I took a sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, leaving BKK at 6pm from Hualamphong Station at 18:00 (6pm). I took a taxi there because otherwise I would have had to walk to the pier, take the ferry to central pier (13 stops) to catch the skytrain to Silom then take the subway from there. I figured for about the same cost, maybe a bit more, it was probably worth it to take the taxi.
I got to the station and went inside. I looked for a big board showing what platform the different trains were departing from to no avail. I walked outside to where all the platforms were and saw the sign for my train right away, but walked to the other platforms just to double check. I was about 1 1/2 hours early -- train time, that's ridiculous. I went to sit down with my bags at some benches next to my platform. The train pulled in about 15 minutes later, and I was in the perfect place... my car pulled up directly in front of me! :)
I boarded the train and found that there were spots under the seats to slide your bags, so I didn't need to put it at the end of the car. When the train left, it was hardly full, but I soon found that we stop at many little train stops, and soon my car was full. They came around to put down the beds around 8pm or so reading. I went to a used book store (Shaman Books) on Khao San yesterday before I left to get a book. I found the Alchemist which I've been wanting to read and bought that. I started it yesterday and LOVE it. I HIGHLY recommend it if you haven't read it already.
A note on this train. At the end of the cars they have and area with bathrooms, etc. There are 2 sinks out in the open that people use to wash hands, brush teeth, etc and 2 toilets (seperated by doors, in their own little rooms). I first opened the one toilet and saw that it was a squat style. I thought to myself "you have got to be kidding me, it's hard enough on firm ground" and then I went to get my camera. When I came back, the other one was open, and I went into that one. This turned out to be fantastic because that one had a western style toilet. Yay!!
On the train, I had the bottom bunk. You don't have individual rooms, but your bed curtains off. I stayed up until about 9 or so and then went to bed. It was pitch black out. I surprisingly slept VERY well! When I woke up around 5 am the sun was starting to come up and I could see mountains, mist, banana trees, and the likes. When we got to the station and I got off I could already tell it was cooler up here. I was still wearing pants because I had worn them, and a long sleeved shirt and used my blanket on the train because I was so cold. I'm sure anyone else would have been fine...
The train got in at 7:15am. Before I arrived I had decided on the train which guesthouse I wanted to go to. I went to the information stand to get a map and the woman asked me where I was going. I told her the Parami Guesthouse and she told me where to go to get a taxi. I asked if there was a cheaper way and she told me for 60B cheaper I could get a sawngthaew. All of these thai words have accent marks over them, but I can't figure out how to do it on these computers. :P The woman called to someone nearby and told him where I was going. He led me outside to the sawngthaew. These are pickup trucks with 2 benches mounted down either side in the back, covered, and with railings. He took me to the Parami. I walked in and a woman told me the receptionist would get there around 8. It was 7:40. She told me I could wait on a couch there. I had to walk across little stepping stones of a pond to get there in this fabulous cute little place. It has so much character!
The girl got there at 8 and gave me my room. I have a single again, but this time I share a shower. I have my own toilet, and a much bigger bed. The room is smaller, but I like it much more because it is decorated and has a window and skylight type window. I took a nap because not much was open yet. I finally left my place around 10 am. I walked across the river to go to Chiang Mai old town area, which is across a moat, walled in. I saw that I was going to pass a post office so I stopped in and asked for post card stamps to send internationally. He seemed to know exactly what I was asking for, but the stamps say 15b on them, which seems like not enough. I'm going to ask at my guesthouse. From there I walked to the old city, stopping for lunch at a little cafe along the way.
After that I was planning to walk around the backpacker area to find costs of different treks offered. I stopped at several. I also picked up information on thai cooking courses. After walking around and stopping in different guesthouses to see what they had to offer, I found the Baan Thai Cooking school. It was mentioned in Lonely Planet, but I saw people there actually DOING, and well, I like the design of the pamphlet. I know..... BUT it had what I wanted more than all the other places I had stopped. SO, tomorrow, I am getting picked up at 9:30am and going to learn to cook Thai!!! It starts off with a market tour to learn about the vegetables, spices, etc. then you learn to cook jasmine & sticky rice, and try some Thai snacks. Throughout the day, until 4pm, I learn to make 6 dishes of my choice (from a list). In the end I get to keep the recipe book. I am excited. When I signed up, the boy told me not to eat tomorrow morning and to prepare myself. I feel like it's Thanksgiving and I know I'm going to eat all day....
