Getting Settled in a Chiang Mai Condo

Hi all!   I made it back to Chiang Mai in one piece and the next thing on the agenda was to sign the contract for my new condo!  I had spent the week before I left looking at places with an apartment broker.  I was looking for something small with a kitchen.  What I found out was that most apartments and condos don’t have kitchens, just a fridge and a microwave.  I finally found one in the location I wanted, an area called Nimmanhaemin, which is preferred by foreigners because it has easy access to lots of restaurants and shops. The little one bedroom condo I found is right in front of a construction zone, so the owner was having a hard time renting it.  They’d been doing construction on the apartment building behind my condo in Sacramento for years and it wasn’t that big of a deal, so I decided to go for it.  This enabled me to get it for almost half price, quite a good deal (8000 baht = $245 US per month)!  What’s funny is that it’s not the construction that is the loudest, it’s the planes.  There is an airport nearby and I swear, half the time I think they are going to fly right through my window, they are so loud!  So that’s something to get used to.   Other than that, I love this place!  It is so cute and perfect for what I need!  After all my exotic (and expensive) travels, I need to take a break and save some money so I am going to stay here at least six months, go to my Thai classes, try to learn how to cook and whatever else I discover during my stay here.  It is nice to have a place to call home again and have some time to really dig in and learn about Thailand on a much deeper level than just a tourist.  I am looking forward to what I will discover!

Operation Thai Visa

Hello from Vientiane, Laos!  It was my intention to be back in Chiang Mai by now but things didn’t go as planned.   I left Chiang Mai on Tuesday the 14th and came here to Vientiane, Laos to apply for a six month education visa.  What that means is I signed up with a school that offers Thai classes that cater to foreigners and helps with the visa paperwork.  So when I get this visa, I will be able to stay in Thailand for six months without having to do what they call a “visa run,” whereas people on regular tourist visas have to renew every 90 days.  In exchange, I agree to take a certain number of hours of Thai classes, which will be helpful for me to navigate and communicate while I am in Chiang Mai. .

Statue in front of the temple across the street from my hotel in Laos.

The first complication was that last week was the new year celebration for both Thailand and Laos, which meant most offices were closed for most of the week.  There was nothing I could do about it, my Thai visa was set to expire on the 18th. I checked the official website of the Thai Embassy in Vientiane, and it showed that they would be open Wednesday and Friday.  So I decided to buy a one way plane ticket in on Tuesday, get settled in my hotel, drop off the paperwork on Wednesday and pick it up on Friday.  A little bit about Thai new year.  It is called Songkran, and Chiang Mai is one of the most popular places for celebrating it.  The traffic in Thailand is already ranked one of the worst in the world and during Songkran, it turns into absolute mayhem.  On top of that, a traditional way to celebrate Songkran is to go out with a bucket or water gun and splash everyone you can.  So the city basically turns into one huge drunk water fight.  Hundreds of people die in traffic accidents and thousands are injured.  Many foreigners, like myself, hide away during Songkran for safety.

The tuk tuk drivers have these ingenious hammocks that get stored on a bar under the roof when they are working, and can be brought down for them to relax in during the afternoon when it is hot and they are waiting for clients.

What does this have to do with my trip?  I had to take a taxi to the airport, which would mean going out during Songkran.  I wanted to be safe, plus I heard rumors of the traffic being so backlogged it could take up to four hours to get there.  So I hailed a taxi at 8am to avoid the mayhem, which usually starts in midmorning.  My plan worked.  It took us 15 minutes to get to the airport, which means I wouldn’t miss my flight but now I had all day to wait, since my flight was at 3pm.  Most of the staff looked at me like I was crazy when they saw how early I was but I just made my way to the lounge and did some reading.  It wasn’t too bad and before I knew it, I was on my way to Vientiane.

This is not my photo.  I rarely use any photos but my own, but I wanted you to get an idea of how Buddha Park is laid out.

Wednesday morning rolled around and I had all my paperwork ready to go.  I hailed a taxi and off we went to the embassy.  We got there and there was a sign on the gate saying they would be closed that day and reopen on Friday.  Dang.  That meant that I would have to extend my stay here until at least Monday, assuming there were no other unexpected delays.

