Its my last day in Chiang Mai, tomorrow I fly to Bangkok for a day before bunny hopping home via Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Brisbane and Coffs, catching up with friends along the way. I'm not excited about leaving, I've really enjoyed living here the last 6 weeks and hope I could come back for another short term trip sometime. The relationships I've made here are what have kept me in Chiang Mai all this time, rather than travelling around Thailand. I've found less motivation to go travelling by myself, which I think shows me that I need a travelling partner for future trips to see the world.
I've mostly packed my bag already, early (which never happens, ever) so I know how much room and weight I have left for buying more things! Frustrating, to have more money than luggage space.
So today I'm doing some last shopping, photo swapping, and experimenting with cafe drink recipes. I'm coming home with hundreds of photos and hopefully lots of stories of cultural differences, I hope I remember them all. Thailand and Australia have a bit in common, we both have the "she'll be right" attitude, and easy going-ness. As I leave, this country is not quite as foreign as when I came.
Looking forward to sharing with you all when I get home>>>>>>>
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
enterprise on a spreadsheet
So I'm back in my favourite cafe. They have a water system making a wall of flowing water covering the front windows like a see through waterfall, a nice touch. At first glance asias cafes and restaurants are pretty basic and cheap with no real design or flair. But when you spend a little more time and know where to go, there are some amazing places, with so much flair its stimulating while enjoying a delicious coffee.
I'm here to do up some figures on a spreadsheet after spending a couple of days researching products and getting prices for the cafe Emmi wants to start. Will probably experiment with drink recipes next week. Emmi is keen to get me back to help start the cafe around August, train staff and get it running. I'm not sure if I want all that responsibility, but its possible, as I don't have my year planned out, so I'll think and pray about.
I've been thinking about what parts of asia to bring back to australia. Thinking about importing some simple clothing pieces that I can get for a good price here. Wondering about starting a mobile street diner ideal for outdoor summertime dining. Trying to convince my thai friend Bui that she could come to Australia and be the chef!
I've been doing a bit of shopping this week, all things that I need of course! Its been harder to buy clothes than I had expected, all these thai girls are so much smaller than me. Its not rude here in thailand for people to point and say "you're fat" or "large size". You can buy clothing pretty cheap, as long as you're not bigger than an australian medium. And I'm not totally into the asian styles, so it limits me a bit.
Well, better get back to that exciting spreadsheet....
I'm here to do up some figures on a spreadsheet after spending a couple of days researching products and getting prices for the cafe Emmi wants to start. Will probably experiment with drink recipes next week. Emmi is keen to get me back to help start the cafe around August, train staff and get it running. I'm not sure if I want all that responsibility, but its possible, as I don't have my year planned out, so I'll think and pray about.
I've been thinking about what parts of asia to bring back to australia. Thinking about importing some simple clothing pieces that I can get for a good price here. Wondering about starting a mobile street diner ideal for outdoor summertime dining. Trying to convince my thai friend Bui that she could come to Australia and be the chef!
I've been doing a bit of shopping this week, all things that I need of course! Its been harder to buy clothes than I had expected, all these thai girls are so much smaller than me. Its not rude here in thailand for people to point and say "you're fat" or "large size". You can buy clothing pretty cheap, as long as you're not bigger than an australian medium. And I'm not totally into the asian styles, so it limits me a bit.
Well, better get back to that exciting spreadsheet....
Sunday, June 7, 2009
the day I had a good coffee
I'm sitting in Cafe Mong Pearl, after having one of the only two good coffees I've had since I've been in Chiang Mai. I'm slowly getting around some different cafes, but quality coffee here is few and far between it seems. While I wait for 1000 photos to "batch" (a new time saving photo desizing trick a fellow farang just showed me), I thought I'd blog.
