Chiang Rai

I'm back in Thailand! I liked it so much, I had to come back. Actually, it's just a short stop on the way to Laos, but I hadn't spent much time in the north, so it's a welcome one. Chiang Rai province borders Myanmar and Laos and is home to a number of hill tribes. I arrived in a holiday, so missed the chance to visit the hill tribe museum where I could have learned about them, but hopefully I'll get a chance to visit a few tomorrow. When I arrived, I first headed to the bus station to find out how to get to the Laotian border. My original plan was to spend the day here today, go on a overnight 2-day hike tomorrow and the next day, and catch the bus up to Laos in the afternoon. Unfortunately, although buses run until 5, the tuk-tuk drivers that cross the border go home and I would be stuck in Thailand until the next morning. That just won't do! I have a tour to catch early the following morning and a border crossing would certainly interfere. Alas, I have to stay another night at Le Meridien instead. What a pity! After a few (like 4) bad hostels and guesthouses last week, it's totally worth it. I'm really not a very good backpacker. At least I'm getting SPG points!

I decided to figure out the plan for the next day later and do some sight-seeing. First stop, Wat Rong Kuhn, AKA the White Temple. What a weird place! It's gorgeous, don't get me wrong. It also has some modern elements tied in, like xmen figures and other superheroes hanging about (literally, their heads are hanging from trees). A big bridge over a pond representing hell beckons you into the temple. As you cross the bridge, skeletal hands reach out of the water as if trying to drag you in. Quite dramatic. 

After a fair bit of searching and negotiation, I sorted out a guide to take me trekking on day 2. What the internet doesn't tell you about traveling alone during low season is that tourist agencies don't want to run a tour for one. Either they won't do it, or they will charge you for two. I was able to finagle a price of about 1 1/2 people so that I could go for a hike. I skipped the typical elephant ride part of the tour because I've already ridden two. That's probably enough. The hike took us through several local hill tribe villages, a tea plantation and by a waterfall. It was unbearably hot, but I survived the day. Coming back to the pool at Le Meridien was quite the reward.

 I paid a visit to the night market in the evening which was pretty meh. Same ol' same ol'. I picked up a pair of elephant print shorts to replace my missing pajama bottoms (wherever have they gone?) since I'll be sharing a tree house with strangers for the next three nights. Now I'm on the local bus to Chiang Khong where I'll catch a tuk-tuk across the border to Laos. This bus reminds me a lot of the bus I took a few years ago in Ecuador from Quito to Baños - only with  fans attached to the ceiling! Yay for $2 bus rides (it was really only $1.92, but who's counting?). I just hope it leaves the station before anyone takes the open seat next to mine.