Waking Up
Today would be the last chance I'd have to check out a sunrise off Lamai, so it would be an early morning since sunrise was at 6:30. I went to bed later than I wanted the night prior, but waking up wasn't very difficult. I woke up around 6 and was on the bike minutes later heading south to scout out a place off the beach to capture the sunrise. Many of the locals were just waking up and shops were beginning to open.
Checking Out
I packed my bags the night before, so I was ready to roll. I dropped the key off at the front desk, had my big carry-on on my back, and the daypack by my feet and was ready to roll. First stop, Baan Sukreet (my first hotel on the island) to return the bike. Fred was working the counter and we chatted for a while. He handed back my passport and I pondered having breakfast. A few minutes later one of his minions came back indicating there's a problem with the bike. The owner, who is French and speaks little English, was outside and very upset. Apparently the bike wasn't returned in brand new condition and he wanted my money. He and Fred did rounds of playing good cop/bad cop. First, Fred said the contract called for 500 baht because I damaged the plastic. That breaks down to under $20 which I felt was fair. I agreed. Than the owner went ballistic, saying it's that much for each piece of plastic. He than literally demanded 10-20 more and was livid. At this point I had my passport, so I could have just left. I figured it'd be better just try to negotiate. In the end I gave Fred 2500 baht, or roughly $75 since I figured the damage might have come from my slip up. Since I had some time before having to get to the airport I asked about breakfast - since they just robbed me of 2500 baht I figured a few pieces of bacon could create some good will. Fred said I'd have to talk to the owner, and that I didn't want to do that because he'd just say no. Okay, whatever, no bacon for me. I than asked if he could call me a cab to get me to the airport. He picked up the phone, dialed some numbers, than said he couldn't reach anyone. He suggested I walk to the main road and fetch a cab there. Classy, really classy.
Flight to Chaing Mai
I walked down to the street with my two bags and immediately found a cab. A trip to the airport was about the same price as coming in, $12-13. It took about 20 minutes to go to the airport and I chatted with the driver on the way. He reiterated how much the island has developed over the past 10 years, pointing to large buildings we would pass en route. Ko Tao, he insisted, is exactly what Ko Samui was way back when. I'll leave disappointed I didn't have a chance to explore Ko Tao. On the positive side I did do a lot of exploring throughout Ko Samui, leaving no highway road or town unexplored.
Checking In
Ko Samui airport really is incredible. As I wrote before, the tropical theme they have going on is like nothing I've ever seen. Departing from the airport involves walking through a mini-town of shops. The airline also has a complimentary food and coffee breakfast at the terminal. This place is uber classy. Before reaching the gate and prior to clearing security I stopped at an air conditioned coffee shop. I had about 90 minutes before my flight left, so killing an hour in a comfortable environment seemed like a good idea. They charged for WiFi, so I used the hotspot feature on my iPad. Back in Bangkok I picked up a SIM card with 1gb of data for under $15. I've kept my USA SIM card in my iPhone and it has worked pretty well throughout the trip. The iPhone will connect at 3g speeds, but will only transmit data at 2g speeds. It's not fast, but it's really not slow. Since tMobile now gives away free data internationally, it's really been an asset on this trip. Things like TripAdvisor, Google Maps, and Foursquare work well. The web even works better than I expected, albeit my expectations were low.
Arriving in Chiang Mai
Checking In
Immediately before takeoff at the airport I found a place to stay in Chiang Mai. TripAdvisor suggested the hotel was newer and the location was great - within the old city. The room was right at $40/night and the plan was to stay in Chiang Mai for 2 nights. There was potential of checking out an area further north, Chiang Rai, so I kept the itinerary for 2 nights. The hotel has a chic feel to it and has an open air lobby. There's also an outdoor pool area, the room I was assigned had a balcony that opened out to it.
