why don’t we know how to bargain?

We got to Chiang Mai Wednesday afternoon after our home stay...

After a totally crucial shower -- actually, everyday we get to shower is a totally crucial shower - we headed into the city to look around... Chiang Mai is way cooler and much more pleasant than Bangkok. It's kind of like what Bangkok wishes it could be... but it's too dirty and over populated. Kind of like the difference between NYC and lovely los angeles (kidding. kind of.)

We quickly decided it was time for Josh to obtain some tailor made suits and shirts. Josh got two suits and six shirts. Lindsey then decided to join the fun and get a new Grey Suit and two lovely fitted shirts.

We had to go back a few times to tweek the suits and make sure everything fit properly, but our tailor was very accommodating and really fast. (If you're ever in Chiang Mai, and you need a suit, we know a guy.) In the end, they look great -- don't worry mom(s).

That evening, we went to the Doi Suthep Temple where there is a panoramic view of Chiang Mai. We got their just in time for the sunset. However... upon arriving at the temple -- which was on top of a hill that took the longest windiest road to get up to -- we were greeted with 306 steps. 306!! Josh wanted to take the escalator but Lindsey made him push through it. When we got to the top, some of the other people on the tour were talking about how there was an escalator and Josh quickly said, " I know, Lindsey wouldn't let me take it" to which one replied, "Josh, you're so lazy, you didn't even come biking today." Touche.

That night, we had dinner at a local outdoor market -- we found a pita and humus stand and went with it. Then we went to the Night Market because Chiang Mai is famous for its shopping. Every night at 6PM there are about ten blocks that turn into night markets with hundreds of little stands that sell everything and anything over and over again. There is anything from fake Lacoste Polos to Fake Bags to wood carvings to Buddhas to anything with an elephant on it, to watches and jewelry. Lindsey held up her Tiffany’s bracelet to the fake one that it barely resembled, to which the man tried to tell her it was real and could give her a great price.

We really cleaned up, buying t-shirts, matching chubby figures - so cool! - chopsticks, pashminas, an over-priced hat that Josh is still bitter about not being able to bargain down for and Thai Foot messages. (Well, that doesn’t really count as part of the night market, but we did get them overlooking the night market to relax.)

The next morning we woke up to go Bamboo rafting. This means that Lindsey finally convinced Josh to get over his fear of getting injured. It did help that Lindsey had agreed to the Thai Boxing that night and that Josh was assured that he could sit down the entire time on the raft on the very “Lazy” river without drowning or the possibility of falling in. (This was all true.) Although there was an influx of children playing in the river that did not speak a word of English, but were able to say “No Wet, No Fun” and splash cold water on us as we rode past.

All together the Bamboo rafting was a blast. Our guide did all the work, we sat and look at the jungle like atmosphere. At a couple points we could see elephants. Notice a theme?

(It might be worth noting that Lindsey got a pedicure in the afternoon. Also, we had subway sandwiches for lunch - which was by far the most expensive meal we've had so far.)

That night we headed off with out group to go see some Thai boxing matches. We even had "ring side" seats... which is funny cause it was a very small stadium and the view from the bleachers would've been just as good. But the it was really a lot of fun. Lindsey was skeptical but really got into it after a while... there were six different matches that we watched, each had five rounds. The last round even had a Scottish boxer in it, but he got his ass kicked -- or more literally, his left shoulder which was black and blue from getting kicked so many times by his Thai opponent.

After the fighting, we headed back to the night market area and decided to actually join our group for a night of drinking... good times. Let's just say we started out by drinking at an irish pub and the night ended at a karaoke bar slash brothel (literally) where Josh did an awe-inspiring rendition of Hit Me Baby One More Time. (Have you heard him do it? It's "good fun" as the rest of group likes to say.)

No one knows how, but after being out til almost 4 last night, we were up and packed and ready to go go-kart racing by 930 this morning. We headed off with three of the guys in our group, the two aussies and the irishman, to the go-kart track. We only rode for about 12 minutes, but Josh decided it was the longest 12 minutes he'd had since taking the bar... It was really fun though. We opted for the sensible "fast" karts while our group mates got the "super fast" ones -- needless to say they all lapped us many times as we made our way around the track. Let the record show: Lindsey also lapped Josh twice. It's cool... he didn't want to get hurt.

Then we walked around the old city of Chiang Mai for about an hour and saw some more cool temples... but once you've seen a few they just all sort of start to look the same...

Tonight we take the night train back to Bangkok... wish us luck.

We will be meeting up with some new group members before we head down to the south of Thailand (the beaches) for two weeks....

YAY

-- Lindsey and Josh