9. – Chiang Mai

We flew into Chiang Mai.  It was a big change from Phuket.  Lots of open space and a totally different feel about the place.  We took a taxi to our hotel which was about 15 minutes away. It was located just within the old city walls.

Chiang Mai has literally thousands of temples.  It said if you walk five paces you will find another temple.  That is more or less true. We visited quite a few within the old city walls.  Everywhere you turned you saw the orange robes of the monks.  At one of the temples we were approached by a young American women who had volunteered to teach English to the young monks for a few months.  She asked if we wouldn’t mind helping by answering some of their questions and asking a few simple questions of our own.  We obliged.  It was quite tempting to speak in broad Scots but we managed to stick to English only.

We visited a beautiful Temple “Doi Suthep” which is situated at the top of a hill just outside Chiang Mai.  We hired a taxi to take us there and back.  When we arrived we were shown the entrance which just happened to be a climb up 200 stairs.  We did have to stop a few times on the way up – to admire the view – obviously. 

The climb was worth it.  The temple at the top is mostly covered in gold and with the bright sunshine it was stunning. 

 You could observe the monks carrying out the daily tasks like gardening and maintaining the buildings. 

A few of them were touching up the gold paintwork around an entrance.  We could have stayed there a long time, it was so peaceful even with hundreds of tourists about. 

Our driver then took us to “Tiger Kingdom”.  It is located at the edge of Chiang Mai.  They hand rear the tigers who are therefore quite used to human contact.  They let people into the tigers enclosures where you can have direct contact with them.  It was a bit unsettling. I couldn’t decide if I liked it or not.  The tigers we saw where all pretty lethargic.  We could stroke them, rub there tummys and even lie down on them. Although they didn’t turn on us at all, one did have a very deep growl which you could feel vibrating right through you.

We went to Chiang Mai zoo another day.  They have quite a collection of animals but there prize possessions are three pandas.  They were lovely.

We took two trips outwith Chiang Mai.  The first was to Chiang Rai and The Golden Triangle.  We hired Michael who was the taxi driver who picked us up from the airport.  At 7am he rang to say he was outside the hotel (he’d told us to be ready for 8am).  Luckily we were both showered, so we set off.  On the way to Chiang Rai we stopped at a Hot Spring then it was back on the road to Chiang Rai where we were going to see the White Temple “Wat Rong Khum”. 

It is stunning, so clean and bright.  It is a modern temple which began construction in the 1990’s and is the work of Ajarn Chalemchai Kositpipat, who wanted to create a temple to show modern Thai Buddhist Arts.  It is certainly different from anything else I’ve seen.  You enter the temple from “Hell” with the instruction “not to return” and make your way into “Nirvana”.  Hell shows many skulls and begging hands trying to escape.

The inside of the temple is being hand painted with murals depicting modern day issues.  The eyes of the demon show the faces of George W Bush and Osama Bin Laden. Quite strange. The mural also depicts the destruction of the twin towers, space travel and there is even a painting of Michael Jackson. The whole thing seems to say that we are destroying our planet and that peace should prevail in order to rectify the situation.  We could have spent hours there.

Our next stop was the tribal villages.  It is an area where several different tribes show there skills and wares to those willing to pay.  The most famous is the “Karen” tribe also known as “Long Neck”. 

They put bronze coloured rings round there necks adding more and more the older they get.  This stretches the neck. The reason was unclear but seems to come from tradition.

We then went to “The Golden Triangle” which is where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar (Burma) meet. The river is the border.  You can stand in one spot and look into the three countries. From there we made our way to Maesai which is the border town between Thailand and Myanmar.  This is the most northern part of Thailand.

The trip back to Chiang Mai took about 3 – 4 hours.  Michael our driver could give Lewis Hamilton a run for his money.  Don’t think there are many rules on the roads in Thailand.  Overtaking on a blind corner.   Travelling at speed on the wrong side of the road.  You name it Michael did it. We were even pulled over twice by the police.  I’ve never been so glad to get back.

Our other trip was totally different.

We were up early this morning because the bus for Elephant Nature Park was picking us up at 8am.  We had volunteered for a two day one night visit.  We were picked up in a minibus along with seven others and made our way north to the park.  It’s about an hour and half from Chiang Mai.  Our group consisted of five Americans – Matt and Christine, Paul and Eva and AJ. There were two Australian girls – Jane and Sauyica (probably not correct spelling) and Syd and myself.  Our guide Qwan had been volunteering at the sanctuary for a few months and hope to stay for a few years.

