The laid back life

I’ve always been told in my life,

That I run too fast, do things too efficiently.what’s the rush? Don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers

I guess Chiang Mai is the perfect place to learn to live a little. Enjoy the process.

Sec last day of the trip, I didn’t want to do any farm travel so I decided to just spend a day drinking coffee (oh yes u hipsters call this cafe hopping?)

There’s a total of 17 street (soi) in niemman rd. I think there must be more than 200 cafes, to just get lost in the little town. I never found the patience to spend an afternoon drinking coffee. This time I drank 5…

I don’t know what to reccommend because there’s so many pretty cafe tastefully decorated

Most importantly, They all do coffee art

This is at soi 1 jap sando and coffee

Just a walking area at soi 1

There’s a sec hand flea market every night here I think

Quaint

Had one too many coffee

Coffee was only 75 baht

I love this but they don’t serve cakes – it’s an antique store with a coffee hut annex to the antique store

This is from herb basic

They sell coffee waffles cakes and loads of essential oil, body butter, soap etc

And u get to dine with piggy here if u solo travel like me

I walk a million miles to seek you

But you found me first

I decided to find god

I decided to go up the peak despite the rain

Having faith that I will find peace at the top of the mountains

But god found me first.

It’s a funny thing about faith.

The kind that you have faith – and when the event happen you feel blessed that you had faith it happened.

Like how it was raining and I waited 2 hours for it to stop and for the clouds to part to see the city below

And when it happened I saw a plane take off. It was absolutely memorable

Then there the kind of faith that you will never ever see it never confirm it. But in your heart the unwavering belief

Like how I know the sunset will be in all glory and beauty. But I didn’t witness it. I never will. But I’m sure it happened. And it is probably as beautiful and breathtaking as I imagined it to be

Faith.

I’m glad I came.

There was some answers I didn’t understand

And maybe I still don’t have life answers or solutions or even framing my thoughts into succinct ideas.

But I found faith.

Or rather. I think god found me.

Doi Suthep – entrance is $100 baht and $50 baht for their cable car/elevator ride – u can opt for the stairs (about 300 steps only)

Doi Suthep is also know as twin dragon temple. Build by the previous king and is a built by harnessing the farmers n civilians

It became a poignant symbol of unit for the people for Chiang Mai

Remember to to dress modestly without shoulders showing and clothes to cover below knee length – if you forget, just grab a shawl for free at the entrance and remember to return it. They do provide 🙂

Chiang Mai zoo

I keep telling myself it’s worth it

– it’s worth it though I got a shitty sun tan/burn

– it’s worth it despite fucking up my new white shoes

– it’s worth it though the 350 baht price feels like a scam

– it’s worth it though I walked 4h in the sun

– and then exit n waited 45 min outside in the rain for a songthaew (and luckily met a new friend)

It’s worth it though the animals looked drugged n the lions doesn’t seem to have space to run.

I’m not sure if it’s worth it

Not for the animals for sure

But it’s the first time I fed a giraffe and asked him – did u have a peek of heaven from up there?

It’s the first time I got so close to a hippopotamus cos they scared me so much when I was young. And how they still scare me

It’s the first time I sat with an elephant and he smiled at me and blink his beautiful long lashes – I always thought elephants were ugly n hard to love but they grew on me after (my stuff toy elephant) Elly

It’s the first time I fed and touched deers (Nara)

I didn’t plan to come… but the path brought me here.

I think it was worth it

At least for me

2 night markets in a night

I touched down at 6.05pm Thailand time,

Took a 150 baht taxi to the hotel.

The transport here is actually pretty cheap. So I’m a lil too pampered to walk all over the place this time round

But I didn’t do much research so. I guess i decided to take a walk and get lost

The fst market was Chiang Mai night market.

The second one was at tha phae gate.

They kinda sell pretty much the same things.

Same things probably u find all over Thailand anyway.

I think I used to be really excited about night markets.

Now I hardly feel anything for materialistic things or clothes and all.

