I guess there's no better time to post about a trip than more than 4 months after I've taken it...heh :) So here it is...my super-delayed-long-overdue-and-whatever-else-you-can-think-of post of my very first solo trip - to Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Friday, 2 April 2010
For my first flight alone, i chose to fly via Thai Airways, due to none other than the fact that the fares offered for my selected dates of travel were less than half the prices of my original carrier of choice - SilkAir.
Having heard about the much-talked-about Royal Thai Experience, i'd had high expectations of the level of service offered onboard prior to my flight. However, i soon realised that there really wasn't much to look forward to. The flight was on time and the check-in process was quick, but the service staff were neither friendly nor approachable. Most stewardesses i encountered were either curt or rude, or simply pretended not to see/hear me when i attempted to get their attention. So much for the royal experience.
Flying alone was not as scary as i'd envisioned it to be. I was well-prepared, with my sister's iPod and a storybook in tow. In fact, it turned out to be quite an enjoyable and peaceful experience. Transit at Bangkok was smooth, and as always, i enjoyed myself strolling through the shops at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport. It was almost 9pm when i touched down at the Chiang Mai International Airport. Thankfully, my transport was already waiting to take me to the hotel :)
D2 Dusit was a pleasant surprise, to say the least. Check out the pictures of the room!
The hotel really made my stay in Chiang Mai a comfortable one. The moment i checked in, the staff made it a point to address me by name. My room was neatly and nicely made up each day, and the housekeeping staff topped up my favourite snacks/cookies for free in the last two days of my stay after i commented on how delicious they were. Despite being a lone female traveller, not once did i feel that my security and safety were being compromised. Most of all, i managed to secure my booking at a fraction of the usual price, all thanks to a friend :)
Saturday, 3 April 2010
I usually prefer the free-and-easy style of travel. However, this being my first solo trip, i opted to go along with day tours organised by a tour company recommended by Joseph.
This morning, i joined two Malaysian couples and a French family on a day-long itinerary to the Mini Orchid Garden, Mae Ping Elephant Camp, Karen Tribes, Home Industries and the Royal Flora Gardens.
The Mini Orchid Garden was really mini! Not a big fan of butterflies, i stayed in the orchids section throughout the time we were there and managed to get some great shots...i think! The colours made my day! Please don't ask me for the names of the orchids...i have no clue at all...heh.
Next up was a stop-over at the Mae Ping Elephant Camp. Now this is one of those places i would call a ROGUE Elephant Farm. Granted, April was one of the hottest and dryest months in Northern-Thailand. But the conditions in which the elephants were kept seemed appalling to me. And i don't recall seeing a single banana when i was there. It made me wonder what the elephants were being fed. Elephants are amazing and beautiful animals, and i cannot imagine having them shackled to make-shift huts and being trained to perform for the pleasure of tour-buses full of Chinese nationals. If given a choice, i would NOT have visited this place. Period.
The resilient women of the Karen long-neck tribe live in spartan surroundings in a hilly terrain well-hidden by trees and vegetation. According to the local guide, the Karen tribespeople were originally from Myanmar. The tribe we visited consisted of both the older generation, who came to Thailand as refugees, as well as the younger ones, many of whom were born in Northern Thailand.
The mothers of baby girls have to make the important decision of whether or not to have their daughters adopt the practice of wearing bronze rings around their necks, arms and legs. Once the decision is declared, it is irreversible. On the surface, it seems like an easy choice. Why would any mother wish for her child to carry such pain and heavy burdens for the rest of her life? However, i soon found out that the decision was more significant than it seemed at first. Apparently, only girls with rings will have the option of returning to their homeland in Myanmar one day. Those who do not, are bound by Thai laws and citizenship, and will never be granted exit from Thailand for the rest of their lives.
In the short hour that i was there, i also learnt that it was illegal for the long-necked women of the tribe to step beyond the physical boundaries of the area where they were housed. The men, on the other hand, were allowed to leave the area to work in the markets and city area. Needless to say, a significant portion of these men never returned to the tribe. Coming from Singapore, i found it hard to believe that such a world existed in a country so close to ours. Yet, the women i met seemed content with their lot. Perhaps it was because they did not know of any other way to live, but it did not stop me from feeling sad for them...
The visit to the umbrella and silk factories was an eye-opener for me. I was amazed by the intricate artwork and detailed processes exhibited. The elderly woman at the top left of the montage below carved the skeleton of an umbrella from a log, using knives of a variety of sizes! Old school? Yes. But super cool :)
The Royal Pavillion at the Flora Gardens was the last stop of the day. The place was huge and we took a tram ride to cover the grounds. Most of the flowers were not in bloom, so my shots were focused on the architectural details of the pavillion.
Sunday, 4 April 2010
On Day 3, i took a long ride in the van heading for the famous Golden Triangle. On the way, we made a stop at a man-made hot spring. Boiled eggs, anyone? The place was nothing to shout about, pretty much a tourist trap, if i may say so. I bore with it in eager anticipation of the next stop, Wat Rong Khun (the white temple).
It is an understatement to say that Wat Rong Khun was amazing. It was one of the main reasons i'd wanted to visit Chiang Mai, and i was not disappointed. Despite the fact that barely two of the nine expected buildings were completed, the details of each individual sculpture, corner and tile were breathtaking. I was truly impressed.