When we arrived we were given some commonsense rules and regulations and some details about some of the elephants.  They have all been rescued either from now illegal logging camps, tourist trade elephant who may have been used to beg on the streets or give rides to tourists.  These elephants have had to go through torture to make them obey their human mahout and are terrified of the pain that will be inflicted if they don’t obey.  There are a few elephants (about three out of the thirty six) who have been kept at the park from a very young age and therefore have not had to witness this torture.

We were shown how to feed the elephants the fruit suppliments which they are given a few times a day.  Most of them like you to place the fruit on their trunk but a few will let you place it directly in their mouths.

Bathing the elephants was fun. You are down at the river with several elephants and throw buckets of water over them to remove the mud which they have coated themselves in.  You have to be careful because some like to roll over in the water and could drag you with them if you’re in the wrong place.  You can get as wet as the elephant.  It’s amazing how much water they can blow out of their trunks.

We were able to walk amongst them.  Our guide explained about how some of them came to be at the sanctuary.  Some of the stories are heartbreaking.  One was deliberately blinded in both eyes because she refused to work.  Another had her hips dislocated after being hit by a truck. There are some happy stories like an elephant who’s owner decided that she should retire and gave her to the Elephant Park to enable her to enjoy a relatively normal life.

We were shown a film which shows the the story of how the founder a Thai woman – Leck – came to rescue  an elephant and also how she helps to lessen the pain of working elephants by making sure that they are given the medical attention which they require.  She believes that if you can’t rescue them you should at least help them have a better existance.

The park began in the form it is now in 2003.  Leck was given a donation which enabled her to buy the ground that the park is now on.  Donations and volunteers provide the money required to care for the elephants who reside there.

Late afternoon we were shown to our accommodation for the night. We were given a wooden shed which had a double bed covered with a mosquito net and an attached shower room which was open to the elements.

Our group got on extremely well.  We had dinner together and discussed the elephants and other subjects about ourselves and our travels etc.

We didn’t get a good nights sleep.  The bed was rock hard and the sounds outside were a bit strange.  There was a scratching sound at about  3am.  Sounded like something was trying to come through the wall.  The dogs barked off and on all night and at about 4am the elephants decided to trumpet.  They were just behind our hut and the noise was almost deafening.

We went for breakfast and met up with the rest of the group.  Don’t think anyone had a great night.

After breakfast we were met by an American women who has been a guide at the park for the past ten years and knows all there is to know about the elephants.  She took us for a walk among the elephants explaining about their behaviours and how it differs from elephants who have always lived in the wild.  There they live in family groups but in the park they have created their own famliy type groups although they are not actually related. 

Some elephants don’t get on and others have their own particular likes and dislikes.  The park has two young bull elephants – about 9 and 10 years old – who think that they rule the females. Male elephants don’t usually get to the stage where they can mate with the females until they are about  30 – 35 years old.  But because of the make up of the sanctuary these two may already have impregnated some females. Only time will tell.  They do have an old male who they hoped would keep the younger males in line but due to his health problems he doesn’t appear to have much success.

We fed and bathed the elephants again today and then those who wanted went tubing down a small part of the river.  At one point it looked like they might have an obstacle course when one of the elephants decided to go for a bath.

Late in the afternoon the minibus took us all back to Chiang Mai.  We had a brilliant time, learned a lot about the work carried out at Elephant Nature Park and met some lovely people.

Our trip to Chiang Mai has been fantastic and we would thoroughly recommend it to everyone.

We had intended to go to Bangkok for our next destination, but we were advised against it.  Due to the devastating floods affecting much of the area we were told that many of the sites visited by tourists are closed and that intermittent violence has been breaking out it the city.  We have spoken to some people who have been there recently and been okay but we decided to err on the side of caution so we will travel to Bangkok but only to change planes and carry on to our next destination.

8. – Phuket

Phuket is known for its beaches, bars and noisy nightlife.  We thought we’d try and find the other side of Phuket.