Funny this time I start appreciating the lanterns and fairy lights.

Chiang Mai can be kinda pretty I guess. At least… it feels gentler than Bkk I don’t know why. Maybe the traffic honks lesser.

I wonder how much coffee I’ll drink tomorrow

Again. I don’t intend to plan. I’ll probably sleep in a little ~ who cares

Anyway, chiang Mai travel tip – look out for this red taxi. It’s $30 baht per pax flat rate anywhere – old town is pretty near everywhere anyway. But if u travel alone, they will ask for more because it’s supposed to be a ride share. Looks like below – they will call out to you it’s called songthaew (read song tell – with a nasal sound on the tell)

The two night market are in maps 🙂 google maps works well in Thai. I followed the map and walked around to Chiang Mai night bazar. No hiccups except a small scary alley. Which honestly… wasn’t that scary after all.

I love the feeling of this but I was stuffed by the time I found this

And I dropped half of this on the floor🥲 I couldn’t fin it anyway. I still have 2 toast in my bag. When did I become the kinda traveller who buys ~ plain water

He looked so bored. This is right after he gave me the puppy eye. 🍪

There’s a really chill n loud bar here. I wish I still drink. And…. Well. They play Thai bangers. Suddenly All I want is to go back to my hotel and do squats n glutes

Elephants is growing on me

Many place feels like jodd fair in Bkk. Just maybe… a lil quieter. The busker at my dinner place sings pretty well

This reminds me of someone who had a dream to be a musician but he gave it up. He is doing so well now though. I wonder what he would say if he sees the guitar chuck flat on the floor like that

So goodnight goodnight

Take off

I used to be ashamed to be a d profile person (disc personality test). That was probably 8 years back, during my DBS days as a graduate associate, orientation camp. They told us, d profile people are determined headstrong and not team player. C profile people are highly loved. Because they are strategic, analytical and meticulous.

I guess that’s how I got my c trait later in life. Acquiring it from after humbling threats of getting retrenched by the then supervisor.

Yet today I love d profile people more than anything, and work less with c and a profile people

How funny life changes. Sometimes for a long while. Sometimes just an instance.

I never expect myself to still be single at 32.

It’s not that I’m unhappy with life. I think at the very core, I am contented, despite so many hiccups and roller coasters. Yet so much to be grateful for.

There’s just something about traveling

Alone

The exhilarating feeling of take off.

Remember the 400m race u ever took part or was forced to run at sports meet?

The one u sprinted as hard as u could, but 100m mark is still a distance and u tell yourself – wait! Just a little more a little more. Don’t slow down now, a little more, and you throw your head back and yearn to just feel the finishing line while you hope your lungs don’t give out before the gentle pressure of the finishing tape across your chest.

Take off..

There are few place or time in life where maybe, it feels completely ok; even boast worthy to be alone

– hey I solo travel

And they all look at you. Whao. A girl. Where did you go?

Being at the airport feels alright. Being in a plane alone feels alright. Being in the bus alone sometimes feel alright too. No one judges a solo flyer. Being alone in my bed sometimes doesn’t.

It’s true u only feel lonely if u miss a person.

Have I ever travelled on a plane with love?

I’m sure I did. I think there was only one. The first one.

I no longer remember it. Logically I must have. It’s funny how we all think how grand it is that “ I’m flying” but the strongest experience isn’t the flight after all. In fact, I can never remember which boarding gate I went to, and usually I can’t rmb which airline I took.

Anyhow, I’m glad for ppl in my life. Those that come before, those that stayed for a while.

Those that cared and those that used to care. And even some who pretended to care

It’s true, we can’t wait for life to become better to start to become happier (nightbirde 2022)

I know there’s bound to be someone else in the next chapter.

I saw a plane flying the same direction as mine. It stayed on track for a while, but the third time I checked, it had disappeared into the clouds.

Well. Thanks for the rendezvous 🙂 I hope u guys have a great journey too.

Note to self – buy hand cream and perfume just. Because