SEA: Chiang Mai, Thailand

22 November 2012
On our fifth day. Bus rides are quite interesting (understatement yun) Almost halfway to Chiang Mai. We're just waiting... for.. I have no idea.. Still overbudget. I'm looking forward to the whitewater rafting and the floating market.. So pissed off with my camera.. should have been taking great pictures by now..


Chiang Mai. We arrived at this city past afternoon. After realizing we do not have money left to spend, we ditch the 500THB acomodation we had reserved and settled for the cheapest room we can get 350THB.
And what else to do in Thailand..Shop!

Overbudget!!

Retail therapy

The following morning, we signed ourselves to a tour package which included white water rafting, a visit to a butterfly park, elephant ride, a visit to the long neck village and a waterfall at the end.

temple offerings

Gearing up!

buffet lunch

So-called "butterfly" farm

elephant ride

The whitewater rafting was a joke. We only had two or three rapids which were so-so. Most of the time, we find ourselves floating..just floating into nowhere. I believe, we have better rapids back home. Can't wait to prove this to myself. CDO, anyone?

The visit to the long neck village was a tourist trap. We thought we would interact with the tribe, something. It turned out it was just a line of huts of souvenirs and local dressed as tribeswoman. A western was so pissed off she gave our guide a piece of her mind. Haha. Even the butterfly farm we went into was a complete joke. A lot of orchids but we saw not a single butterfly. Haha.

I find Chiang Mai torelable compared to Bangkok. Bangkok is crazy. Much like Quiapo. Chiang mai has less people. A lot of quaint shops. And its night market is easier to navigate compared to Bangkok's. It's a pity we were early for their festival. We could have witnessed Chiang Mai's sky lit with hundreds of lanterns. Haist. 

Well.. kaya nga naimbento un word na "next time". hehe