After that I continued to walk down the "road" (more like an alley) and a little further I stopped in a guesthouse to see their rooms. Very clean and nice atmosphere, and 2 beds in the room for the price I'm paying now. On wednesday I will move over there because my friend Julia will be joining me.
For those of you who don't know, my friend Julia, who I met when I studied in London decided to come on the trip last Monday, and booked her flights then. She was planning to come to Thailand later in the month, but I convinced her to come longer with me. She just finished her degree at Central Saint Martins in London, where she ended up staying on after studying abroad. She is from Tauranga, New Zealand, but I haven't seen her since London because she was in London when I went to NZ and she was in NZ when I went to London. I'm really excited she's going to come because we traveled to Amsterdam and Dublin together, and she was one of the main people I did things with in London. I know my parents (and rest of the family) are also ecstatic she is joining me so they don't have to worry so much. :)
I also decided to ask there about treks that they offer, and after finding an internet cafe and luckily speaking live with Julia, we have a reservation with them for a trek on Thursday. This place bargained down to a price that had been quoted at another location, but since we are going to be staying there, I'd rather give them the business, and the woman and man that helped me there were SO helpful and nice.
The trek we have reserved is one day only, leaving at 8am. We will first go to a butterfly & orchid farm, then visit 4 hill tribes, including the Long Necks. We ride an elephant through the jungle for 1 hour, then walk for 2 to a waterfall. From there we will hike another hour and white water raft down the river for about 40 minutes. I don't know if the rapid classifications here are the same, I'm assuming they are. The highest we get up to is a class 4, if I remember correctly. The last 20 minutes is rafting by bamboo raft on the calm part. He did tell me that if there was enough rain and the river was too high that we rubber raft the whole way. I think at some point we also ride oxen, I don't really remember, but I will tell you after!
I also inquired several places about getting to Laos, and found what I had already been planning on to be the best way. We will bus to Chiang Khong, near Chiang Rai on the northmost part of Thailand. From there we cross the river/border into Laos to the town of Huay Xai and stay overnight. From there we will take a slow boat down the Mekong River to Luang Prabang with an overnight stop in Pak Beng.
After doing all this, I decided to go see some Wats in Chiang Mai -- which are EVERYWHERE. I read there are about the same number of Wats in Chiang Mai as in Bangkok, which is at least double the size... I went to Wat Chiang Man which houses the Crystal Buddha. From there I walked to Wat Phra Singh, passing a place that looked good to eat, and had the local cuisine being served. On a map I have that is recommended in Lonely Planet, I noticed later that this same area is noted for having lots of places to eat that the locals also enjoy, for good prices. I decided I wanted to go back there for dinner. Way Phra Singh is THE example of Lanna architecture in Chiang Mai. After, I walked to Wat Chedi Luang. This was the Wat I hadn't previously planned to go to because it didn't sound that amazing in the guidebook. I mean, when I look now, it does say "ruins of a huge chedi that collapsed during an earthquake in 1545..." I clearly missed the HUGE part. I got there and was STUNNED. I was blown away by how tall/big these ruins were. And you can't see it right away from most street angles until you're right there. So good thing I decided to go there.... :D
After that It was about 4:30 so I decided to go back to that place I had seen to have dinner. Well apparently all of Chiang Mai closes around that time because that, and ALL of those eateries were closed/closing when I got there. so first I was really bummed, and second, I don't understand!!! I was really close to the internet cafe from before so I decided to come here to write a bit. I was going to upload more pictures but I didn't bring my cable with me. So now, even more hungry, I'm going to find some food.
Chiang Mai's biggest attraction is its night market, which I might go to tonight, or save it for tomorrow night, and I know Julia and I will go another night as well.
