Chiang Mai, in the north, was our first real destination in [1] Thailand after Laos. As Thailand’s second city, it’s a place where there’s something for everyone: trekking, temples, cookery classes, bamboo rafting, etc… or just chilling out and doing nothing. We went there, though, for the partying on New Year’s Eve; we were not disappointed. That night we floated between three different parties - in our hotel, in a pub with a good covers band, and the big one at the nearby city gate. The decision to go from party to party was ultimately forced upon us when the hotel staff monopolized the karaoke equipment and regaled us with tuneless shrieking that set the dogs howling for a mile around - but not before Marilena had belted out a few Madonna classics to an enthralled audience. The city gate party was the place to be as the minutes counted down to the New Year. There were thousands of people enjoying live music, fireworks, and letting off hundreds of traditional fire balloons that made their own constellations in the sky. In the early hours of 2006 we were almost hit by a burnt-out fire balloon while relaxing on the swimming-pool loungers, which we were hurriedly assured was good luck. We can’t believe it would’ve still been good luck if it had been alight, though.

After Chiang Mai we headed through central Thailand, stopping at the ruined cities of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. It’s hard to say which one we preferred. Sukhothai had an incredible setting, its temples set in landscaped gardens and enclosed within moats; Ayutthaya, though, was more of an Indiana Jones experience, with crazily-leaning towers crumbling in amongst bodhi trees, and Buddha heads imprisoned within trunks. We then arrived back in Bangkok where we were dazzled by the kaleidoscopic Grand Palace and Wat Pho. Some people really hate this city, because of the noise, bustle and pollution, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves there, a holiday within a holiday. Neil celebrated his birthday there very decadently (he’s now 22) and forced Marilena to join in. After sight-seeing in the morning, it was time for a dip in the roof-top pool before a full-body massage in the afternoon. We had planned a six-course dinner on the river, but no taxi driver would take us to the pier (it was Friday night), so we satisfied ourselves by pigging out and drinking a bar dry locally.

We had to tear ourselves away from Bangkok eventually, though. We caught a train south and then a ferry to the remote rocky island of Ko Tao, one of the best diving sites in Thailand. Not too many photos from here, we’re afraid. We were either underwater surrounded by hundreds of fish or trying to cool down in a beach bar somewhere. Somehow, doing anything more energetic lost its appeal. After about a week spent in this fashion, it was time to renew our visas, so we headed for depressing Ranong, a fishing town close to the Burmese frontier, the closest to us at the time. We commissioned a local agent to coordinate his network for a visa run. With mobile phone in hand, Pon greased our way through Thai immigration and then dropped us off at the pier, entrusting us to one of his mobile phone-wielding lieutenants. This guy then handed us over to another operator, who ran us into Burma and back on his boat, waving our passports and money at border officials, whereas all we had to do was walk ten metres into Burma from the boat and back. It was a smooth two-hour operation…

So now we have an extra 30 days to enjoy southern Thailand. We’re now in Phang Nga, close to Krabi. More photos soon!

10:06:25 - Thursday, 19.01.06