Local Bus OK...Not Next Time

Sharon's friend riding with us to the bus station

Our first full week of picking up and moving about has stirred  the travel cobwebs from my brain. This means years ago I instinctively knew when to inquire about bus timetables you immediately discount the buses that run in between the direct express buses. In this case I didn't ask when the express buses from Sukhothai to Chiang Mai ran....I just asked "next bus to Chiang Mai?" and there is always a bus leaving within the hour so I felt pretty good until I looked up and at the schedule taped to the ticket window glass just above my eye level showing two times, 7:10 and 10:00. Even in Thai writing I could tell we were in for a long ride to Chiang Mai. If I would have done my homework, we could have left an hour earlier and caught that ten o'clock bus and instead of six and half hours of stop..start..stop..wait..start, we could have been downing our third Mai Thai a cocktail lounge in Chiang Mai. We certainly got our Baht's worth on that bus trip.

New Eco-Adventure, Chiang Mai by Panda

I was pleasantly surprised we had quite a bit of daylight remaining when my boot hit the tarmac at the station in Chiang Mai. The night before I was in email contact with the desk clerk at the Charcoa Hotel where I wanted to stay but she said they only had one room left for the five nights I requested and of course it was their most expensive luxurious honeymoon suite at roughly $65.00 a night. I know that's about the cost of a Motel 6 in the states but here in the land of plenty $20.00 a night rooms, it's the principal of scale. I took it because I slapped and scolded myself for being ridiculous and unromantic.

A (OK Class..who meets you everywhere you go?) Tuk-Tuk driver! Muy Bien! asked where we wanted to go and I handed a brochure I had with me from last year (thanks Chuck for saving it) which clarifies any doubt as to what your destination is. Then I asked, how much. (you got to ask or you will really get it in the end) I used my confident pout face look and he responded with a reasonable 80 baht (about $2.50) and I agreed.  To the airport they will charge you upwards of 300 baht for about the same distance but they feel sorry for the poor souls coming in on the "local bus".

Riding bicycle in Chiang Mai

Hey all you voyeurs out there...are all you getting to see my newly posted photos on Shutterfly? To see them, just click on the "On the Road Again Images" on the upper right side of this blog and it will get you there. Then for god's sake sign up to be an official member. I can't afford any more Ronco nose hair trimmers but I got a line on some pristine NIB "Buttoneers" if you sign up. I just want to make sure this site is getting everyone a chance to see my images. I'm sure Chris Collins, the owner of Shutterfly would like to make sure his product is doing its job as well...so give me some feed baby.


Because of Sharon's addiction of foot and back massages. descriptions for each of the photos has fallen behind but who gives a hoot if its a Wat or a Waddy.