Getting Out of Bangkok!!

Ok, although I knew it would be safe (ish) in Bangkok, it wasn't exactly pleasant in the day or two after the bombings. As those of you who heard from me in those couple of days know, I was actually pretty scared. DFAT was issuing a travel warning to suspend all unnecessary travel to Bangkok. Moreover, I had already had a week there and so had run out of things to do - and my new hotel was SHABBY (I'm talking bed bugs. Which is ok, except in Bangkok where there are plenty of cleaner options for the same price) and in an awful part of town. I didn't feel safe on the streets, I didn't want to stay in the hotel, and there were no bars or cafes nearby for me to socialise in. I was actually pretty damn miserable, not like me at all! So I got in contact with a friend, Mel, who has travelled pretty extensively, and she gave me some advice which is up there with the best I've ever had - trust your traveller's instinct. I got on the phone to Thai Air and was in Chiang Mai by that afternoon! Mum was travelling here already so it was easy, I already had a place to stay, and I'm now meeting the tour group here tomorrow morning before crossing into Laos the day after. Hurrah!

I feel much, much safer here and sometimes that's all that matters. It was certainly the right decision, even more so when I read in the Bangkok Post this morning that there were 2 bomb threats yesterday on the road I was staying on.

Chiang Mai is further north, full of night markets and the gateway to trekking in the far north or all sorts of other things. I really love it here, it's lively but not the rambunctious city that Bangkok is. Yesterday mum and I had a priceless day at an elephant conservation park about 2 hours drive north of here. They rescue abused elephants (which, it turns out, are almost all elephants in Thailand - any that aren't wild, any that are engaged in tourism activities like rides etc) and let them essentially roam free, with mahouts to command them and volunteers around to manage them. We got to feed them and bathe them in the river, there are about 30 elephants plus 3 baby elephants which were the cutest things! It was an awesome day, just being there with these majestic animals and some great people, and also probably the best Thai food I've ever had (a big call, believe me!) and the clear mountain air. Really great.

Today was spent shopping (oops, have spent more than I planned to, oh well!). And just walking around Chiang Mai. It's going to be really hard to leave Thailand, I love this country so much, but I am looking forward to seeing Laos. I hope you're all well and I miss you all very much, love always, Sophie.