Chiang Mai

 September 5th

The trains between Bangkok and Chiang Mai are very good. I had a second class sleeper and thought it better than most trains that I have been on in Europe. I am not sure of the exact cost but do remember it being very reasonable. We arrived in Chiang Mai at about 9:00 which was an hour or so late. After breakfast we checked into the hotel (Peoples Place Guesthouse) and I then walked into the centre of the town where a hired a bicycle for a little trip around the moat and the many wats in town

Chiang Mai Moat

 Tha Phae Gate, Chiang Mai

A little way out of town is Doi Suthep hill on top of which is Doi Suthep Temple

Doi Suthep Temple - and also the first blue sky that I had seen since arriving in Thailand

In the evening I strolled around the night market (and bought nothing) and then had the joys of seeing a lady boy show and some fake Thai Boxing. Unfortunately I had only 1 day in Chiang Mai and therefore did not get a chance to go on a trek.

6th September

Continuing onwards for Laos we caught a bus to Chiang Rai and then hired two songthaews to take us to Chiang Khong which sits on the Mekong River across from Laos

In songthaew on the way to Chiang Khong

Hotel in Chiang Khong

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Boats on Mekong, Chiang Khong

 

7th September

When we arrived at the Mekong the river was already very high, however heavy rain during the night caused the river to rise even further causing a little bit of flooding in the Thai customs post

 Anyway the nice customs people had set up shop a bit further up the hill and without too much hassle for me, but plenty for my young Danish friends who learnt that the expiry date on the visa wasn't there just for a laugh and thus had to pay a fine ($5 a day I think) in order to leave, we were cleared to leave Thailand and boarded a small boat for the crossing to Laos

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