golden triangle

 

primer dia (1st day) ~ our flight was from KLIA-Bangkok-Chiang Mai.. we had to transit at Bangkok since there was no direct flight to Chiang Mai.. Bangkok's new airport named Suvarnabhumi... and our transit gate was very far away from the arrival gate.. the airport is not like our KLIA where there's train ride from this one end to the other end of the airport.. luckily it was our way to chiang mai not the way back home.. I'm quite sure if it was on the way back, I don't think we even reach at the gate on time from that long walk.. the journey was about 3 hours.. and it was rocky up there like a roller coster due to bad weather.. I was so scared of my life that I hold tight to both armrests.. prayed and recited all kinds of doas, ayats I could've remember.. even though I'm a frequent flyer (not so frequent la), I still do have goosebumps whenever I fly.. really really do la.. so anyway.. alhamdulillah.. we reached the destination slightly delay but the most importantly safe and sound and so much alive.. after picked-up our luggages.. we were off to dinner.. so very the hungry at that time.. bcos I only ate nasi lemak that morning, and lunch was on the plane.. which was enough to 'alas perut'.. it was better than nothing, kan?.. at this restaurant which is famous for its cultural show.. couldn't remember the name even tho I tried.. Palace something.. and digicam battery was dead at that time.. so couldn't take picture either.. food was served on tray and comprises of fried chicken, ayam masak kicap, fried potatoes, and jelantah... the place was packed with tourists.. all this mat salleh who were waiting for the show to be started at around 9.30pm.. and funny thing happened when I was about to sit on the bench at our table area.. our next table was sitting by french tourists.. this one lady asked me, where was I and the rest of the group from.. and I said 'Malaysia'.. I don't know if she couldn't hear the thing I said bcos it was quite boisterous.. then suddenly she said.. 'OOO.. BRAZIL!'.. and started to speak spanish with me.. aiyoss.. what happened la here.. did I even wear a spaghetti top and short and have really big boobs for people to ogle at and a very tanned skin?.. for one and foremost, do I even look like one? FYI none of the above.. why la this people.. dulu2 moi thought all this mat salleh were all pandai? the truth is NO.. we never and shouldn't think that at all.. in fact we are so much better than them in terms of world geography.. some of them are so close minded and have not even wanting to know what other part of the world's people look like.. interesting moment to start off the journey heh..

(2nd day) ~ in the morning we were off to the famous double dragon temple of Wat Phra Hat Doi Suthep where was located up on the hilly side of chiang mai area.. the temple is overlooking chiang mai city from that peak.. nice view.. and the best part they still preserve this big durian and even jackfruit trees.. which were believed to be more than hundred years old.. we took the cable car up to the temple.. it was very short distance.. from what our tourist guide told us, I thought it seemed like very far away and very steep whatsoever.. yet it was only few minutes journey by the cable car.. and the funny thing happened during our waiting.. out of nowhere appeared this 2 dogs and sibuk berlari2 around us yg tgh waiting on the line.. and this makcik2 from our group pon telah teroverreacted dgn kedatangan tetamu tak diundang ni.. I thought that dogs wouldn't bug us after that.. I was mistaken.. instead of going away, they were both waiting the cable car same like us all.. and would join the ride with us.. if they could like stay still.. it was fine for me.. bcos these dogs were so busy la nak jln sana sini in that tiny small cable car.. it had created frantic hysterical screaming plus ups and downs jumping by this one particular makcik.. thank god my mom was cool.. even so after that she was kind of pissed of jugak.. as for moi, I'm standing at the very back of the cable car.. so I had my mom to cover for moi if the dogs decided to jump at us... aiyak.. luckily there was one lady who'd kind enough to instruct the dogs to stay still.. and she said "I know you're a muslim and you could not touch the dog. I have a fren who is muslim too" and further explained that frantic situation to her frens.. so that frens of her wouldn't be puzzled why la makcik2 yg cantik2 belaka ni menjerit2 kat this 2 dogs.. hahaha.. so funny... then we were off to honey factory, silk factory, leather factory and gem factory.. takde shopping apa pon cos semuanya mahal.. all standard place maa.. manaleh shopping.. cuma honey tu jek bcos it's pure one.. moi mom some bought stuff kat situ cos telah tergoda dgn minah yg buat sales.. speaking dia tu ada slang yg pelik.. pastu pakcik2 makcik2 semua dok gelakkan dia.. jahat gilos.. after dinner at nite.. aku dgn gatalnya nak pi massage.. I never been tu massage or spa or whatever theraputic stuff nilah.. and our tourist guide suggest this one massage parlour where using only traditional and ancient techniques.. not like the modern one.. I thought I give it a shot.. and my mom also dah start sakit2 badan la itulah inilah.. end-up after massage aku yg sakit badan.. mmg giler sakit.. tobat tak pi lagi.. cara dia tu lain dr yg lain.. tak tau la camner nak explain.. pi sendiri la baru tau..

tercer dia (3rd day) ~ we started the journey early in the morning to Chiang Rai.. it took around 3 hours.. very far away.. moi was sleeping along the way bcos bosan dah tak tau nak tgk mende.. tgk mende sama.. paddy fields.. hutan.. kampung.. vege patches.. itu jelah.. if ada snowy mountain ke.. best gak...

adelante dia (4th day) ~ up close and personal with elephants at Maesa Elephant Camp.. itu gajah sangat pandai lagi cerdik.. suka aku tgk.. then, we were off to persian carpet and silk factory.. where none of us buy even a single thing there due to its oversteep price.. then to umbrella factory and orchid farm.. well, it were educational tour rather than shopping tour... since we still have time before dinner and we were on the way back to the hotel around 2pm.. after lunch.. we asked the driver to dropped us off at the Central Plaza Mall.. it is the most happening mall here in Chiang Mai.. and off to this particular department store called Robinson.. my mom and her frens of course la very looked forward to go to this store.. this store were exist on 70-80s in KL.. but vanished during 90s.. they were planning to buy all kind of undergarment here bcos of the quality.. something like that.. so anyhow.. we were there for probably around 2 hrs.. then after that took a tut-tut back to hotel.. we went for dinner and Hunan Muslim restaurant.. the food were all good.. I noticed that we'd been to a tiny weeny restaurant.. not a very fancy one.. but the food were all good and delicious.. except the 1st restaurant we'd been to, with cultural show, dancing and everything but the food were so and so.. not the best one..

quinto dia (5th day)~ final day in chiang mai.. we woke-up early in the morning spirited and excited to do our last final shopping.. we went to the nearest market.. after asking front-desk on where is it located.. and also from our fellow group members.. we were off by foot to the market.. I think the location of wet and dry market were side by side.. we end-up at the wet market first.. then after 5 minutes walking, we reached the dry market.. my mom, in the last minute as usual, was looking a blouse for herself.. yeah, we found one.. and I got myself 'Di0r' loafer.. after non-stop bargaining with the salesgirl who didn't speak english.. she had to asked another salesgirl to become translator.. I thought I would get a really good bargain since it was the last pair.. but she'd just refuse.. and just I'm ready to take-off.. afraid that we would be late to pack our luggages.. finally, she gave me the price I asked.. and off we went back to our hotel.. on the way, bought some souvenirs since I couldn't find some earlier..

may I see you again, Chiang Mai...