Thailand Part 2: Chiang Mai and Beyond

I've been in Bangkok for the last few days.... long story which I'll get to eventually!!

6th May - The 30 Year Old Virgin Rent Boy

Flew by propellor plane (a novel experience for someone who is... uncomfortable... with flying)... picked up again by private transfer (everything is sooo easy here in Thailand) and arrived at the Royal Princess. This hotel was totally superb.. classy.

Wandered... for hours through Chiang Mai searching out an elusive gay district... we never did get there. We were so tired and grumpy by the end we got a tuk tuk back. Tuk tuks are far less exciting than I had been led to believe. That was something to cheer up scaredy cat Jae!!

Dinner was had a bar called Friends just near the Night Bazaar where our barmen Ken delighted us by guessing we were gay. Sweet! Then went to a gay bar called Friendship where we met Sit... he claimed to be a 30 year old virgin but I doubt both those ascertains.. he decided to sit next to me and cope a good feel... repeatedly... pictures will follow... made a hasty retreat.

7th May - We Should Have Brought A Bigger Elephant.

Headed out of Chiang Mai with our tour guide (who lived in Folkestone for a year... small world!) to go elephant trekking in the north. After walking over a rickety rope bridge we got to feed the elephants and watch them bathe. This was followed by a logging show and then... the Ride. They saw us and immediately called for a gigantic elephant... HUGE! It was also very headstrong and would repeatedly stop in the most inappropriate places (on a steep hill, in a river or just above a deep ravine) and eat... and eat... and eat. There was no moving him! :) Got back and had a lunch (FEAST!) by the river before heading to a log raft and spending an hour floating serenely downstream... very lovely. Afterwards we went to a very dull orchid farm before heading back to the hotel. Had dinner by the river in a lovely, perfectly lighted restaurant called the Good View.

8th May... Living The Good Life

Hired a tuk tuk to take us to the zoo.... for 300 Baht (less than a fiver) he agreed to drive us around the zoo so we didn't have to use our legs (LAZY!). There were pandas (I saw one briefly... shy creatures!), a hilarious childrens show, crocodiles and caymens and just about any animal put on this planet. It was awesome... spent 4 hours there. Had lunch at an O'Malleys as I was beginning to miss ketchup... dinner at Le Bristrot (a crappy Italian restaurant...) and then some goodbye drinks with Ken at Friends... and several games of Connect 4. He was well good.

9th May - The Nightmare Begins...

We flew to Ko Samui. As the plane decended (thank God the Italians on board had driven me into a near hysteria) to the island I looked out the window and saw a tropical paradise. This was one of the only fond memories I have of the place.

tbc