A little R&R
So I left Bangkok for the quieter vibe of Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. I decided to fly simply because a 12 hour bus ride was not what the doctor ordered for my already travel- depressed self. I am feeling much better. Chiang Mai is definitely quieter and while it isn’t cold by any means it lacks the suffocating heat, humidity and pollution that Bangkok has. I figure I will spend the next couple of days here waiting for the 2 wounds on my arm and leg to heal completely. I figure with less people here I can just relax and not feel like I am in party central with absolutely nothing to do but sulk.
There are lots of book shops and coffee shops around Chiang Mai. Since alchohol thins the blood and I still have wounds that are technically open, I have to stay away from the $1 beer scattered all over town. It is amazingly more difficult than I thought to not drink. Not so much because I want to be in a drunken haze my entire trip but going to a bar and having a beer is a great social activity and without that it is difficult to meet locals and other travelers. I have traded in the beer for fruit milk shakes. I have been tasting the banana shakes as often as possible and putting them down like beer.
I have to see the doctor again tomorrow. I could actually go to the pharmacy and get the material myself to re-wrap it but the clinic isn’t too expensive here and I would rather hear from the doctor that things still look ok and not infected.
Not much else going on right now. I am in the city where I need to be towards the end of March. I haven’t decided if I am going to hang out in northern Thailand till then or go back to Bangkok for a little bit once I feel better and then come back up. That is a lot of back tracking but an overnight train isn’t too expensive and it will be just like getting a hotel for the night so no big deal. I would arrive in Bangkok in the morning and do the same when I return to Chiang Mai.
My one big concern right now is not overstaying my Thai visa. The penalties are pretty hefty if that occurs so I have to think about making a border run and that might be just the thing to do with the extra time I have. I can head towards the Burmese border for a day trip and get stamped on my way out and come right back in with a renewed 30 day free visa. I would head to Laos but I think the journey is a bit long and I plan to go to Laos anyway. The only other options are Cambodia which is extremely far from where I am now or flying to Ho Chi Min City, Kuala Lumpur or some other affordable destination, although I would like to avoid that. I have to think of something or else I will be officially an illegal alien.
Tags: bangkok, chiang mai, Thailand
Joey
Joey Bear!
I hope your back up to snuff in time for Marisa’s wedding. Sadly my air miles can’t get me any flights out for quite I while and it sounds like you probably would still be around. 🙁 So have some fun on my behalf.
Rachel
Hey Joey,
Sorry I missed your IM the other day….sounds like things are going better now. If you can, I would highly recommend getting over to Cambodia – it was a long ride, something like 10 hours brom Siem Reap to Bangkok, but Angkor Wat and Siem Reap were my favorite places on my trip. Then, there is always next time! 🙂
Have you thought about going to a consulate? You may be able to get a tourist visa (the one I got is $25, good for 60 days) that lets you stay longer. It’s worth a shot to ask them if you don’t want the hassle of wondering where to cross the border…