Today was another beautiful day. I woke at around 8:00 to catch the airport bus, but the 10:00 service I needed for my 1:15 flight was full. Taxi drivers immediately offered alternatives. Although taxis were inexpensive, I preferred a cheaper route. I took a boat taxi down the Chao Phraya River to the central terminal for 13 baht, followed by the Skytrain and a transfer at Siam station, and soon arrived at Hua Lamphong railway station.

Today is my birthday, and it was slightly disappointing to spend the first part of it on a bus. I can normally sleep anywhere, and although I slept for much of the journey, I never became comfortable. Eventually, I arrived in Bangkok and made my way to Khaosan Road, a popular area for backpackers. I find my companion’s fascination with night markets and bazaars highly entertaining. To borrow a line from Karl Marx, if religion is the opiate of the masses, then markets must be hers. Even supermarkets qualify.

I awoke quite early and, after breakfast at a combined restaurant and mechanic’s shop by the river, jumped on a truck-style taxi with wooden floors and benches along either side. The taxi took me to Old Town, where I began walking around the ruins. I was amazed that Chiang Mai drew so much tourism while this place drew relatively little. The ruins were impressive. A few hours passed before I took shelter from the sun. I tried to read my book; however, the urge to nap was stronger.

Sore is the word for today. I woke, rolled out of bed, somehow checked out, and took a tuk-tuk to Chiang Dao. Since I was meeting Sean and Pink there, I only wandered around briefly and did not fully explore the expansive park. Although the national park and meditation area was somewhat run-down, it still had a quiet beauty that was difficult to describe. Sean and Pink arrived shortly afterwards, happily saving me from the mosquitoes, which were abundant around the park’s large ponds. And I know how much I love mosquitoes.

Today began like any other day: with a “cuckoo, cuckoo” noise. In my normal Taipei County life, my phone alarm says, “cuckoo, cuckoo.” At home, someone occasionally wakes me by pushing me and saying, “cuckoooo, cuckooo.” Today was slightly different: there were thirty calls, and they came from real cuckoos. I slept wonderfully in Lahu, with acceptable weather and no construction noise. I was the first to leave the sleeping quarters and made my way to the main hut, where my guide was boiling water. The three of us sat and chatted over cups of coffee. Once the food arrived, I ate and returned to the trail.

I woke up to a knock at the door, and after giving my tour guide copies of my passport (everybody needed one to go on the trek), I checked out and went to the trekking office. On the way, I returned my bike and realized I had not had breakfast. After breakfast, I walked across the street and got into my “shuttle,” which was little more than a covered truck. Off I went. We slowly snaked our way through town, picking up people at every corner. Two by two, they jumped into the “shuttle.” Soon the truck was packed, with people squeezing in like sardines.

The train ride was overall pleasant. Apart from discovering that my supposed fan carriage was clearly air-conditioned, and quite cold, the ride went smoothly. I woke up, and rather early (around 7 a.m.) I arrived in Chiang Mai. I left the train and sat down to figure out where I was going. Immediately after leaving the station, I was surrounded by taxi drivers and tour agents. Eventually I got a ride to downtown for a reasonable amount. A woman joined me who was clearly part of Chiang Mai’s tour-booking circuit. She went through the different sites I could see, trying to get me to “book” one of each. I felt slightly trapped because she was mostly talking at me. The routine seemed all too …

The day started with a few missions: visit the big Saturday market, have a suit tailored, and catch a train to Chiang Mai. One might think these were simple tasks, but they turned into an adventure. Awaking with renewed energy, I packed my bags, put them in storage, paid, and started exploring. After a long walk up the road alongside the SkyTrain, the market appeared. I had visited some large markets before, but this was probably the biggest. It had entire sections for shorts, shirts, cowboy gear, and more. I wandered around for a while and contemplated buying a few things. Since most of my trip was still ahead of me, buying too much didn’t seem practical. After the market, I took the SkyTrain to the …

After boarding the plane, I had a quick three-hour flight to Bangkok. Upon arrival, and because I am all about adventure, I attempted to take the train into the city. I walked down the ramp but couldn’t find it. The 7-Eleven staff somehow directed me back toward the airport. After running across the five-lane highway, I found the train; however, it was not running. I returned to the airport and jumped into a taxi. Luckily, I was travelling very, very light, so I could move easily.