The receptionist working the front desk spoke pretty decent English and was uber helpful. She seemed trustworthy so I asked her about excursions. This is something i normally never do through a hotel because they're typically more expensive and the experience usually can be beat finding an independent provider. She let me thumb through a book at the front desk which had a number of options. From Safari's to zip lining, there was a lot to do. Best of all, everything was dirt cheap. A full day involving river rafting, elephant trekking, an elephant show, hotel pickup, and lunch was 1000 baht - or roughly $30 US. She confirmed availability the next day and I was set. I was curious about those activities and even if I was overpaying it'd be a relatively inexpensive day.
Temple Runs
Immediately around the hotel are a number of temples, so I made a couple of stops based on the recommendation from the front desk. The helpful attendant actually made a copy of a map and circled the temples of importance. As I walked around, I noticed every single person I passed was as white as me. Many had cameras or maps, and almost all were around my age or younger. It was a very strange feeling.
I stopped by 2 temples and noticed a motorbike retailer on the corner of the street. A number of locals were outside, it was apparent some worked there. One spoke perfect English (he must have been a motorcycle salesman), so I inquired about how much it would cost to repair the bike I apparently damaged in Ko Samui. The best estimate I got was around what I paid (2500 baht), probably less, as the plastic is easily replaceable.
Talking further I asked for advice on what to see. On my hit list was the temple atop the mountain, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. I was told traffic was awful this time of the day (around 4pm) and to just do it the next day. The problem was the excursion I had booked the next day got back at 5pm. Anyhow, the motorcycle salesman helped communicate with the tuk-tuk driver what to do and I was off. I was told to expect to pay 800 baht for the taxi ride, round trip. The driver would wait as long as I wanted. I really didn't know what to make of the price or how everyone seemed to be working together so effortlessly. Soon, I was off in the tuk-tuk and arrived at a temple were many cab drivers were located. Before I left the tuk-tuk driver asked me for 30 baht (roughly $1) for the ride to the taxi. I know from the fare the tuk-tuk driver was honest - I have yet to be quoted, with or without haggling, such a low rate to go any distance in a tuk-tuk. Later, I looked up what I should have paid for a taxi to the temple and 800 baht was about the correct amount. People of Chiang Mai, you're pretty incredible.
After seeing my curiosity about the temple in front of me, the driver suggested I walk around for 10 minutes before we leave. He was in no rush and was content chatting with his cab-friends while I explored. Upon walking up to temple, a woman offered me a cage containing two birds. She suggested I buy them from her to release for good luck. I'm not an animal rights activist, but I imagine her little act could extort quite the bit of money from those kinds. I walked around the temple a bit and wondered if I could find some food across the street. Since the temples were in the old city, an area close to my hotel, I expected to spend more time visiting the temples later. The visit would be more meaningful after I had a chance to read and better understand the significance of each temple. Except for a light snack at the airport and on the plane, I hadn't eaten all day. I than realized I had some jerky in my backpack - a staple I normally carry when traveling as a just in case. Excellent.
The ride up to the temple took over an hour. Half that was up a hill, and it was long with sharp turns. Along the way we saw people walking, cycling, and motorbiking. I didn't see a single tuk-tuk though. Normally I'd love to cycle up the hill, but I wasn't expecting to be in town long so my options were limited. The hill was of very steep grade and long, so any non-motorized method of transportation up would be extremely challenging.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep
After a long car ride we finally reached the top of the temple. It was about 45 minutes before sunset, nearly the perfect time for photos. The driver opened my door and pointed/grunted for me to walk up a few steps to the entrance. I purchased a ticket that should have cost 30 baht, but ended up costing 50 baht. I'd later learn I bought a ticket to the temple and a 'lift' ticket up and down. One note, locals do not pay anything to enter the temple.
After buying a ticket and entering the ticketed area I was directed to an elevator bank. Upon entering I noticed the elevator was proceeding up a roller coaster like track. This was one interesting elevator - and I've been in many!