We flew from Langkawi to Penang then onto Phuket.  We flew with Firefly – a bit like Easyjet. We had no problems and arrived at about 2:30pm and made our way by taxi to the hotel we had chosen.
We were staying at “AoChalong Villa and Spa” which is in Chalong Bay towards the south of Phuket. It took about an hour by taxi.  The hotel is very small – about 20 -25 rooms.  Our room overlooked one of the two infinity pools. The other pool is situated next to the small beach which overlooks the bay where the yachts are anchored.

We went into Phuket Town for a look. Really glad we didn’t choose to stay there.  Bit of a concrete jungle and appeared quite dirty.  We went to the Butterfly Gardens where they aim to help conserve the local butterflies which are endangered due to the lack of their natural habitat.  The day we were there was quite sunny so there were lots of butterflies about.  Many different types and sizes. Beautiful.  It you stayed still long enough they would land on you.  We had a really enjoyable time there.

Chalong itself is very small.  Really just the main road leading from Phuket Town to the beaches further south.  There are a few side roads – dirt tracks mainly which lead down to the beach and smal l restaurants near the water front. There is a long pier that leads out into the bay where boats take you on tours. We walked along for a look.  There and back would be about a mile.

We spent most of our time sitting in the sun. 

We did book two excursions.  We did the real tourist thing and booked a dinner show – “FantaSea”. It’s like a small theme park with side shows. 

You can ride and feed the elephants.

Have your photograph taken with various birds and animals.  A buffet dinner is laid on and you go to see the show “FantaSea” which is based on Thai Culture and romance with a bit of magic thrown in.  They use about 25 elephants in the show along with tiger, water buffalo, chickens, birds etc.  It was a good show, very colouful and lively.

The other trip was a boat trip to Phi Phi Islands.  We had thought of spenting a few days on Phi Phi, but time wouldn’t allow it so we settled for a day trip.  The boat takes you past Phi Phi Ley which is the unihabited of the two islands. 

 There are lots of small coves and beaches where you can go by small boat for the day. “Maya Bay” was where they filmed “The Beach”.  Lovely white sand and turquoise sea. 

“Viking Cave” is where they collect the birds nests for making Birds Nest Soup. 

When we got to Phi Phi Don we transferred to a smaller boat which took us nearer to the cliffs where we could try snorkeling.  We both decided to give it a go but after a mouthful of salty water I’d had enough.  I just had a little swim about. Syd did better than me.  At least he stayed in a bit longer. 

We then went back to Phi Phi Don where we had some lunch and went for a walk through the little alleyways.  There appears to be no cars on the island.  If the resort you’re staying at is further round the island you need to take a water taxi. The islands are beautiful, very green and lush.

It was then back on the boat for our return to Phuket.

From Chalong you see a giant white Buddha on the top of the hill.  We hired the hotel’s minbus to take us there.  The Buddha is 45 metres high but it wasn’t until we got there that we realised it was still under construction. 

The actual Buddha is probably about 75 per cent finished but there is still all the other buildings and grounds to be constructed.  It will be many years before it is completed.  It’ll be something to see then. 

We then went to “Wat Chalong” which is said to be the most beautiful temple in Phuket.  It is actually around six different temples within the grounds all known collectively as “Wat Chalong”.

We had a good time in Phuket.  Relaxing yet we still managed to see everything we wanted. 

You can go to Phuket and have a quiet time.

We have now been away about five weeks and it’s been amazing how many people we have met who are on extended trips. People from countries all over the world, who like us have decided to take some time out and explore the parts of the world they want to see. Age doesn’t seem to be a barrier.  We have met people whos ages range from early twenties to people in there eighties.  All want to experience the sights, culture and people in the countries they have and will visit. They have planned four, five, six month trips or even longer.  Very few are on a two week holiday.  We have gained valuable information from all those we have spoken with, other travellers and locals.  It’s been great sharing experiences with them and I’m sure it will continue.

7 – Langkawi

After a short flight from KL we landed in Langkawi to sun and heat.  It was 37 degrees. We took a taxi to our hotel which was close by.  Took about 15 minutes.  The hotel was very small. Twenty rooms all chalet style.  No other amenities on site but plenty restaurants and bars close by.  Due to my dodgy stomach we decided to have a quiet day for the first day and headed down to the beach.  We paid for an umbrella and two sunbeds and lay in the sun and paddled in the water for a few hours. 