It is said that the 53-year-old architect of this temple designed and built it to honour King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Rama IX, the current ruler of the monarchy. He has made it a point so far to see to each individual detail personally. The construction has taken a whole thirteen years to date, and with less than a third of the grounds completed, it is hard to say at this point if the remaining seven buildings will eventually come to pass.
Upon leaving the temple, we made our final stop at the Thailand-Myanmar border. That's me, standing at the Northern-most of Thailand!
We were given time to explore the area around the border and the Mae-Sai Market. Some shots of the lodging and peddlers in the area...
I bought two coconut-flavoured ice-cream cones from the lady in the middle-right picture of the montage. Super yummy :) :) :)
We made our way to The Golden Triangle from the market.
Here, the guide offered the option of taking a 40-minute boat ride along the Mekong River and to the floating market of Laos. But once my travelling companions saw that the ride was to be taken on a sampan, they got cold feet. So guess what? I had to miss the ride too :( There was nothing left to do but linger in the area for more pictures!
Map of the Golden Triangle...
Myanmar and the Mekong River...
The Laotian border...
Me at the centre of the Golden Triangle (ok, not exactly...but i like to think i was!)...
The Golden Buddhas...
And some random sights...
It was right smack in the middle of the evening when i got back to the hotel and the timing was just right for the Sunday Walking Street Market! I hailed a tuk-tuk to take me there, got myself some Khao Soi noodles, and shopped the night away! Haha. There was a lot to see at the market, and i bought some cheap crystals and snacks there before heading back to the night bazaar near the hotel.
One other thing i loved about D2 Dusit was its location. Right smack in the middle of the night bazaar! It took me less than a minute to get to the nearest stall, or the nearest Starbucks for that matter, hehe :)
Above, clockwise from left:
Artist galleries at the basement area of the night bazaar (got me a charcoal-drawn family portrait from here!), Nightly cultural show at the bazaar, Little-Miss tees for my sister, cousins and myself (no prizes for guessing which belongs to me...), Snacks left for me by the housekeeping staff :)
Monday, 5 April 2010
This day was a relaxed, albeit early one. I had new travel companions for the day :) A family from Dubai, and a male backpacker from Switzerland who was on a 3-month tour around Southeast Asia.
Off we went to Doi Inthanon National Park!
Loved the cool weather at the park...it was a truly refreshing change from the terribly hot and humid weather in the city! The Wachirathan Waterfall...not the largest there is, but magnificent in its own right :) I fell in love with the little country-style cafe situated at the bottom of the falls.
That's me standing at the highest spot in Thailand! This is a trip of many firsts for me :)
Located at the highest spot...King Inthanon's Memorial Shrine.
The Doi Inthanon National Park is a national monument, and is extremely popular with local and foreign visitors at the peak of Thailand's holiday season (Nov-Feb yearly). On my trip, there really wasn't much to see and we didn't spend much time there.
To make up for it, the guide arranged for our van to make a stop at The Twin Pagodas - erected in honour of the King and Queen :) The site was beautiful, with blooms of all varieties adorning the gardens surrounding the pagodas.
The King Pagoda...
Queen Pagoda and gardens...
Views of each pagoda from the other...
And what looked like a pretty Japanese-style garden to me :)
Then there's me, being touristy again...i made the tour guide stand exactly where i wanted, hold the camera exactly the way i wanted, and aim and shoot exactly as i timed. Haha. Pretty sure she was totally annoyed with me after that!
And of course, some close-ups with my week-old portrait lens :)
On the way down, we stopped at a vegetable farm that used to be The Poppy Gardens but was later reformed under The Royal Project started by the King.
And another waterfall...the Sirithan Waterfall. This place reminded me of Endau Rompin and brought back some fond memories :)
The van made a final stop at a tribe, where i snapped more pictures of the local way of life. The huts reminded me of my grandparents' kampung in Old Nee Soon where they used to live.
Women and men hard at work...
The next shot shows barren rice fields that used to be an important source of income for the tribespeople but have been destroyed by the dry weather in the past few years. I heard from the guide that the fields have not been used for other projects as the people still believe they will be able to grow and harvest rice from them in time to come.
My last night in Chiang Mai, i had the honour of dining at the Silapathai Shangri-La, courtesy of Joseph. The food was good! I wouldn't say it was the perfect way to end a holiday, but good enough to recommend :) My favourite was the tom-yum-goong shots, served in little tea-cup-like bowls. They really packed a punch!
Tuesday, 6 April 2010
My return flight was scheduled for 8:10 a.m. Despite staying up till 3 a.m. to pack the night before, i managed to get up early enough for breakfast before boarding the van to the airport. These are some glimpses of my final moments in the hotel lounge...
And then i kept my camera and it was home sweet home for me.
Post-Trip Reflections
Each vacation is a learning journey and opportunity for self-discovery. This trip was a difficult one to undertake, for more reasons than i can articulate. However, i came away feeling better than i'd thought i would. Much better.
My journey to Chiang Mai made me realise how big the world really was, and that more experiences existed out there than i could ever imagine. I realised how important it was for me to know exactly what was dear to me, and what was not. I also realised that having some courage and a little curiosity can take me much further than i thought i would go.
The hardest thing for me was to have to leave Fluffie for the period i was away, but knowing that she was in good hands and being able to see her from the webcam every night made things that much easier. Missing Fluffie is one thing i know i'd never be able to overcome, because she's my entire heart!
But one thing i know for sure now is that i have the confidence to travel alone, and this was not and will not be my last solo vacation. It is my dream to see the world, and i will do it slowly, alone or not, one step at a time :)
