A taste of Thailand

Thailand. Land of beaches, elephants, Buddhism, prostitution and the most incredibly friendly people you may ever meet.
The ship docked in Lam Chabang a newly developed port about 80miles from Bangkok and maybe 15miles or so from Pattaya... Pattaya for those of you that may be following international news is where riots against the current Thai government took place only weeks after our departure. The riots caused for the postponal of a summit that was underway by the heads of Asia. Thailand has what seems to be an ever-changing political system with its constitution being rewritten ever few years over the past decade. But despite all the governmental strife, there is a King and Queen that the Thai people remain very, very loyal to. There picture is hung EVERYWHERE, and at 8 o’clock each morning people take time out of their day to pause while a song is sung to honor the country and the Royal family.
After traveling with the family in each port up until here, I decided it was time for a little Heidi time. I wasn’t necessarily looking to travel independently, just apart from the family. I think we all shared these feelings. My inability to identify what I want and make concrete plans doesn’t make me an easy person to plan with. It also seems, in comparison to our past voyages, that Internet and facebook has allowed people to really plan things out a lot more that in the past. Little did Peter or I know but there was a facebook page started way back in the summer for the Semester at Sea Spring 09 voyage. People started networking and organizing trips together then. All this to say, it’s been harder than I expected to meet people and plan adventures together. So, I accepted my fate as an independent traveler.
On our second day in Thailand I got up at the crack of dawn, 4:30am, a reminder of my crew days that seem oh so long ago. I hopped in a cab and proceeded to sleep for the next two hours as I was delivered to the airport. The taxi ride to the airport was almost as much as my flight (good thing the flight was a reasonable price) but really leaving at that hour taxiing was my only option.
I haven’t told you where I was headed, have I? I opted to head north to Chang Mai, the second largest city in Thailand but substantially smaller in size and much more manageable (though Bangkok is pretty decent for a city its size). I went with no plans but was hopeful of getting some hiking or backpacking in because Chang Mai is located in the foothills of some beautiful, luscious, green mountains. The hike never manifested, mostly due to my inability to decide…again. I’ve dealt with this moral dilemma since I took eco tourism last fall. The backpacker (hostel) I stayed at in Chang Mai and every tourist spot around the city offered these multiple day adventures that included hiking between hill tribe villages, rafting, elephant riding and the likes. They looked really well planned from their brochures and it probably would have been a great way to see the hill tribe people, the natural scenery and get to know some other travelers but I opted not to. Here is where this ties to the eco tourism class I took this fall. Firstly we were required to read a book for the class called “Rethinking Ecotourism and Travel” and secondly we had an amazing lady named Tammy Leland speak to our class. Tammy is the cofounder of a community based tourism company called Crooked Trails operated out of Seattle that runs trips in various parts of the world with a real emphasis on community involvement, where the experience isn’t just for the visitor but also the visited, as well as sensitivity. Tammy has a lot of time with particular hill tribe people around Chang Mai, and really made an effort to establish positive ties with these people so that she can bring travelers and facilitate meaningful engagements between the two groups. The travelers of Crooked Trail tend to have sought out this program because they are looking for a meaningful experience. During their stay in the village they are placed in a family, learn the traditional way and partake in traditional ceremonies. I am not naive and I understand to a certain extent Tammy has to push her business but she explained to the class how she experimented with one of these contrived package deal trips I mention earlier. She decided to be a participant on one and see how it was conducted and compared to the trips Crooked Trails offers. She reflected feeling really uncomfortable being part of a tour group that went into these remote villages where the people were trying to maintain their traditional ways of life. Often times the guides don’t know anything about the local people and the visitor care little more than getting their picture with the tribes people before they proceed to spend the evening drinking and being loud and disruptive. This scenario seems like much less of an exchange and more about exploitation. And while I know I would have likely had a great time this story was ultimately what deterred me. I feared being part of that anymore that I already do feel like I am, sometimes, just by nature of my association to Semester at Sea.
