Arrival in Chiang Mai

Heartsore and jet lagged I arrived in Chiang Mai late at night ready for sleep.

The next morning I roamed the streets of Chiang Mai more lost in life than ever, bewildered at all the chaotic and confusing recent events, barely taking in my very asian surroundings.

Considered the jewel of the north and with the highest density of buddhist temples in the country, this town boasts low humity, which I was very grateful for, considering the 33 degree temperature. A walk in the park compared to Mallorca!
The asian character of mortobikes, tuctucs, taxis, bubble tea cafés, 7/11s, make me feel like I never left Asia last year. It feels like I am continuing last year's trip.

It has been a crazy year for me, with so much change in all life areas: mental, spiritual, physical, professional, medical, home, love, family... It feels somewhat like life is throwing constant curveballs at me and I don't know how to fend them off.
So, my main goal for this trip is more of an internal and spiritual exploration, than of external exploration. I am content to lay low in Chiang Mai for a while doing study and yoga for a few days before going into a temple to retreat into the buddhist meditation practice I have been introducing myself to over the last year.

Regardless, I hit the ground running upon arrival. I walked into a women's ex-prison inmate massage parlour and got most of the pain and stress pushed out of my body by the hands, forearms, elbows and feet of a thai woman. She brought me back to life in a gentle and firm manner.

I had lunch with a fellow traveller and did some joint therapy with a stranger. I love the use of fresh sprouts, nuts and citrus fruits in most dishes!

Afterwards I joined Wally (a fellow Iyengar Yoga practitioner, fellow irish citizen, whom I met in Bali and who happens to be living here for the last 8 months) at a rather tough yoga class.
I invited Wally to join me at the Chiang Mai flower festival where I had arranged to meet Marta, Jaume and Aleix. Marta was my neighbour and close friend for 4 years in Palma and I was overjoyed when I discovered we would be coinciding in Chiang Mai for a few days!

Two years ago, I had the honour of discovering and informing Marta that she was pregnant with Aleix after she had a fainting incident and came to me for help at the doctor's center. And here we all are!

Another funny coincidence is that what brought Marta and me together was our love and exchange of plants, notably orchids and bonsai trees. And there we are, meeting at a flower festival in Asia.Read more