Mekong Nomads – Day 4 – Monday 1st December

For the early readers, please accept my apologies for the typo’s, the grammar etc etc, on my blogs, I blame fat fingers, ineptitude, and a tiredness when I finish writing and a mininal edit while nodding off  to sleep. And tonight the possibilty that the gummy bear I’ve just eaten may dull my senses, but more about that later.

Today we fly to Chiang Mai. We booked a tranfer at the front desk for 700 baht ( $35au), a bit cheaper than the one we booked from the airport on the way in. We fly at 12.35

There’s a big crowd at breakfast, a tour group called World Face, from where I don’t know but its a southern European accent I hear, maybe Czech??? I enquire and they are actually Italian, so much for my language skills!

Bangkok Sum Up

Hotel is good, old part of town is well located for travelling around the city, the river, the klong boat. The underbelly of the city is fun and pretty safe to walk around, places like Talat Noi are wonderful and eclectic. Food is great but I’m looking forward to Chiang Mai, it’s more laid back, and calmer, I think. Time to move on.

The 700 baht car is on time, it takes about 45 minutes to get to Bangkok airport. Our driver is unwell, not sure what his affliction is but his breathing is laboured, it sounds like a cross cut saw, maybe it makes him a little aggressive because he changes lanes regularly for no apparent reason.

But, all that aside, we arrive, go to Bangkok Airways check-in ( manned by humans), watch our bags disappear and then we proceed into the bowels of Suvarnabhami Airport for a coffee.

As predicted earlier by moi, Telegram Sam has misplaced his new expensive sunglasses and has a furrowed brow and the look of a man who has just flushed $200 down the toilet. Which he possibly has. We can’t ring the hotel but decision is made to wait until Chiang Mai to check his main bag.

Gate A6 is relaxed, very few Asian faces are present, maybe a sign of the ex pat digital nomad population in the city.

The plane ride is good, a quick trip and the passengers give the pilot a round of applause for the soft landing. Our driver has us at the Elliebum Boutique Hotel in no time.

A bit of planning after checkin, a rest and then we head out our own ways exploring. Telegram Sam finds his sunglasses in his check on bag  and the furrowed brow smoothes out.

I find a weed shop and after a medical consultation with a nice young lady at the counter about my leg pain, I’m prescribed a batch of cannabis gummy bears for 300 baht. Not to be taken until bed time, which I agree to. I’m tempted by the more trippy cookies, but maybe later.

We end up way down east near where I stayed a few years ago with my nephew, but many stops at jewelly places and womens clothes shops gets to me and we get a tuk tuk (150 baht) back to the hotel for drinks with H and Telegram Sam. H is drinking a cocktail called something “bum”, it has a scorpions sting, and after a couple I’m not sure I’ll give her a gummy bear, it could tip her over the edge? I’ve decided to name her after the drink, from now she’ll be referred to as Hbum.

A young musician sets up near us in the hotel garden and plays some accoustic songs, he has a very pleasant voice.

A decision is made after I challenge the others to try an iconic northern Thai dish called Khao Soi, so I Google ” Michelin Star Khao Soi Chiang Mai” . Number one to come up is a restaurant ” Best Khao Soi Chiang Mai”, its 10 minutes  away, rated 4.6/5  and has  no bad reviews. Its a lovely walk ( Google Maps helps) through the back streets and we come out into what we think is Chiang Puek Gate Night Food Market. The place is a street food market, plastic stools, atmosphere a plenty, busy as anything, I order a crispy pork khao soi add a few things to the bowl and it is delicious. Best meal so far and will be hard to beat. Hbum and TS ( Telegram Sam) choose the same dish, but TS spices his up, he’s coughing, eyes are watering but he has a smile on his face ( but that could be as a result of hin finding his sunglasses – not sure?), and I think Hbum enjoyed her meal as well. Cost 70 baht each ($3.50), insanely cheap for such good food. We follow up with some Thai Coconut Pancakes at another street food place for 20 baht ($1). Dinner cost $4.50, and it was so bloody good!

Its a relaxed walk back, TS takes responsibility for navigating us home. Not sure he enjoys this though.

Now, the first cannabis gummy bear has been savoured and I’m feeling quite relaxed. The leg pain is easing,  and I’m thinking there might be something in the medicinal properties of cannabis, other than the recreational use of the past. My cannabis consultant suggested start with one, then step it up if needed. Tomorrow I might try two and buy a cookie with the good stuff in it to have with a bedtime cup of tea.

Tomorrow is a chill day, not much planned. Go gummy bears!

Ciao from Chiang Mai

Pauolo