Since I had some downtime on Thursday, I did go see a place called Buddha Park.  Basically it’s about an acre of land that has huge stone sculptures of Buddha and various other deities scattered about.  It was fun to walk around and take pictures.  So that was one touristy thing I got to do.  I’m really glad I did, it was a lot of fun! Friday morning came and once again I got all my papers ready and went down to the lobby to call a taxi.  I asked the receptionist and he said "sorry, no taxi."  What???  I looked at him and said "Please, I really need to go to the embassy this morning."  He shrugged his shoulders.  "Please, it is very important!  I must go now!"  He sighed and picked up the phone again.  In a few minutes, he said "ok, taxi come in 15 minutes."  I bowed and said "Thank you so much!"  Apparently he had called someone who lived near the hotel and was on his day off.  He got me to the embassy and I successfully submitted my paperwork.  I paid him double his fee and that cheered him up.  He said "if you ever need a driver, call me!"  Visa processing takes one business day but since I dropped it off on Friday, I would have to wait until Monday to pick it up.  I spent the weekend relaxing and doing a bit of exploring around the hotel but nothing big because it was so hot and I didn't want to do a tour.

As of this writing, it is Monday afternoon and I have successfully secured my Visa and am able to re-enter the Kingdom of Thailand!  I have booked a plane ticket back to Chiang Mai for tomorrow so tonight is just for me to relax.  After a stressful week of wondering if and when I was going to get that Visa I am ready for some down time!

A Journey of Change

I am sitting here in my room in Chiang Mai at the beginning of my journey wondering where it will all lead.  I suspect I am not the only one who sold everything and moved to an exotic country that wonders what have I done and what does my future hold?  I have flung the door of my future wide open and ask nothing except that whatever I do brings me happiness and health.  I have stepped far away from the track of planning my life, any illusion of certainty, into a life of going where the wind blows me and trusting that it all works out in the end.  I was looking out the window today at a rainstorm and sitting in the knowledge that I am at the beginning of a journey that will change me, is changing me.  I will not know the full effects of this change until later when I look back at the person I was when I started and the person I will become as time goes on.  It is exciting to know that it is happening now, with every experience I have, every trip that scares and excites me at the same time.  

I have already noticed some things about myself as a traveler.  I have long known that I have some obsessive compulsive tendencies.  These make me a great organizer since I like to have all my ducks in a row and have a plan b and c.  I pay attention to my surroundings, I remember where I put everything and notice if something has been moved.  On the other hand, I like to have things just so, to be in control, and to have all the supplies I can think of at hand for every given scenario.  That is nearly impossible when traveling unless I want to bring extra suitcases with me.  Rather than giving in to that impulse, I limit myself to one suitcase, pack what I think is the most important and make do with what I have.  That is a good skill for me to learn.  I think part of that compulsion toward being prepared is a good thing; it has helped me many times.  But there is a dark side to it, which is wanting to have all eventualities covered out of fear that I will need something and not have it.  So I am finding a balance between being prepared and trusting my resourcefulness and ability to adapt.  

I want to continue to grow, to become more self-sufficient and adaptable, to learn how to achieve the same results with less or at least with whatever I can find wherever I am.  I love learning about ways people cure common ailments in different countries,  the foods they eat and the customs they practice.  I already love my expanding knowledge of geography and how to traverse all the places I have been to and this is just the tip of the iceberg.  So here’s to life and learning and following your heart no matter now frightening that can be!

My Date With Tigers

This week I went to a place called Tiger Kingdom. It’s about a 30 minute drive out of Chiang Mai, and when you get there you buy a ticket based on what kind of tiger you want to see; babies, medium sized, or the big ones.  I picked a package that included the babies and the biggest tigers.  For an extra fee, you can also hire a photographer to go in with you and take pictures.  That’s the main attraction, it’s basically a photo shoot with tigers.  I love photo shoots and I love tigers, so this had my name written all over it!  

There was a long line for the biggest tigers, but no wait for the medium sized ones (of course, who wants to see medium sized tigers when there are big ones?) So I decided to switch so I could go immediately.  The so-called medium sized tigers were still very impressive.  Tigers are awe inspiring animals.  I have watched more than my share of National Geographic (I’m kind of an addict) but nothing prepares you for being right next to one.  For safety, we were not allowed to get anywhere near the front half of the cat, we were only to approach from the back and we could pet the back end and give it a tummy rub it if rolled over.  They are beautiful animals.  Their front paws are massive, hard to describe.  Easily bigger than my hands, and so powerful.  You can see the muscles rippling through their shoulders and ribcage.  I was so happy just sitting there with the tiger.  I am different when I am with animals, it’s like I can feel their energy and it makes me forget myself, makes me change.  Someday I want to do real work with these animals but for now, I'll settle for a photo shoot.

After that, I went to see the baby tigers.  We had to take off our shoes and put on special slippers and wash our hands before we could go in the enclosure.  They were so cute and they acted just like kittens only they were bigger and distinctly tiger-ish.  They were more active than the adults (aren’t kids always?) and were busy exploring their surroundings, tripping over their paws, and climbing over their trainer (which was adorable).  Again, it was so invigorating just to be in their space and just watch their little antics.  

