8/14/10 (chiang rai)

Chiang Rai

Have we talked about the amazing people we have met on our travels? Maybe we should emphasize this again. Our friend Pai from Bangkok who hooked us up with his father Mr. Sak in Chiang Mai, came through again big time. I had been able to install 99% of the software I lost on my computer crash via download while we had fast internet in Chiang Rai. I use some pretty specialized software to handle the photos and videos you see on this blog and the missing piece for my rebuild was the video editing software that isn't available via download. This was key in me finishing up the New Zealand recap and working on any videos in the near future. We asked Pai if he could hook us up with a copy of the software and within two days he had a package on an overnight bus to Chiang Rai scheduled to arrive at eight this morning with everything I needed. I am not sure what I would have done without him and will repay him in the future as our paths will cross again. I know he reads these articles, so thank you Pai. I owe you big time for all your help.

We still had our jeep for the morning so Annie and I drove to the bus station and picked up the package. We returned and I installed the remaining software and put the finishing touches on the New Zealand recap and posted it online.

One of the more handy things we have encountered while in Chiang Rai was a mysterious map that broke down the downtown areas with insightful knowledge of the best noodle soup, good vegetarian, and massage parlors with no hookers. The hotel gave us this hand drawn map upon arrival and we were instantly curious who authored it. One of the prime destinations on our mystery map was Orn's Bookshop. It was labeled the best in town and Annie and I have become connoisseur of used book shops on our travels. In the afternoon we thought we would go check it out. The bookshop was located on the second floor of Orn's house who was a kind, middle aged Westerner who guided us to the English section. We swapped stories on guidebooks and then explored the selection for the next fifteen minutes. Annie exchanged an old Cambodian book with Orn and in what was a brilliant marketing move, we discovered that he was the creator of the mystery map. He quickly gave us his latest copy that he updates every few weeks and provides to the local hotels.

Later that night we returned to the night market intent on trying a very popular hot pot we have seen many Thais eat. Annie handled the ordering and within a few minutes we had a bubbling clay pot heated by red hot coals on our table. This is a very old world version of something you would get at a fondue restaurant and we had a large selection of seafood and fresh vegetables to cook and enjoy. After diner we headed to the Chiang Rai clock tower that has a daily evening light show promptly at 9pm. I thought it would be nice to capture as a final time lapse in Thailand. After a half an hour we headed back to our hotel to plan our departure to Laos.

When we got back, instead of planning, we decided to get a late night Thai massage. I had yet to try this in Thailand and with Annie's encouragement we decided it was now or never. When we arrived at Pai Massage (no relation to our friend Pai) we were warmly greeted but they are a little confused as to what to make of the Asian and the whitey together. This is compounded by the fact that they can't figure out where Annie is from. Two ladies escorted us up to the third story of the building into a dark room and helped us get situated with our garments and mattresses. For the next hour my Thai masseuse went to work relieving a week's worth of intense stress built up from my computer crash. She contorted, pulled, squeezed, and massaged me into all angles. I couldn't help but break out into uncontrollable laughter as this small woman hoisted my entire body on her bent knees while attempting to crack my back all the while asking in broken English how many kilograms I weighed. It was pretty wonderful and excruciating all at the same time. When we returned we decided to push our Laos trip off another day. It is a nice luxury to have time on our side and we will extend our trip in Thailand by one day to dial in the final details of our departure. 

Comments

[ml]

I am trying to picture the book store and the experience there. It is like out of a movie and who is that long, haired whitey jumping on the bed.

[Seattle Annie]

You're looking very escaped mental patient and Dexterish in that photo J.C.

[Jon Carr]

You failed to compliment the sexy chest hair.