My First Backpacking Adventure

The train ride was not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. It turned out that the seats reclined and were soft contrary to what the man who I bought the train ticket said. So that was a bonus, and seeing as I was exhausted from minimal sleep the 3 night before, I actually had my best sleep of the trip so far on that train. The only thing that interrupted it was the train stopping every hour in a different city to pick up new passengers. So I arrived in Chiang Mai at 8am and picked up a taxi to the hostel where I met up with Kurt. We decided to rent a scooter so he could show me around the city. You can rent them everywhere here for really cheap, about 6 bucks for 24 hours. I don't trust my motor bike skills (because I have none) so Kurt drove with me on the back in the crazy traffic. We got lost multiple times trying to find this restaurant by the river to have lunch in, and after getting a map and asking for directions a couple times we finally made it, at least an hour after we set out. Had a good lunch and then decided to go for a massage. Kurt heard that they have a rehabilitation center for Thai women that get sent to jail where they work instead of just sit in the prison all day. They do various things like run a restaurant and give massages. So we went and got the traditional Thai massage which was good. At times it seemed more like yoga, or the chiropractor as they cracked your knuckles and toes and spine, and literally arched your back in the air with their knees, but it felt very good, and I realized after that it was my first professional massage ever. At night Kurt took me and a Scottish guy out to a local Thai bar where we were to meet up with some local girls Kurt met. They are all going to an English business school and like the chance to practice talking in English. This bar was very nice, Kinda like an Earl's but way bigger and with multiple bands performing in different areas. At these bars you buy a bottle of alcohol and then they provide coke, water and ice for you. All the Thai's love whiskey, and we got a bottle of Johnny Walker's red label for the night. Had a fun night and finished it off with some street food before coming back to crash at the hostel. Kurt actually knows a bit of Thai, and were gonna go for a lesson today at noon. Everyone seems to appreciate it a lot when he tries to talk with them in Thai, and he can carry on a short conversation which is pretty impressive. We will probably spend another night or two here and then move on to Laos. It looks like you can book a bus to the border and then take a boat for two days to reach the city of Luang Prabang. I tried out the scooter this morning in the side streets and thought I was doing Ok, So I took it out on the main road and made one right turn (you drive on the opposite side here) and immediately gave up and parked the thing. As much as I would love to learn how to drive a motorcycle, I'm positive I would kill myself If I tried to learn how on these streets, especially while sporting a mild hangover. So better judgment prevailed and I think I'll be sticking to the side streets for now. La Gon (that's goodbye in Thai according to Kurt.