Its starting to rain more, the beginning of the rainy season now. Its a cooler change to the hot season which is nice, but limits plans somewhat. Twice yesterday my housemates and I tried to emerge to go out on the scooter (our main transport) which isn't as inviting when its raining. But I have had some days of tourism this week. I've been touring temples, silk making and various handicraft factories and showrooms in a tuk tuk, patting tigers, watching crazy monkeys do tricks, riding an elephant and jumping off a bamboo raft. The night life has been good, from themed kareoke rooms and more fantastic live music, to last nights dancing the night away.
Chiang Mai has a laid back feel that I like, but sometimes clashes with my western culture. I think I waited almost half an hour for a cocktail at Sudsanan, my now local live music bar/restaurant. They weren't busy, and I thought they must have forgotten my order, but they hadn't and its like time matters less here. I've been hanging out a bit with some aussies that live next door, enjoying a bottle of cab sav (made in australia, purchased in burma)together one night for 200 baht (very cheap). Wine is so expensive in Thailand with import tax! I'm craving it.
Thailands catch phrase is the "land of smiles". Chiang Mai has so many tourists here and the town relies heavily on the industry, but I wonder if it makes for many happy people. I think the communication barrier makes life somewhat stressful, for both parties. Haggling over prices, trying to get directions. I've had some fun experiences sitting in the front seat of a songthaow with the driver, practising counting to ten in thai and exchanging words from each language with many gestures. And I've had some hard times, finding it easier to walk a few km's rather than haggle with every driver who comes by. Good experiences though, realising just how easy life can be when you can communicate properly. I have a great friend, Bui, who I'm living with, and she speaks both thai and english fluently, and she has made my life possible over here!
As for plans for travel, I expect to head back to Australia end of June. I'll stay almost another 2 weeks in Chiang Mai, and do some preparation and research work for the cafe Emmi wants to open. I'll take some more photos of Baan handicrafts and hopefully turn out with a few good ones they can use. Then probably head to Krabbi beach for about 5 days of climbing, sunbaking, diving etc before flying to Singapore for a few days, possibly Malaysia for a few days and then home.
Its starting to rain more, the beginning of the rainy season now. Its a cooler change to the hot season which is nice, but limits plans somewhat. Twice yesterday my housemates and I tried to emerge to go out on the scooter (our main transport) which isn't as inviting when its raining. But I have had some days of tourism this week. I've been touring temples, silk making and various handicraft factories and showrooms in a tuk tuk, patting tigers, watching crazy monkeys do tricks, riding an elephant and jumping off a bamboo raft. The night life has been good, from themed kareoke rooms and more fantastic live music, to last nights dancing the night away.
Chiang Mai has a laid back feel that I like, but sometimes clashes with my western culture. I think I waited almost half an hour for a cocktail at Sudsanan, my now local live music bar/restaurant. They weren't busy, and I thought they must have forgotten my order, but they hadn't and its like time matters less here. I've been hanging out a bit with some aussies that live next door, enjoying a bottle of cab sav (made in australia, purchased in burma)together one night for 200 baht (very cheap). Wine is so expensive in Thailand with import tax! I'm craving it.
Thailands catch phrase is the "land of smiles". Chiang Mai has so many tourists here and the town relies heavily on the industry, but I wonder if it makes for many happy people. I think the communication barrier makes life somewhat stressful, for both parties. Haggling over prices, trying to get directions. I've had some fun experiences sitting in the front seat of a songthaow with the driver, practising counting to ten in thai and exchanging words from each language with many gestures. And I've had some hard times, finding it easier to walk a few km's rather than haggle with every driver who comes by. Good experiences though, realising just how easy life can be when you can communicate properly. I have a great friend, Bui, who I'm living with, and she speaks both thai and english fluently, and she has made my life possible over here!
As for plans for travel, I expect to head back to Australia end of June. I'll stay almost another 2 weeks in Chiang Mai, and do some preparation and research work for the cafe Emmi wants to open. I'll take some more photos of Baan handicrafts and hopefully turn out with a few good ones they can use. Then probably head to Krabbi beach for about 5 days of climbing, sunbaking, diving etc before flying to Singapore for a few days, possibly Malaysia for a few days and then home.
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