I mentioned the token picture above…. the need of travelers to capture every moment, to take the pictures of unique people, places or things. I made a challenge to myself this semester that I would do minimal photo taking and really make my focus be about my interactions and not so much what I can say I saw. Since not having a camera, I have noticed how much time people spend behind their cameras. The need to take a picture tends to interrupt precious conversation or detract from an actual enjoyment of a beautiful sunset. This in no way is a slam against cameras and taking pictures. I spent a good chunk of my time behind a camera on our last voyage and I am grateful for all the pictures I have and the moments I captured. Perhaps it is a privilege of someone who has already traveled the world that the need for compulsive documenting is less a focus; I have just felt so free and more present of a bi-product of not continually looking through a camera lens. (I’ve also had the up-and-coming photography of my brother Peter to steel from whenever I feel the need. Thanks Pete.)
So yeah, instead of hiking I just spent three days wandering the city and surrounding area. Treating myself to a cheap Thai message every now and again.

Here is a journal entry that logs some of my time…
I just walked out of a 1.5-hour foot massage, reflexology and pedicure (no polish). It was delightful. The ladies were sweet and the feet appreciated the extra love. It’s been a while since I’ve paid them any attention and a few months of travel, flip flop style. To put it lightly, they’ve seen a lot. My calves are incredibly tender right now. I don’t know if it is just from three days of pretty serious Chang Mai walkabouts or it has anything to do with climbing the 306-step stairway up to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep (temple a top a hill). Either way, they’ve gotten some work lately. This morning I woke up after a hard nights sleep. Hard in the sense that I was out cold…which was exactly what I needed. I ate the continental breakfast served at the Riverside Guesthouse where I stayed. Watermelon, wonder bread toast and jelly. I ordered a latte from the café next door. Coffee is huge here, they’ve got little coffee joints on every corner and I seem to think I need to try one at every turn too! (Its like I am trying to make up for lost time. The ships coffee is pretty bad, it tastes especially bad on the days when you see them replacing the plastic jug of brown liquid behind the hot water dispenser.)
After breakfast I walked 20 minutes through the business part of town to the train station to buy a ticket for and overnight train back to Bangkok that leaves this evening. I got 2nd class, air-conditioned top bunk sleeper train…. can’t wait to see what it is all about. I need to clarify what I meant by business area. Not men in suits, briefcase-carrying men. I guess I meant to contrast it to the tourist areas that cover Chang Mai and cater to the tourist demands. Rather, the street was lined with stores carrying linoleum roles, tile, baskets, reams of paper, metal hooks and every third shop or so had a food stand our front where it appeared breakfast (which looks just like lunch and dinner) was being served. It consisted of a medley of eggs, noodles, meats, sprouts and nuts.
On my return to the guesthouse, I took a more obscure way. I had the time to get lost, so I weaved my way back through narrow roads that only allowed the passage of walker and motorbikes. I happened upon a local food market with beautiful displays of fruits and veggies, most were varieties I could have never dreamt of in my wildest dreams. Prickly, spotted, purple…you name it, they grow. They pyramids stacking of the produce had me thinking back to the fruit presentation that the tias (aunties, ladies) at the crèche (daycare) did when we had our picnic party at the pool in Rocinha. Lots of credit for presentation. Strawberries are huge right now. Not in size but in quantity. They are everywhere! I’ve resisted until now in an attempt to avoid T.D, clinically called travelers Diarrhea (a well known phenomenon on the ship). But I think it might just be time to live on the edge. Maybe a pre 13-hour train ride treat. I‘ve substituted my sweet craving with a delectable indulge that merits a description here. It’s essentially a fresh made waffle made on a waffle iron in front of you. You get to pick what they mix into the batter. I chose raisins and banana. I think I’d be kidding myself if I tried to deny that they use condensed milk in the batter. There is no way they could taste as sweet as they do without it.