Amazingly, I was dropped at my intended destination, the entry to Nam Tok Monthathon, without an argument or sales pitch. Of course, this miracle was due to the easy money – the driver was already heading that direction with a load of passengers and taking me only involved an extra minute, including the time involved for a pick-up and drop-off. So I found myself at another gate, paying another entry fee and then on a paved national park road to a waterfall. At this point, it was well past noon and I was getting a bit hungry but more importantly, I was feeling the urge to find a facility. I asked the lady at the gate about a toilet and she pointed in the direction of up, which at first lead me to believe there would be an outhouse around the corner. There was not. I then began to wonder if she meant that I should use the great outdoors so I spent the rest of the 4 kilometer mostly uphill hike contemplating the wonders of nature (30%) and where I could take a leak (70%). What stopped me from utilizing a convenient tree or mud-filled ditch was (a) the road was populated by just enough motorcycles that I’d need a decent hiding place and (b) that a lady I had met the other day told me that there were cobras and tarantulas in the woods around here (she thought this was very cool – I wasn’t as enthused), which lead me to the realization that I cannot identify dangerous plants nor insects in this area and (c) there were power lines stung on poles above me – which I figured meant somewhere along the way, there must be electricity and a toilet. And there was! I found a perfectly decent squat toilet about 500 metres from the waterfall.

Happily, the use of the facilities allowed me to investigate the waterfall and I spent some time with the roar of the water rushing through my ears as I seated myself on a rock near the upper falls with my journal (v. artsy fartsy). And on the way back down, I was able to increase my enjoyment of nature to around 80% although it was around 2:30 and I was hungry (contemplation re: lunch 20%). I hiked past the gate and went to flag down the next sawngthaew… I had been standing rather limply in the sun for about 10 minutes when a kindly motorcyclist stopped and offered me a ride. I asked him how much and he demurred but he seemed really nice so I warned him that I hadn’t ever done this and climbed aboard for my second ever motorcycle ride. On the way down, the breeze rushed though my hair and I clasped the driver and smiled with joy while the wind sometimes caught my tear ducts and I had to wipe away a few wayward drops. My rescuer’s name was Pi, I think he is a university student in business at a school in Bangkok, and he had about triple the number of words in English that I have in Thai. I’m up to 3 words in Thai. But he and I had a very pleasant drive down the mountain and he sweetly dropped me off near Chang Mai University (an area that I was not at all familiar with but I knew in which direction to walk so…) and refused payment. How sweet was that? He just told me to thank him – which I did many times in both English and Thai. I really wish I could’ve thanked him beyond that but our communications were very limited and… well….

I always love it when I manage to accomplish a goal without trying… and exploring beyond the moat area had only occurred to me that morning as I peered at Chang Mai so besides the fact that I was hungry and a bit tired, I gamely made my way back towards town while taking in the sights. To the left of me were the ample grounds of Chang Mai University and to the right were any number of restaurants and food stands. I could’ve stopped at any number of times but I had determined that I should a try place called the UN Pub that I had passed the other day. The attraction? Bread. Crusty bread. Of course, this place was on the complete other side of town. On the other hand, I had already walked 2 miles uphill so what was another 2 miles of flat walking – although at this point, the heat of the afternoon was beginning to press upon me. I ignored it in my delight as I veered away from the road upon the sight of a true Thai food market with veggies and fruit and hanging meats and trays of flowers for temple offerings. I walked inside to check out the dark aisles filled with I have no clue what and was at one point was gently seized by a lady so that she could marvel at the pale, freckledness of my skin in comparison to her darker, beautiful skin. I had greeted her with my habitual “sad wa dee ka” and I think she took this to mean that I had a basic grasp on Thai. Well, I soon showed her! I smiled and nodded and responded “thank you” in English before continuing down the aisles. I couldn’t buy anything because I’m avoiding unpleasant side effects of not being a native Thai/lack of refrigeration so I soon returned to the road. Not long after that a tuk tuk driver called “tuk tuk, madame” to me and I nodded. He pulled out his city map and we negotiated – I paid him all that remained was left in my wallet: 46 THB. Remember, all my guidebooks say the 30 THB is as high as I should need to pay. Anyway, it is not completely fair but I have the tuk tuk negotiating down to an art: I keep small change in my wallet and larger bills stashed elsewhere so I negotiate by taking out my small change and offering all I have to the driver. It works. This driver was happy enough that he told me that I was beautiful (they only tell me this when they want to sell me something) (I’m sorry to be cynical but there you have it!) and that I looked a lot younger than my advanced 30 years. He was 48, by the way.

He dropped me in front of the UN Pub and waved good-bye as he sped away, now happily within a district filled with tons of foreigners willing to pay many a THB for a half a mile journey. I walked into the pub and greatly enjoyed a roast chicken sandwich on a baguette along with a fruit shake and a big vegetable salad. Yum. Refreshed but ready for a shower and a late afternoon nap, I walked back to my hotel. On the way, the first sawngthaew driver passed me at an Intersection and stopped long enough to yell at me “Doi Suthep?” I recognized him too and agreed “Yes, it was very pretty.” He continued on and as I walked down the final Soi, I tipped my head towards the green hill where the clouds had retrenched to the point that I could see amongst a crowd of Wat buildings, a tall, golden, gleaming stupa. I could see the stupa plainly despite the distance, I could picture it up close and I amused myself by flashing different memories of Doi Suthep and attempting to repeat Doi Suthep five times, fast before the doorway to Paddy Fields and a shower.

Anyway, I must thank frustrating CELTA boy for inspiring my day’s adventures. I do know that he’ll be pleased; however, I shan’t place a large bet on whether he’ll actually respond in a timely manner to my e-mail.

Ciao!

-Laura

PS: In passing, I mentioned that there was a Jackfruit tree at Doi Suthep. I had a jackfruit salad one night and must confess that I thought it edible but not incredible and yet I also wondered what the heck I was eating. Jackfruit are enormous, spiky fruits, that to the untutored eye look like their more famous cousin: the durian. Jackfruit are much larger and believed to be indigenous to the rain forests of western India. A jackfruit tree is generally handsome and stately and grows to an enormous size, like an oak. This is true from my single memorable observation – although I think that the tree is improved with a large painted elephant at its base…