Once upstairs I walked around the temple. There was a lot of haze in the air, but I could...barely...make out the skyline. Tourists were leaving in the masses prior to sunset and the temple was thinning out. There was still about 45 minutes left before the temple closed. Around sunset the monks started a prayer ceremony. I watched the ceremony, walked around the temple a bit more, and returned to the taxi.
Night Bazaar
On the way home the driver asked where my hotel was so he could drop me off there. I asked instead if he could drop me off at the night bazaar. He suggested it was further than my hotel. I figured this was just a way to get more money out of me, but I figured I'd give him a tip anyway so it really didn't matter.
After being dropped off at the market I started to wander around. Hundreds of booths lined the sidewalks. Neighboring buildings housed merchants that operated during the day. It appeared as if they street booths were open exclusively at night - but I wasn't sure. The whole operation looked like a Chicago neighborhood festival that occurred on a daily basis. The bazaar was pretty large in size though, easily spanning several blocks in size. bazaar consisted of both permanant storefronts and temporary booths. In one of the buildings there were several artists painting and displaying their work for sale. Some of it was impressive.
I poked around and inquired about a few watch replicas. The Indian street salesman asked if I wanted to see more and directed me to an area behind a curtain within the buildings. He showed me various levels of quality and insisted the movement of the watch of interest to me was solid metal. He also insisted the crown was sapphire crystal and attempted to scratch it with a screw driver to illustrate its hardness. When I asked how much he stated around the equivalent of $120. I didn't bother negotiating since we were so far apart, but he insisted. I offered the equivalent of $10 which offended him. I tried to suggest all was fine and to part as friends, but he insisted otherwise. "Do not have a good day" he insisted. "We are not friends", he further yelled.
Tomorrow
Tomorrow would be an early day. The tour pickup time from the hotel was 8am, so I didn't stay long at the bazaar.
Today would be the last chance I'd have to check out a sunrise off Lamai, so it would be an early morning since sunrise was at 6:30. I went to bed later than I wanted the night prior, but waking up wasn't very difficult. I woke up around 6 and was on the bike minutes later heading south to scout out a place off the beach to capture the sunrise. Many of the locals were just waking up and shops were beginning to open.
Checking Out
I packed my bags the night before, so I was ready to roll. I dropped the key off at the front desk, had my big carry-on on my back, and the daypack by my feet and was ready to roll. First stop, Baan Sukreet (my first hotel on the island) to return the bike. Fred was working the counter and we chatted for a while. He handed back my passport and I pondered having breakfast. A few minutes later one of his minions came back indicating there's a problem with the bike. The owner, who is French and speaks little English, was outside and very upset. Apparently the bike wasn't returned in brand new condition and he wanted my money. He and Fred did rounds of playing good cop/bad cop. First, Fred said the contract called for 500 baht because I damaged the plastic. That breaks down to under $20 which I felt was fair. I agreed. Than the owner went ballistic, saying it's that much for each piece of plastic. He than literally demanded 10-20 more and was livid. At this point I had my passport, so I could have just left. I figured it'd be better just try to negotiate. In the end I gave Fred 2500 baht, or roughly $75 since I figured the damage might have come from my slip up. Since I had some time before having to get to the airport I asked about breakfast - since they just robbed me of 2500 baht I figured a few pieces of bacon could create some good will. Fred said I'd have to talk to the owner, and that I didn't want to do that because he'd just say no. Okay, whatever, no bacon for me. I than asked if he could call me a cab to get me to the airport. He picked up the phone, dialed some numbers, than said he couldn't reach anyone. He suggested I walk to the main road and fetch a cab there. Classy, really classy.
Flight to Chaing Mai
I walked down to the street with my two bags and immediately found a cab. A trip to the airport was about the same price as coming in, $12-13. It took about 20 minutes to go to the airport and I chatted with the driver on the way. He reiterated how much the island has developed over the past 10 years, pointing to large buildings we would pass en route. Ko Tao, he insisted, is exactly what Ko Samui was way back when. I'll leave disappointed I didn't have a chance to explore Ko Tao. On the positive side I did do a lot of exploring throughout Ko Samui, leaving no highway road or town unexplored.
