a tip, which again isn't much in euros. 

I think I need to go to the dentist again!

Walking around town is pretty safe, especially in old town. Traffic moves around you, there's no honking and easy to cross streets. Outside old town, you do have to pay a bit more attention but it's still pretty easy and safe. The streets are full of ATMs, massageplaces and places to eat/drink and of course to shop. There's also plenty of temples around, I've seen too many in my life already haha but you can't really avoid them here. I did enjoy a few of them by night though! And there's also plenty of tours and activities around, which I skipped as well this time around. I did see that the zipline company I went with in 2010 was still around and they added a zipline 'rollercoaster' but in the end I decided not to go back. Maybe next time :-)! 

Went next door again, a little before 12 this time as I had to leave around then to catch the minivan to Pai in time. And the girl was just cleaning "my table", so happy I got to sit there again for a final time. Had my usual, steamed white rice with a thai omelet and a watermelon juice. Left a tip and left to check out at the hotel. I don't remember if I left any tips during my backpacking days. I think I did on occasion but probably lower amounts 😅. And it feels good to be able to give more this time around. It's funny how being back here, back where it all began, my backpacking days, my first trip to Asia, brings back all these memories and feelings (and sometimes things to think over).

I've enjoyed being back in Chiang Mai, even though I didn't recognize that much. It's a fun town, everything is in walking distance and there's plenty to see and do! Loved having a bath as well! But it's time to go! Next stop is Pai!

Cheers,

T.