The 5 hour bus ride to Chiang Mai was unfortunately only a little more comfortable. We paid for tickets and were literally pushed onto the bus without receiving them. We were pretty sure we would have been better off in a bus without AC, but with windows that opened. I am way oversized for Thai seat set ups. The headrest landed in my shoulder blades. We made it just the same.
The countryside between Sukhothai and Chiang Mai was rather unremarkable. About an hour out of Sukhothai, the agriculture diminished and the ground became rocky with granite boulders the size of boxcars in some places. At some time, there was an enormous effort put into flattening large expanses of land to grow rice.
There were vast burnt and burning areas along the way.
At one point the bus labored for about a half hour to get us over a low pass where my ears nearly popped. We free wheeled down the back side stopping at one point to cool the brakes at a pullout.
The forecast for Chang Mai. I'm thinking it will be hot with plenty of sunshine.
Zoe and I went to the Chiang Mai Sunday Market last night. It was full of vendors selling souvenirs, food, spices, you name it. There were a number of street bands too. It went on for a mile along Ratmakka Road spilling down the side streets. It was solid people and great fun. Zoe got shorts, a bracelet and a satchel for $7 (210 baht).
Check out this tricked out cheetah-skinned tuk-tuk.
I got a durean-flavored "ancient" ice cream. I had heard about durean because it is banned from a Bangkok elevators where signs say "no smoking, no durean". It tasted kind of like garlic. I had to brush my teeth twice after and the taste still persisted. They also had curry flavors. I'll try that next.
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