Easy Days in Chiang Rai...

Chiang Rai, Thailand

July 26, 2007
N 19°54.385
E 099°49.830

Since our arrival in Chiang Rai two days ago we’ve spent some time catching up on some chores, including the blog. We desperately needed to do laundry after two weeks in Laos. We actually had to soak some of Marc’s shirts in vinegar in a desperate attempt to remove the embedded stank. Additionally, rotating shirts, underwear and shorts for two weeks; always attempting to determine which article reeks the least, was becoming very tedious. We finally came to the realization that the ol’ reliable sink wash method was no longer a viable option. Plus, Marc was also in need of a haircut. Boring stuff, yes, but we still need to do it!

We dropped off our laundry in the morning and were advised it might be dry the following morning if it doesn’t rain. (It is officially the rainy season in Thailand and we get a good shower at least once a day, whether we need it or not.) We walked away, hoping for sun and fresh clothes free of stank.

We took the time to walk around Chiang Rai and explore; however, we couldn’t explore the many Wats since Marc’s pants were now at the cleaners—the Wats would have to wait until tomorrow.

The Chiang Rai Province is the northernmost province in Thailand. It borders both the Laos border (where we entered Thailand) and the Myanmar (Burma) border. The town of Chiang Rai itself has a population of around 50,000; however, the municipality still has a small feel to it and is very manageable to see on foot—our favorite way.

The sun stayed out the majority of the day as we wandered the streets with no particular destination. When the rain started coming down in the late afternoon we ducked into a little barber shop where Marc got a haircut and shave (two bits).

With all our chores done we made our way back to our air conditioned (yes, AC baby!) room to relax a bit before heading out to the Night Bizarre for dinner. The relaxed environment around Chiang Rai is comforting, especially after coming from the low-key country of Laos. This will be a nice gradual transition before hitting the bigger cities like Chiang Mai and Bangkok.