 We both were feeling a bit hot so set off up the beach for a walk through the water searching for somewhere to have a drink and something to eat.  We found a nice little beachside bar where we had a cool drink and some nibbles.  Further along the beach are the posh hotels so we decided to go for a nosy.  They are really plush, but a bit out of our backpackers budget.  We headed back along the road.  We didn’t realise how far we’d walked.  By the time we got back to the hotel we both looked like lobsters.

We decided to hire a car for a couple of days.  The traffic in Langkawi is non-existant, and this is supposed to be high season.

Intended to be up and out early this morning because we have the car but after a restless night I finally fell asleep around 5am then we both slept until after 9am.  After a quick shower and cup of coffee we set off to the cable car.  We found the roads quite easy.  They’re very quiet so no hassle.  The access to the cable car is through the oriental village.  Today is a beautiful day so the scenery is stunning.  We got off the cable car at the lower level and walked down to the the viewing bridge which goes out into the middle of the scenery.  It was quite scary knowing there was nothing between you and the extremely long drop to the ground below except for some steel and concrete slabs.  We then continued up to the top by cable car.  The view was amazing.

 We were really lucky with the weather and could see all the islands for miles around.  You could stand and look forever, but the sun got too hot and we headed down.  We then drove to “Telagh Tujuh” which is a beautiful waterfall – well seven actually.  You have to climb up the mountain to the top if you want to see them all.  We decided to go to the lower level.



 We’re still suffering from too much sun yesterday.  We cooled our feet in the cold mountain water then went back down.  Our next destination was to see the beaches on the north of the island.  You can view them all from the road but we decided to stop and have a walk along the waters edge.  The sea at this end of the island is much calmer.  The water is turquoise.

  We then stopped off at Langkawi Craft Complex where they create and sell local products – clothes, jewellery, batik wall hangings and various other handicrafts.  There is also a museum which tell the history of the crafts on the island.  They have another museum which shows the different types of marriage dress and ceremony carried out due to the many different religions which are practiced here. 

We decided to head back to the hotel but then detoured to “Mardi Agro Technology Park” which is actually a working orchard. As you can see we ended up working, picking the fruit. Plenty sunshine and rain sure makes a difference to the size of the fruit.

 The boss was a bit of a taskmaster.

The orchard produces lots of different fruits which you get to taste.  We had melon, pomello, pineapple and star fruit.  Delicious.    

The last day with the car started quite overcast but we set off only to stop after a short distance when the heavens opened and it poured with rain.  We decided it would be safer to stop until we could actually see the road.  About half and hour later the rain stopped and we started off towards Kuah – the main town on Langkawi.  It rained off and on all the way there.  We stopped in the car park near to the jetty and then decided to get out and have a look about. 

 Eagle Square is the landmark of Kuah Town.  It is situated next to the jetty.  There is an enormous eagle statue looking out to sea.  Next to that is Legends Park. 

 A nice bit of greenery in an otherwise disappointing town.  There are the usual shopping malls but little else.

We decided to just go for a drive about.  We stopped off for a drink and then drove past the Black Sand Beach and Shark Bay then on down to the marina where we stopped and looked at the boats and had lunch.

When we first hired the car we were told to watch out for animals on the road.  We saw lots of monkeys along the road side, but we were delayed getting back due to cattle on the road.  Fair enough let them have right of way but at least teach them the green cross code.

Think we did eventually travel all the main roads in Langkawi.

For our last full day in Langkawi we booked an Island Hopping Trip.  It’s a half day trip.  We were picked up at 9am and transported to the harbour where our little wooden speedboat was waiting. There was probably about twenty of us on this boat.  The driver certainly liked the speed. We were bumping up and down all over the place. 

The first stop was on an island where you climb up about 200 steps to a fresh water lake where you can swim or paddleboat or just take in the view.  Today is quite overcast so it was reasonably cool thankfully. 

After a while we made our way back to the boat and were transferred to another island area where they feed the eagles.  Lots of them about but the view was limited. All of the boats have a canopy to shade you from the sun so you could only see those that were visible to the sides.  Our third and final stop was a beach where we could swim or sit in the sun.  It was then back in the boat for the trip back to the harbour where the bus took us back to our hotel.

We had a really great time in Langkawi. Beautiful place.