The Plunge... I think I would have more regrets NOT doing this trip, than I will by taking this plunge! Ready, set, GO...

We asked a local where the best place to get a massage in Chiang Mai is, and the answer was: “The Thai Blind Massage Center”. We decided to give it a try, since locals know best. What we got was an experience! I’ve been to several weirdo massage/ nail parlors before… like in San Francisco, me and my mom went to get pedicures in a place with birds flying around inside, a cranky Chinese lady screaming at the poor girl getting waxed behind closed doors, and getting told to wrap our freshly painted nails in saran wrap and put them in the microwave to dry! The Thai massage parlor was another one of those “what am I doing in here???” experiences. But the feeling to run came after it was too late! Our masseurs were led into the communal massage room by hand, since they were blind. Phil’s guy was wearing arm sleeves with bears on them, and my guy was dressed in a sweatshirt, though the room was hot as hell! The room reminded me of a crusty make-shift hospital room in a third world country war zone, with people on every available bed, within plain view of each other. Every 2 beds had a curtain, which was what made me think hospital, but nobody closed them. Beside me was a lady who was getting massaged so hard and viciously, that she kept GROANING. Really loud. Sounds of agony from the bed beside me. This didn’t start until about 20 minutes into my massage. but it went all the way through the rest of the hour. She sounded like a porno video. On our right, was a lady who was BURPING repeatedly, really, really loud. Think Homer Simpson beer burps! My guy was a strong handed super man who gave me a work over. He spoke no English, so my pleas for him to lighten his pressure went unheeded. I was crying out loud, and banging on the bed, like a wrestler who gets pinned into submission! I almost cried at one point when he was pulling my legs into places they don’t go! I don’t understand why Thai massage is so popular. It hurts. Its not relaxing. And the massage therapists seem to be out to kill. I’ve had 2 of them, and I’m never getting another. My Blind Thai massage came with multiple bruises the next day. A nice souvenir of the unforgettable experience!