I had so much fun that day I decided to go back the next day right when they opened and see the biggest tigers.  I’m glad I did.  Once again, I was awestruck by their size and strength.  And yet they were very patient with us walking around, petting them and taking pictures.  The trainers offered them treats for posing for the camera and played games with them. There is no question in my mind that if they didn’t want to cooperate, they wouldn’t. 

On the way back, we stopped at the PooPoo Paper gift shop, where they sell paper products made out of elephant and water buffalo dung.  The science behind it is that elephants and water buffalo eat tons of grass but they don’t break down the fiber all the way so their poo has a high fiber content.  So they remove the fiber and clean it (of course) and use it to make paper.  Genius!  I love any kind of creative recycling products.  

Life in Chiang Mai

Hi from my cute little apartment in Chiang Mai! Here's a video if you'd like a tour. It’s only been a week but it feels like it’s been a month!  I’m not going to lie, the first night I was lonely and a little freaked out.  I’ve been on my own for years, and I always travel solo, so the only thing I can think of to explain it is that in my mind, I thought this is it.  This is the beginning of My New Life in an apartment, not a resort.  Here I am, all alone in the city.  I lay in bed, listening to the city sounds, people talking, dogs barking, cars, airplanes passing overhead.  Will I be able to fit in with these people?  Will these sounds become normal to my ears? View from my window I made it through my first night and wondered what I was going to do for breakfast.  They offer a “breakfast” here at the apartment, but it leaves much to be desired.  By Thai standards it is expensive and all they had was some tired, grey looking chicken soup, orange “juice” (not from real oranges I think) and white bread next to a toaster.  I ate that and went back to my room.  A few hours later I was still hungry so I set out to see what I could find on the street.  There is very little English on the signs here; this is not a big tourist area.  I walked down the street to my left and looked for signs of food.  At first I didn’t see much, and what I saw I didn’t know how to eat, so I kept walking.  Finally I saw something that looked like an eating place, it was a shack with tables and there were people eating, so I walked up and said “restaurant?”  They smiled and handed me a menu all in Thai.  I looked at them with a confused look on my face and fortunately one of the guys walked to me and said “Rice? Chicken?” I nodded and they motioned me to sit down inside.  He went over to the front, pulled some chicken out of a cooler and threw it into a huge wok.  I thought to myself, at least it will be freshly cooked.  A woman put some rice on a plate from a big rice cooker, he put the chicken on the plate, and she brought it over to me.  About that time another "foreign" lady walked up to them and said “Rice?”  She was alone so I stood up and waved to her and asked her if she would like to join me.  She said yes and sat down.  She received the same food that I did and we both ate and chatted and found out we were staying at the same place!  So we walked back together and became fast friends.  Her name is Vicki. This is how they package food, some call it Thai tupperware.  You'll see hundreds of these in food stalls on the street.  It's pretty ingenious, actually. For the next couple of days, I did almost everything with Vicki.  She showed me what she knew of the city, having been here a month already.  She suggested we go to a local organic farm that offers cooking classes.  It turned out to be a fabulous idea!  The cooking school picked us up in a van with all the other students (maybe ten) and took us to a market to show us where to buy the ingredients.  Then they took us to the farm where we made curry paste from scratch with a mortar and pestle, coconut soup (my favorite), chicken stir fry, spring rolls, and a dessert called banana in coconut milk.  I have never cooked like that in my life with all fresh ingredients and it tasted amazing!  It makes me feel like maybe I can learn this cooking stuff after all.    Wrapping spring rolls at the Thai Farm Cooking School Pounding curry! I have been slowly branching out, looking at maps to figure out where the heck I am and taking longer and longer trips away from my apartment, being very careful that I can find my way back.  The people here are very polite, everyone greets you and if you smile, they smile back. If you bow, they return the gesture with a smile.  I am slowly picking up phrases, mostly hello (sa-wat-dee) and thank you (kob-khun).  I say those two phrases many times a day.  Yesterday I started working on my numbers, thinking that it would come in handy for shopping.  I have roughly memorized the first ten, but this is a tonal language so I won’t really get the nuances until later.  But it is a start.

Fish on the grill.  You buy it just like that, they stick it in a plastic bag, and you eat it.  I actually did eat one of these,  It was delicious! This was also for sale at a street vendor.  I did not buy this, just took the picture. I am optimistic about Chiang Mai.  I like the people and I am learning my way around.  Slowly, one by one, things become less mysterious.  I didn’t know it when I booked this apartment, but it is in a fairly remote location away from a lot of the things I would like access to and transportation is tricky.  So I am going to start looking into places closer to where I want to be.  But in the meantime, it is a darling apartment and I love it so I am enjoying my time here.