Chiang Rai

I came up to Chiang Rai for a few days to see the sights after a few relaxing days in CM The plan was to base here and go visit a few spots. Things didnt quite pan out like that though. I arrived in CR without having managed to prebook any cheap hostel. They also seem to have done a Ryanair on things since there is a new bus terminal about 20 mins outside of CR proper thus requiring a tuk tuk to get in. The driver proceeded to try and get me to stay in a place that would have given him a tip for his troubles. Sadly i was in no mood to be ripped off so i wandered 5 mins up the street an found a cheap dorm bed. This, however, was not the best thing about this little gem. I was shown a room with four big mattresses on the floor that were clean and comfy and the showers looked quality too. But this wasnt the best thing about this place either. After dumping my gear and heading downstairs to check in and the owner found out i was irish. "Conas ata tu?" he says. My jaw nearly hit the floor as this is a middle-aged thai guy in Chiang Rai, a place as far from Ireland as im likely to get asking me 'How are you?' in Irish! This, clearly, was the best thing about this place. The guy, Mr Noo, proceeded to ask me my name and said 'thanks' all 'as gaeilge' when i paid for the night. After overcoming my shock and getting a quick shower in i made my way to the night bazaar for some cheap dinner. On the way back i bump into an aussie guy who is staying in the same place and we grab some beers.

The next day myself and Clint (the aussie) take a wander around CR. He wants to do some trekking but im not as keen (its a bit hot) so we decide to wander by some of the hostels and see can we round up any more people to make it cheaper for all involved. We make our way to one spot where we bump into a few people and try to talk them into going trekking. This fails but we hang about and start chatting away. Before you know it its getting dark and my stomach is growling so we get food in this place (Chat Guesthouse) and spend a few more hours talking and drinking. This for me is what all this travelling is about. In the last 2 weeks i have met some really interesting and fun people all with different stories to tell about where they have been and what they have seen as well as where they want to go and what they want to see. A good example is Jen, an aussie girl i met in this guesthouse. We hit it off really well and i ended up taking a vacant spot on a day trip she was on the next day. We spent the whole next day visiting almost all the places on my list (and i had planned to visit in a week!). We most importantly saw the Golden Triangle and got a boat trip on the Mekong river, one of the great rivers of the world. Having done all this in one day i was beginning to wonder what i would do for the rest of my stay but Jen told me about a few other places i should go like the White Temple and the crazy colour changing clock (see pic). So here we have a person who i not only got on really well with but was able to tell me some things to do and see in the city i was in but is also going to keep in touch (could be reading this right now....) and help me out when i go to Australia. She wont be there herself, she is off to Africa (why not?) but is going to get her friends in Sydney to befriend me. I tried to repay some of this by telling her some useful things about thailand and introducing her to 'Khao Soi' which is a signature dish of Northern Thailand. So i made a really valuable connection with someone and by complete chance, simply because another person i met wanted to go trekking. How fickle are the whims of fate.

I would like to finish this piece by noting that in the last week i have preached the gospel of the Galway Cycle and found two new converts. Tom, an English guy i met in CM and Jen. If you are reading this and i have not already told you about it then check out the following site: www.galwaycycle.ie. Anyway i have a few more days here and then back to CM for the madness that is Songkran or as it is now becoming known "the weeklong waterfight".