Week Three Update, Chiang Mai Trip

I've been in Thailand now for about three weeks. So far, it's pretty much everything I hoped it would be. Food is amazingly cheap, the people are super friendly, and in general Thailand is really laid back and accommodating. While the weather has been mostly cloudy lately, it's still warm by North American standards, and a daily dip in the pool has become part of my routine.

Back home a Pad Thai dish probably runs around $12 or $13 a plate. Some of the best Pad Thai I've had here costs around 50 baht ($1.66), so there's quite a big price difference. At one place, you can pay 80 baht ($2.66) for Pad Thai and a beer, something Scott and I have done quite a few times already. Outside of that, most people here eat a lot of stir fries and coconut-milk based curries, all of which is amazingly tasty. I've even been working hard at making most dishes at home as well, so I imagine when I leave I'll be able to add a pile of Thai dishes to my cooking repertoire.

While I try to walk to most places close by, there's lots to see and do on the island. To help cover the distances, we've all rented scooters for our time here. I was a little bit timid on the scooter at first, but I've pretty much got the hang of it now. It's still a bit scary riding around on them here - most people go way too fast, and there don't really appear to be any hard and fast traffic rules. We're all wearing helmets, but it's amazing how many people you see who aren't (probably at least half). I wouldn't be surprised at all if I see a scooter accident before my time here is done.

The only real hitch so far has been the internet in the complex we're in. At first Scott and I offered some help thinking it would be a really quick fix, but we've been passively working on it for three weeks now. Thankfully today I think we solved the final piece of the puzzle, and it now seems to be purring like a BitTorrenting kitten again.

Scott and Samantha left yesterday to head up to Bangkok for a few days. I'll be meeting up again with Scott later this week in Chiang Mai, a northern city in Thailand and the home of a lot of historical buildings and Thai culture. I'm flying out of Koh Samui, passing through Bangkok briefly, and then eventually end up in Chiang Mai. Scott and I have already scoped out a little brew pub up there that apparently makes German style beers. While Chang, Leo and Singha beers quench the thirst, they aren't really novelty beers by any stretch of the imagination. So having a darker, tastier brew will be a welcome experience this weekend.

Like Ushuaia, I'll probably be staying in a hostel up there, which should hopefully be a great way to meet a few people. There are lots of cool things to do up in Chiang Mai, including some elephant rides, so hopefully I get a chance to partake in it all. Either way though, it'll be nice to get out with my camera and take some photos.