The lone tuk tuk driver

 I remember well travelling before the Internet, before everyone booked everything in advance. Then, everything was left to chance. You would turn up at the bus station, get off your bus and be met by a horde of drivers and guesthouse owners. All of them would have signs for their affiliated guest houses and jostle and hustle to get you to stay with them. Getting off my bus last night I was met by the lone tuk tuk driver. No choice, little room for bargaining just met by the determined driver waiting for that next passenger. 

The Long and Winding Road

 One thing I love about travelling is getting on the open road on a bus and exploring different places. Yesterday was an extreme day of  travel. I started off in Chiang Rai and got the bus down to Chang Mai, then picked up a  minivan to take me all the way across the winding roads to Mae Hong Son. It is reported that there are over 1700 curves along the winding road as you go up and down the mountains to climb higher and higher towards the Burmese border. At each toilet stop you disembark from the van and have sea legs from the perpetual swaying of the vehicle. 

Fortunately, the promised nine hour journey only ended up being seven, which was a real treat. When I arrived at Mae Hong Son I headed straight down to the Lakeside and had a fantastic meal and a well-deserved beer, looking over to the beautifully lit temple at the bottom of the mountain. I was last here 20 years ago, so it’s great to be back. It’s still a beautiful laid back city, only enticing travellers willing to endure the journey! 

Monk Barista

 An entrepreneurial temple in Mae Sai has a monk coffee shop, and the barista’s are the monks themselves. It’s a pay as you like establishment on top of the hill by a huge Buddha statue, with great views of the city and the forest. This route through the mountains has been very popular as a night time illegal border crossing. 

It’s interesting to see the monks be more interactive. In a few temples I have seen and participated in Monk Chat sessions, here in Thailand and in Laos. It’s a win win situation to talk to a monk and also they can practise their English! 

Not for sale

 It was a great privilege to be introduced to Kru Nam, the inspiration founder of a shelter in Chiang Saen, giving a safe home and strong foundation to 60 young people who have been saved from a life on the streets, domestic abuse or sex trafficking and she works under the banner that these young people are not for sale. For 25 years Kru Nam has supported and given a voice to the exploited street children and the refugees from Myanmar and made sure that they are given the future that they deserve. She also runs a drop in centre in Chiang Sai, the Northern most town in Thailand, but the border to Myanmar remains closed, so people cross the river or come through the jungle to escape. 

I spent the afternoon supporting them with their social media, teaching some phone camera ticks to ensure they can publicise their jewellery collections in the best light. I also look some portrait shots and shots of the centre. Then we headed to the shelter, where the energy and strength of the children was overwhelming. It was great to see Kru Nam in action, guiding games with the young people, encouraging them to be challenged, work together and to be competitive. What an incredible experience! 

hello big size

I’ve been called a lot of names in my life, but this is my Asian name. Just passing market stalls I’m greeted by “hello big size”. We as westerners are definitely a different build and I certainly am not made for the heat of South East Asia. The reality behind the serene photos is that I’m sweating buckets in the high heat and humidity combo. Thailand is like a huge hot yoga studio and the best I can do is shuffle along! 

I’m in a cat cafe

I’ve heard of them but I’ve never seen one before and it’s so bizarre!!! A cat cafe!!!! So I got my ice latte and sat on a small chair and was soon surrounded by cats. They quickly dispersed when they realised I wasn’t going to feed them, but a couple soon returned, seeking solitude for the small girl who was going around clapping in their faces. I must admit I loved it, it felt so relaxing to be surrounded by cats, who were also lounging around and relaxing.   

Waiting for three more

 I’ve been really spoilt so far, friends have driven me around, so there’s no queues and no waiting. So we headed up to Doi Suthep Temple, on the mountain side overlooking Chiang Rai by shared van and waited until it was completely full until it departed. Got to maximise income at all times, as it’s great to see Thailand fully open now, as the economy took a huge hit during covid as it relies so much on tourism. Now to tempt people back they have extended the tourist visa to 45 days and legalised cannabis!