Chiang Mai II: Chiang Rai
Woke up at 6:00 AM... who wakes up at 6:00 AM when on holiday! KH had booked a day trip to Chiang Rai, so we were supposed to be picked up at 7:00 AM. The van came by at Chang Moi Road and we were greeted by a pair of gentlemen who introduced themselves as Steve and Yoat. Steve was the guide and Yoat was the driver. Naturally Steve spoke better English, but he does sound like a Thai Nanny Fine. He has a super slitty-eyed look and a wispy moustache, giving him a super Cina look. When he speaks, he starts each sentence "How do you say..." and ends with "Ahaaaa...". Five stops later we picked up an Indonesian couple, a Vietnamese couple, two Spanish couples and a girl of unknown nationality. The drive to Chiang Rai took 3.5 hours, with a twenty minute stop at a shitty hot spring. Basically a hot spring fountain with a sign surrounded by lots and lots of souvenir shops. And right outside the public toilet ( THB5 per use of course ), one could soak one's legs in a...