Checking In
Ko Samui airport really is incredible. As I wrote before, the tropical theme they have going on is like nothing I've ever seen. Departing from the airport involves walking through a mini-town of shops. The airline also has a complimentary food and coffee breakfast at the terminal. This place is uber classy. Before reaching the gate and prior to clearing security I stopped at an air conditioned coffee shop. I had about 90 minutes before my flight left, so killing an hour in a comfortable environment seemed like a good idea. They charged for WiFi, so I used the hotspot feature on my iPad. Back in Bangkok I picked up a SIM card with 1gb of data for under $15. I've kept my USA SIM card in my iPhone and it has worked pretty well throughout the trip. The iPhone will connect at 3g speeds, but will only transmit data at 2g speeds. It's not fast, but it's really not slow. Since tMobile now gives away free data internationally, it's really been an asset on this trip. Things like TripAdvisor, Google Maps, and Foursquare work well. The web even works better than I expected, albeit my expectations were low.
Terminal and gate
Ride a trolley to an airplane
Arriving via taxiway
Da plane!
Joliet's very own DQ!
Whoa...steep penalties
Checking In
Immediately before takeoff at the airport I found a place to stay in Chiang Mai. TripAdvisor suggested the hotel was newer and the location was great - within the old city. The room was right at $40/night and the plan was to stay in Chiang Mai for 2 nights. There was potential of checking out an area further north, Chiang Rai, so I kept the itinerary for 2 nights. The hotel has a chic feel to it and has an open air lobby. There's also an outdoor pool area, the room I was assigned had a balcony that opened out to it.
The receptionist working the front desk spoke pretty decent English and was uber helpful. She seemed trustworthy so I asked her about excursions. This is something i normally never do through a hotel because they're typically more expensive and the experience usually can be beat finding an independent provider. She let me thumb through a book at the front desk which had a number of options. From Safari's to zip lining, there was a lot to do. Best of all, everything was dirt cheap. A full day involving river rafting, elephant trekking, an elephant show, hotel pickup, and lunch was 1000 baht - or roughly $30 US. She confirmed availability the next day and I was set. I was curious about those activities and even if I was overpaying it'd be a relatively inexpensive day.
View from balcony
High fives with the front desk!
Temple Runs
Immediately around the hotel are a number of temples, so I made a couple of stops based on the recommendation from the front desk. The helpful attendant actually made a copy of a map and circled the temples of importance. As I walked around, I noticed every single person I passed was as white as me. Many had cameras or maps, and almost all were around my age or younger. It was a very strange feeling.
I stopped by 2 temples and noticed a motorbike retailer on the corner of the street. A number of locals were outside, it was apparent some worked there. One spoke perfect English (he must have been a motorcycle salesman), so I inquired about how much it would cost to repair the bike I apparently damaged in Ko Samui. The best estimate I got was around what I paid (2500 baht), probably less, as the plastic is easily replaceable.
Talking further I asked for advice on what to see. On my hit list was the temple atop the mountain, Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. I was told traffic was awful this time of the day (around 4pm) and to just do it the next day. The problem was the excursion I had booked the next day got back at 5pm. Anyhow, the motorcycle salesman helped communicate with the tuk-tuk driver what to do and I was off. I was told to expect to pay 800 baht for the taxi ride, round trip. The driver would wait as long as I wanted. I really didn't know what to make of the price or how everyone seemed to be working together so effortlessly. Soon, I was off in the tuk-tuk and arrived at a temple were many cab drivers were located. Before I left the tuk-tuk driver asked me for 30 baht (roughly $1) for the ride to the taxi. I know from the fare the tuk-tuk driver was honest - I have yet to be quoted, with or without haggling, such a low rate to go any distance in a tuk-tuk. Later, I looked up what I should have paid for a taxi to the temple and 800 baht was about the correct amount. People of Chiang Mai, you're pretty incredible.
