2007 History (Part 2)

Ok, so that's till September.... the next thing that i would like to share is, my company trip which we were suppose to go to Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai.... wow... was so excited to go, but sadly Adam didn't want to tag along, coz it was too expensive for him. You see we only need to pay RM 600 for the trip, as the company was subsidising the balance.

Anyway the trip was great... had great tour guides with good English, good looking and also very pleasant... i guess the reviews that people write about Thailand people, are true after all.

So yeah it was so boring being on the plane for 2 whole hours... once we touch down, we headed to Hotel, dump our baggage and than had to rush for White Water Rafting at Mae Tong River... yup, it sounds scary at first... but than it was like the best experience i ever had in my life. We had a quick lunch, the water was so cold, and guess what 'Ning' the guy who maneuvers the raft, kept splashing water on us... midway through one of the guys actually pulled me into the river and i got all wet... luckily i had bathing suits under my t-shirt and shorts. They had grades on each course; there are certain parts of the river which was not rough, and there were also part that was rough... i was laughing the whole way, coz i enjoyed it so much, the boys were expecting us girls to scream more than to laugh... haha. By the way having two good looking guys on the same raft was an incentive:- The place where we had our lunch
The helmets we had to use
'Ting & Ning' the boys that were on the same raft as i was
Wooden Shacks for us to change to our clothes.

That night we went for dinner at a restaurant called 'Phalad Tawan Rorn'.. the ambiance there are great for couples, coz they put tea light lamps on the table, and the food was delicious. I was so full after that. ( Sorry couldn't show you guys any picture of the restaurant, as there were no nice pictures to be found). Later we were suppose to go to the Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai, but somehow change the whole plan, and instead we went for Thai Massage for an hour and it only cost us RM20. It was so ticklish and painful.... coz the things and positions they do on your body... you can never imagine you could do it... After massage we went back to our 'Doi View' hotel to sleep.

The next day we had breakfast in the hotel and than headed all the way to Chiang Rai... on the way we stop by a 'hot spring' called 'Pong Num Ron'

They were actually selling us eggs, so that you could boil it in the hot spring, look:

We bought barbecued banana's, peanuts, raw manggo (sour and nice), hard boiled egg and also sweet corn...

Than we continued our journey... all the way we eat and sleep... i think we were more like fat 'pandi' (translation - pig). Than we stop by at this beautiful temple, and it's all white, it's actually called 'Rong Khun' temple, or 'White Temple'. These temple's architecture was done by one of their most renown artist from Thailand. The temple was so beautiful, i can't help showing off my photography skills... (but i do have to give credits to my office colleagues, for their photographs... coz i didn't have a huge memory card on my camera.. (need to invest on one soon.)

Notice the hands, they are suppose to represent those people who are sent to hell.

After touring the temple... we proceed to the shops nearby.... our tour guide JJ introduce us to some herbal drinks... but i soon found out that all three drinks that she ask me to try were, asam jawa, cincau and crysantemum. They even sold this guava, it was so green i thought it was some apple... nway here are some merchandise that were sold over there:


After that, we continued out journey to a restaurant which was situated nearby the Golden Triangle. The golden triangle basically is the spot where, Thailand, Laos and Myanmmar meet.
While at the restaurant, there was this lady who was busy doing a flower out of soap. Check it out it's so beautiful:-

After lunch we headed too the Mekong River... took a long speed boat, as our group consist of about 40 people.
This is a Casino called 'Paradise', based on what was explain by our tour guide, if we we're to spend 10,000 baht here, you get to stay for free in this resort for about a week. It's quite high security in this resort.

Later we actually stop over at Laos, and only need to pay 20 baht (RM 2) for Visa, shop there for a while, got myself a bag, pashmina, t-shirt (for amanda), 3 different colored purse. It is also common to buy snake wine from there.... eiiiyyyyaaa... blek. This are some pictures.

Later we continued our journey too the borders of Thailand... to shop for Jade... didn't buy anything, just bought a medium size jade cross pendant for my mom that cost about RM 60. Coz she's been complaining that she doesn't have a big cross to wear, when it's 'puasa' time, police think, people our color are Malays too. Sheessh..... Anyway later we walk around the night market in Chiang Rai, but there was nothing to buy. :(

So we went for dinner... and later decided to head back to our hotel... once we dump all our stuff... we decided to go to the night market in Chiang Rai, that was nearby the hotel we were staying... bought a pair of white three quarter pants, 1 t-shirt for Adam, 2 voodoo dolls key chain for memory, soap flower for mom, 5 potpourri colorful bags for the ladies in my department. Than we decided to go back to the hotel, but we stop for a light supper, it's basically 'roti pisang' translated as 'banana bread' and it was so tasty coz u don't eat it with 'dahl' but 'condence milk'.... woot... so sweet and tasty.. yum yum:


Once i reach the Hotel, i quickly took a hot shower and slept... till my room mate woke me up at 2am in the morning to get into the room. The next day we woke up early... as we need to go and have our last shopping in Myanmmar... which i was basically broke.. coz we need to pay 500 baht (RM50) for the visa. Ended up buying a sarong for Adam, and a cute white lace blouse for Farhana (Adam's niece).

After that we left for lunch in this place called 'Doi Mae Salong', it's a beautiful tea farm, with a beautiful view and good food. The trip by the way was winding like Cameron Highlands... thank God i didn't puke.:


After lunch, we headed to the Long Neck Village... the journey was so long... but when we reach there it was a relieve. We were greeted by one of the ethnic people there, who eat beetle nuts, that turn their teeth to pitch black (coz they claim it makes them look attractive in their community). Than came the long Neck Community... it's a lil pitiful that they had to start wearing those brass ring around their neck, starting at the age of 5. Anyway the tour guide told us that every weekend there'll be a teacher from the city, that would come to teach these kids how to read & write in Thai & English. Bought a nice beautiful Pashmina for myself and also a metal bookmark. Well let the pictures do the talking alright:

They Look so Adorable

Anyway that same night we headed back to Chiang Mai, the trip was so long, that we basically had to force the driver to stop at the petrol station for us to pee... than we had our dinner at this place called Mushroom Suki... as the restaurant is called that, they're more specialize in Mushroom kind of dishes.... so i got a lil bored after eating some of the food served.

After that we straight went to the Night Bazaar in Chiang Rai, sad to say we only had like 2 hours of shopping, got my self a nice choker for RM26, 2 t-shirt, 1 t-shirt each for my dad and Adam, 1 soap flower for Adam's mom. Bought some junk food to bring back for my family and also colleagues.

The next day we left Chiang Mai for good... touch down at 2pm, at last i got the hug that i did not have for the past 4 days. It was more like a torture that i could not actually talk to Adam, coz it cost RM 5 for each minute on the phone, and each sms cost RM 2. It was great to be back to a place where i know so well, in the arms of my love one.

All and all the trip was great, i did not regret going there, and would really love to go back there, for shopping and more white water Rafting.... :)