Day 2 - The other side of the world...

10:20
42C’s medical attention continues for some time. He's on the oxygen mask for two hours - until the oxygen runs out I assume. After this, he starts to make a substantial recovery. This is obviously great news - but it has rather upset the balance of the flight. Half the cabin crew have been tending to him, and the other half haven’t been able to get past him to carry out the meal service. As a result, we don’t get fed and watered for close to 2.5 hours after take-off. I quickly reason that I’m not going to get much/any sleep on this flight either. Happily, we’ve not much planned for later today, so I can have an afternoon nap of dramatic proportions. Ultimately, I manage a sketchy hour before landing. It’ll have to suffice.

We make up some time in flight, and land just about 15-20 minutes late - plenty of time to make my connecting flight. I’m knackered though. The domestic connection gates are (predictably) on the opposite end of the airport. It takes me about 20 minutes to walk over, but the terminal is well air-conditioned. I’m starting to feel a little feverish and achey though. I’m hopeful this is just fatigue after a hectic few days, rather than anything more sinister.

Arriving at gate A2, I can clearly see Felix. Of course I can - he’s 17 feet tall. It’s a slightly weird, but very cool to meet like this, on the other side of the world. He’s made a friend on his journey from Abu Dhabi into Thailand - a Masters student who’s spending 6 months in Chiang Mai working on a humanitarian aid project.

Our final flight is a puddle jump - maybe an hour in flight. We’re quickly boarded, and leave on time. I cannot WAIT to get into my bed when we get to Chiang Mai…

17:30
The flight to Chiang Mai is one of those that seems to reach its cruising altitude, only to start descent immediately. Chiang Mai is a pretty small, provincial airport. We land at 11:05, have our hold bags in hand by 11:25, and are on our way to our guesthouse by 11:35. We take the scenic route around the town in a pre-booked taxi. We’re staying at the edge of the old town, and I suspect there are lots of small alleys and one way streets. We get ourselves checked in, and I collapse onto my bed. I’m feeling really rather rubbish, and I’m desperately hoping that a good sleep will improve things.

I’m asleep in moments, having just about managed to set an alarm for 17:00. I wake a few times along the way, but basically sleep for a full 5 hours. Waking, I find Felix has done much the same. I’m still not feeling quite right, but I can feel a marked improvement for some decent sleep. I’ll grab some cold and flu remedy at a pharmacy this evening, and hope that that’ll keep things in order.

#prayfortim’ssnuffles

23:00
We meet at 18:00, and set off with no particular destination in mind. We’re neither of us particularly hungry just yet, so figure we’ll just walk for a while, and see where the evening takes us. Chiang Mai seems fairly sleepy. There are a few people out walking on the streets. Most of the people we see are on mopeds/bikes and in cars. We pass a spectacular temple with Chinese style sloped rooves, and a scary looking cat. We amble by a large square, which is being used as a skate park by some half-decent skate-boarders. The city is small enough to feel quite familiar quite quickly. We pause for a pitstop - beer for me, ginger ale for Felix. He stopped drinking a couple of years ago now. I suspect this will do positive things to the amount I would otherwise drink on this trip.

Thirst slaked, we walk on, via a street food market that smells great, but which is occupied by about three times as many stallholders as customers. A man on stage is doing terrible things to an acoustic guitar. We briefly try (and fail) to find a bar nearby called Wetherspoons.

Our wanderings have spiked our appetites, so we head to a restaurant called Link for some dinner. I award myself my first Som Tam (papaya salad) of this trip - its familiar flavours and textures a welcome friend. I also order some deep-fried prawns in a tamarind sauce, which are stellar. Felix has a soft-shell crab and mango dish, which he declares excellent. The bill is comfortably below £30 for both of us, which feels like decent value.

While we’re eating, night has fallen - quickly, as is the way this close to the equator. The temperature is still in the mid 20s, and humidity is high, but it’s a far cry from the oppressive heat of Bangkok in April. Hopefully a sign of things to come. We’re likely to see quite a lot of rain in the next couple of weeks, and this will help keep the heat manageable. Tomorrow, we’re heading up into the mountains, to Pai, which sounds/looks amazing, and a great place to put roots down for a few days. Our bus is at 10:30, so we decide to head back to the hotel and have (hopefully) a good night’s rest. On the way back to the hotel, we see a different side to Chiang Mai, walking down its alleys and back-routes. There is some beautiful street-art on display - some is tagging, others more graffiti based artwork, and others again more classical artwork. It’s everywhere. We’re going to come back via Chiang Mai in a few days before we head South, and I note to myself to learn more about this trend.

Back at our guesthouse, I read for a while, but my eyes are intensely heavy. I set an alarm, and hope for the best.もっと詳しく