After seeing my curiosity about the temple in front of me, the driver suggested I walk around for 10 minutes before we leave. He was in no rush and was content chatting with his cab-friends while I explored. Upon walking up to temple, a woman offered me a cage containing two birds. She suggested I buy them from her to release for good luck. I'm not an animal rights activist, but I imagine her little act could extort quite the bit of money from those kinds. I walked around the temple a bit and wondered if I could find some food across the street. Since the temples were in the old city, an area close to my hotel, I expected to spend more time visiting the temples later. The visit would be more meaningful after I had a chance to read and better understand the significance of each temple. Except for a light snack at the airport and on the plane, I hadn't eaten all day. I than realized I had some jerky in my backpack - a staple I normally carry when traveling as a just in case. Excellent.
The ride up to the temple took over an hour. Half that was up a hill, and it was long with sharp turns. Along the way we saw people walking, cycling, and motorbiking. I didn't see a single tuk-tuk though. Normally I'd love to cycle up the hill, but I wasn't expecting to be in town long so my options were limited. The hill was of very steep grade and long, so any non-motorized method of transportation up would be extremely challenging.
Random Temple #1
Random Temple #2
Random Temple #3
After a long car ride we finally reached the top of the temple. It was about 45 minutes before sunset, nearly the perfect time for photos. The driver opened my door and pointed/grunted for me to walk up a few steps to the entrance. I purchased a ticket that should have cost 30 baht, but ended up costing 50 baht. I'd later learn I bought a ticket to the temple and a 'lift' ticket up and down. One note, locals do not pay anything to enter the temple.
After buying a ticket and entering the ticketed area I was directed to an elevator bank. Upon entering I noticed the elevator was proceeding up a roller coaster like track. This was one interesting elevator - and I've been in many!
Once upstairs I walked around the temple. There was a lot of haze in the air, but I could...barely...make out the skyline. Tourists were leaving in the masses prior to sunset and the temple was thinning out. There was still about 45 minutes left before the temple closed. Around sunset the monks started a prayer ceremony. I watched the ceremony, walked around the temple a bit more, and returned to the taxi.
Elevator cart track
Me outside the temple
Prayer around sunset
Temple at sunset
Steps to the temple
I unknowingly paid to avoid 'em, but ended doing the climb
Inside Temple
Exterior
Haze in the skyline
On the way home the driver asked where my hotel was so he could drop me off there. I asked instead if he could drop me off at the night bazaar. He suggested it was further than my hotel. I figured this was just a way to get more money out of me, but I figured I'd give him a tip anyway so it really didn't matter.
After being dropped off at the market I started to wander around. Hundreds of booths lined the sidewalks. Neighboring buildings housed merchants that operated during the day. It appeared as if they street booths were open exclusively at night - but I wasn't sure. The whole operation looked like a Chicago neighborhood festival that occurred on a daily basis. The bazaar was pretty large in size though, easily spanning several blocks in size. bazaar consisted of both permanant storefronts and temporary booths. In one of the buildings there were several artists painting and displaying their work for sale. Some of it was impressive.
I poked around and inquired about a few watch replicas. The Indian street salesman asked if I wanted to see more and directed me to an area behind a curtain within the buildings. He showed me various levels of quality and insisted the movement of the watch of interest to me was solid metal. He also insisted the crown was sapphire crystal and attempted to scratch it with a screw driver to illustrate its hardness. When I asked how much he stated around the equivalent of $120. I didn't bother negotiating since we were so far apart, but he insisted. I offered the equivalent of $10 which offended him. I tried to suggest all was fine and to part as friends, but he insisted otherwise. "Do not have a good day" he insisted. "We are not friends", he further yelled.
Fake lego-men!
Mr. Flowers would not be impressed (with the piracy of his music)...
...or maybe he would because they gave him so much shelf space?
Street booths
Tuk-tuks
Tomorrow would be an early day. The tour pickup time from the hotel was 8am, so I didn't stay long at the bazaar.
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