April 15th, 2008 – Today was a travel day so not much too write about. I need to get out of Cambodia b/c its starting to make me sick. All day today I couldn’t figure out what the deal was, how in the world was I getting sick. Until I got to Chiang Mai and realized it was the dusty air and exhaust from Cambodia that was building up in my throat. I already feel better after a few hours back in Thailand.

I realized today that I made my first mistake by planning too far ahead. I was supposed to leave Cambodia tomorrow but I had to get out. I was getting sick but I was also running out of things to do/see. I was able to change my flights so I could get out of Cambodia and on to my next destination of Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand for a fairly minimal cost.

I arrived to Chiang Mai on the last day of SongKran, the Thai New Year, so I at least got to taste a little of it. Chiang Mai is supposedly the rowdiest place for the Songkran festival and I could totally tell. My guesthouse picked me up at the airport and drove through the middle of the festival where there were thousands of people celebrating Songkran.

Songkran essentially is a big water fight. The thais believe that its a way of cleansing the past and moving onto a new year. Adults, kids, and teenagers all line the streets drenching each other, passing cars, motorbikes or people on foot. The aresnal is a combination of water balloons, super soakers, hoses, buckets attached to strings being thrown into the moat, beer or anything else that can hold liquid. Its madness. I was afraid to even go outside with my camera b/c in any part of the city you are libel to get soaked.

I could probably describe it to you but I think Gabriella did a better job than I every could. I met her in Chiang Mai as she was typing this up and as an aspiring writer she’s pretty much nailed what the whole SongKran festival is like.

Then Song Kran,Thai New Year, explodes at me, at everyone and everything. Thousands of people line the streets armed with buckets, water guns, garbage cans all filled with water. The traffic is bumper to bumper and we are sitting ducks, asking to get soaked with an easy pull of the trigger a light flick of the wrist.

“We” is me and my Chiang Mai buddy and yoga teacher, JP. JP is originally from Canada but has been living in Southeast Asia for a few years. She is a talented and giving yoga teacher who is also a former pro mountainbiker and criminologist. Even on my worst days, her energy is infectious enough to pull me out of my room on more than one occasion (not an easy thing to do).

I hop on the back of her bright pink moped holding a giant torpedo water gun and am instantly transformed from self-pitying blob to Terminatrix. We make our way around the moat by the old city. Within four minutes of heading into the main street, we look as if we forgot to undress before taking a shower.

Two squealing women on a hot pink motorbike is the equivalent of a “Kick Me” sign taped to a nerd’s back. It’s wonderful to get goose bumps in the hot sun.

What a party!Then Song Kran,Thai New Year, explodes at me, at everyone and everything. Thousands of people line the streets armed with buckets, water guns, garbage cans all filled with water. The traffic is bumper to bumper and we are sitting ducks, asking to get soaked with an easy pull of the trigger a light flick of the wrist.

“We” is me and my Chiang Mai buddy and yoga teacher, JP. JP is originally from Canada but has been living in Southeast Asia for a few years. She is a talented and giving yoga teacher who is also a former pro mountainbiker and criminologist. Even on my worst days, her energy is infectious enough to pull me out of my room on more than one occasion (not an easy thing to do).

I hop on the back of her bright pink moped holding a giant torpedo water gun and am instantly transformed from self-pitying blob to Terminatrix. We make our way around the moat by the old city. Within four minutes of heading into the main street, we look as if we forgot to undress before taking a shower.

Two squealing women on a hot pink motorbike is the equivalent of a “Kick Me” sign taped to a nerd’s back. It’s wonderful to get goose bumps in the hot sun.

What a party!

More on her blog here

Noi and Pol, the owners of my guesthouse were the ones to pick me up from the airport and apparently this is the norm. They just opened The Bupatara in January and are taking great care of their guests. Gary and Beck the Australians from Cambodia referred this place to Kat and I and I’m glad they did. You are instaneously made to feel at home in this guesthouse. First by being picked up and welcome to Chiang Mai by Noi and Pol, then given a seat and a drink when you arrive. A bellboy of sorts takes your bag and shows you to your room and when you come down Noi explains all the services of the Bupatara. From the meals, internet, to the treks things to do, there are no hassles. Many guesthouses in Chiang Mai quickly turn sour when they realize you aren’t going to book a trek through them but at the Bupatara, you never feel pressured. It really is a good experience, they are going about the business in the right way. Reminds me of another customer first oriented Family-owned company I know .

I met up with Kat and we went to get a late dinner and stroll around. We ended up at some mysterious street market that we really liked. We walked up and down checking out the smells sights and sounds. We didn’t buy or eat anything here b/c we figured we’d come back the next night and explore it a little more. Unfortunately, we were never able to find the market again. We knew were it was but it must have only been a special Songkran market festival b/c for the rest of the week, it was not to be found.

At the end of the market we watched what amounted to be a Thai street version of American Idol and then headed home to pass out.