Thailand Part 4 - Chiang Mai Day 2

Sunday, March 8th
Yes, I may have taken 3 showers since my last email. My guest house is very quiet and nice. Great A/C! It also has a pool. I am leaving in a few to go on my group temple tour. Hoping to find some breakfast beforehand. I should have bought some bananas yesterday in prep, oops. Asia has 30 different banana varieties! I learned that the Portuguese introduced the main variety that we know today to Europe, and then Americas when they moved west. I wonder why they didn't introduce more types. Also, the Portuguese introduced the Thai chili pepper to Thailand. Very important trades!

OK I'm gonna hurry and find something to eat. I must be back at my guest house in 30-60 min for tour pickup.

Oh, and I bought Band-Aids from 7-11. 18baht (under $1). I don't think the open wounds from my chacos will heal up quick enough, but my flip flops work fine with Band-Aids. I brought antibiotic ointment, so I'm using that and monitoring them. Also, after looking at the fish pedicure places I am definitely not doing that. Looks like an infection waiting to happen.

Later that day

My tour was alright, I met a really nice solo-female traveler from Korea/singapore. She works for Expedia as a Korean-to-English translator. But, the temple we went to was super touristy. Lots of Chinese people. But it was still beautiful. We also went to a village that used to sell opium but now sells trinckets. Not a place I'd want to live, pretty depressing. We did not see any long-neck tribe people. I think those dwellings are a little further out of town. I did buy a bag of strawberries for 40baht, about $1.25.

Our tour guide with an Italian couple

my solo female traveler friend

Wat Prathat Doi Suthep

smoothies every day

Now I am enjoying a nice mango smoothie on a patio cafe in town. After I drink it i think i will go back to my guesthouse and enjoy the pool until 5-6ish. The famous night market is tonight. So I want to rest up before checking it out. It goes until midnight, but I don't think I can stay up that long. I was asleep by 8pm yesterday. And I think I leave for Laos at around 2pm tomorrow, so I should have time for a Thai massage before finding a ride to the airport. I haven't booked any tours yet in Laos, so I'll look into that. It's a good way to assure I will meet some other people.

Koi Soi Noodles at the night market