First Day in Chiang Mai - Friday

9/19/2008 – 9:36 AM (NC time) (8:36 PM Chiang Mai Time)

Left Bangkok about noon today after hauling our four large bags and two carry-ons from the Shanti. Well, actually, the taxi driver did the hauling until we got to the airport. The Suvarnabhumi (or something like that) airport is used for both international and domestic airlines. We travelled on Thai Air. They’ve got some security there! No security outside or within the airport until we got to the gate – then, definitely security. Mika got zapped for having coins in her pocket. Then, after rushing to the front of the line (small children board first – don’cha-know) – K Rose got stopped because we hadn’t gotten a ticket for her for the trip to Chiang Mai. This, because the Shanti (through which we booked the air) told us that K Rose was taken care of and didn’t need a ticket. No problem: we bought her ticket at the gate for about $12, and ended up being the very last to board. Oh well….

We met Wad (the AIDS/NET coordinator) at the airport and he (and another taxi) escorted us and our pile of luggage to the hotel, the Fuengfa, just inside the main part of town in Chiang Mai – due west of its center. (NOTE: Central Chiang Mai is formed in a square from the original moat built here in the 1400’s (need to look this up). You can “almost” look up our place on www.mapjack.com along Arak Road 3, Mika says, though I’ve no real idea what the heck this is all about other than some sort of virtual tour. So… we got here at Fuengfa, checked in, let K Rose run around for awhile - naked as a blue jay - because she’s got a rash on her fanny – which, of course endeared her to the staff who then sought her out to “pinch” her naked butt – from which she ran because (as I would have thought) they were getting just a bit too familiar for a first meeting.

After K Rose was done streaking through Fuengfa we took a stroll around a section (picture the square divided into four sections), got the lay of the land, and ordered some noodles and rice (with veggies and spices, of course) at one of the roadside restaurants. Yum. The walk took a bit longer than I thought, causing us all to be so hot that we added a beer each to the tab. (No, silly, NOT K Rose’s). In sitting at that roadside table, both Mika and I thought “we have arrived in Thailand now”. (Bangkok was just a prelude).

It makes me wonder sometimes why I sweat so profusely now. Is it weight? Age? Metabolic change? I know that it used to be that everyone was sweating but me – but now … I’m older, I’m heavier, my metabolism has changed, but which of the three causes the “glowing”?

We have just got to figure out what to feed this poor child. She likes fruits. She likes vegetables. She likes what the little girl at Shanti had that her mom made (chicken soup?) But … what type of Thai food can we order for her? She just now went to sleep for the night (9:58 PM). She should sleep really well, since her only nap today was while we took our “stroll” earlier.

Our room is about the size of a small hotel room. It has twin beds covered in chartreuse/bright spring green comforters, and peach curtains. A desk, small phone table, closet, dormitory refrigerator, TV, two chairs and a small end table complete the room. A bathroom is adjoining with a toilet, sink, and drain along with lower and higher shower heads for bathing. Once again, I’ve borrowed a tub from the laundry for K Rose’s bathtub. We also have a small (5’ x 4’?) patio we can stand on to look out over the corrugated grey galvanized housetops adjacent to us. (Photos later….)

Laundry …. Not yet gone 5 days and already running short on clothes. This could have a lot to do with needing to change clothes three times a day in order not to be wet all the time. Not to worry – there’s a Laundromat across the alley charging 10 baht per load. (Much better than the 5 baht per shirt the Fuengfa charges)!

We passed on the night market today, though I’m really looking to buy a bath laundry tub for K Rose, two pairs of flip-flops, and a few cotton dresses or pants to wear in the heat of Thailand. May go there tomorrow. Apparently, they have a “street walk” for retailers in different parts of the city on various days of the week. Saturday’s walk is where we’ll be headed tomorrow, along with going to the night market.

Mika and I are both hungry, so after running out for milk and water for the baby, she’s going to be the good sport and go out again to find something for supper.

Wad is slated to pick us up at 11:00 AM in the morning to “show us around”. ()