Hi Everyone in Oz!!

Saturday - 7 June 08

Hello everyone! I have done 2 posts today, this one and one with photos of the wicked storm we had this arvo. Its the same everyday, storm in the morning with heavy rain and storm in the evening with even heavier rain, its good because it manages to keep the place cooler so walking around is much more pleasant and you don't sweat.

We have had a busy day today, brunch again at McShit as it is cheap and its the only thing open at that time (10.30am) to eat. No Thai food available until later in the day or early evening. We walked for hours again today and we never seem to get sick of exploring the streets, markets and the city of Chiang Mai, its never boring. We walked to the Day Markets which I call China Town because of the chinese gate at the start of the road you walk to get to the day markets, I think I posted a photo on the blog a couple of days ago of it. The markets were packed it must be the day all the Thai people go there as well, the crowds were enormous. We were walking along the steet stalls and there was this beautiful little boy, about 4 years old sitting on the narrow footpath outside one of the shops, begging with his cup. I couldn't believe it, he was such a sweet little kid and it was a bit upsetting to see it. Anyway we stopped and put 10 baht in his cup and I gave him one of the keyrings with a stuffed kangaroo on it and showed him what a Kangaroo does, hop, hop. He was so happy and it broke my heart, I really just wanted to pick him up and take him with us.

You know I got to thinking just how lucky we foreigners really are. Our children, grandchildren and even ourselves never have to go out on the streets to beg just to live and yet we whinge day in and day out at every opportunity we get that what we have isn't enough. How ungrateful are we. Thats my sermon for the day!

Today we have booked all our tours that we want to do whilst we are here. Monday we booked a taxi and driver to take us to the things we want to see and do, so we are off to The Elephant Training Camp to watch the elephants paint and do their chores and other things. Then we are off to Doi Suthep which is a huge buddhist temple on the mountain and it overlooks Chiang Mai. When we look out our hotel window we can see the temple up on the mountain and when the storms roll in the clouds roll in around the temple and the mountain and it just disappears, it is really fascinating to see and if the sky is clear of a nightime we can see the lights of the temple up on the mountain. We then go to the Butterfly and Orchid farm which I have been told is beautiful to see. I will be taking lots of photos.

Wednesday night we are off to the Cultural Show to watch all the different styles of Thai Dancing and dinner is included, looking forward to that. You even get to learn some of the steps of the dancing. Yeh rock on Rick & Nic.

We have also booked our visa run tour for the 19th June as our visas run out on 24 June. We are doing the day tour to Chiang Rai and then on to Mae Sai which is the border town of Thailand and Myanmar. We stop at the immigration gate at Mae Sai, have our old visa stamped to leave the country of Thailand, walk across the border into a small village, have a look at the market stalls and then walk back across the Thai border to immigration and pay 10 USD, fill out forms and get a new 30 day visa stamp on our passports, it takes about 50 minutes, get in the tour bus and finish our sightseeing on our way back to Chiang Mai.

I just want to clarify our visa run in case anyone in the family are talking to mum and she starts to freak out, as she does, thinking we are going to be caught up in Myanmar and the Military Junta decides to take us and not let us out of the country. We walk across the road from Thailand side of the border to the Myanmar side of the border, spend a few minutes there and walk back and get our new 30 day visa to enter into Thailand and finish our trip. We are not travelling or touring through Myanmar (Burma) we will be there 5 minutes only, ok.

This arvo we watched the AFL game between West Coast and the Swans, and it was a great afternoon because the Eagles got there arses kicked in the last 5 minutes, go the Swans, sweet!
Tonight the Freo vs Brisbane is on and we will be watching that, go Freo! We went out to our usual spot for dinner and I have to say the last 3 nights I have had Wonton Noodle soup with pork and egg noodles and I tell you Wonton Soup has always been my favourite soup which is why I cook it so much at home. But this one is the best and I will be making and cooking it when I get back the same as they do it here, I stand and watch the young guy as he does it and its so simple, same with Pad Thai. I would love to do a half day Thai Cooking Class, maybe I should, something to think about.

Anyway the nights almost over and the footy about to start so better end this blog and settle in for the night with coffee and chocolate. Stay tuned - Until tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!! La Kon (Good Bye!)