So, I may have already mentioned that Thailand is great, especially after the tough travel that was Ethiopia, and the strangely even tougher travel that was safari, due to (1) camping, (2) the loser tour guide and (3) the crazy people. While the overnight train was not the best time ever (not even the best overnight train ride ever; that honor goes to my train my Cairo to Aswan), Chiang Mai was pretty great. I took a cooking class in the morning (made spring rolls, tom yum with shrimp, pad thai, and red curry with chicken).
In the afternoon, I took care of errands, and the hotel staff was amazingly helpful (so helpful, in fact, that the concierge offered to let me ride on the back of the bell boy's motorcycle to the post office. I declined in favor of a still pretty hazardous tuk tuk). I am (slightly) ashamed to admit that I made some purchases at the Chiang Mai night market of which my trademark lawyer and prosecutor friends may not approve: a Louis Vuitton vernis wallet and a Tiffany necklace that did not set me back more than $20. So, possibly not authentic.
I spent my third Thai day in Chiang Kong. Highlights: getting haircut from someone who didn't speak a word of English (it looks great) and hanging out with my guide and some of her Thai friends afterward, sampling Thai whiskey and half a dozen Thai dishes, all while not understanding a word they were saying. It reminded me of the good times I had hanging out with the drivers in Ethiopia, except that they actually tried to teach me some of the language.
But, I've left Thailand now, and Laos deserves its own post(s). Thailand rating so far: A-/B+ (would be higher, except that I have yet to find the elusive too spicy for me Thai food).
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