3 - The Beginning: Bangkok & Northern Thailand

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My first destination was Thailand, Asia’s tourism hub and a country where 95% of the 70 million residents are Buddhist. Landing in Bangkok, I spent nearly a week here getting my bearings, and was even daring enough to get my vaccines at a (surprisingly) well run travel health clinic at a quarter of the cost as in the US for the identical drug. I enjoyed exploring the grand palace, “sitting Buddha” temple, “standing Buddha” temple, floating markets, and unique nightlife scene. Khao San Road, the famous backpackers and nightlife Mecca did not disappoint: nowhere quite like it among the hundreds of street vendors selling fried scorpions to now legal weed and $1 Pad Thai. Then you have the endless promoters begging you to come into their bar and the Tuk Tuk drivers itching to take you into Bangkok’s infamous Red Light District.

After days of sweating in Bangkok, it was time to head north. I did just write about embracing “slow travel” but it is hard to turn down a $40 one hour flight over a $25 eight hour overnight bus ride. And maybe I should taken the bus as I quickly got schooled. Less than a week into the trip and I tested “complete flexibility” early. I figured I’d just bus to the airport when I was ready to leave and just grab one of the five flights departing that evening, and potentially even get a better price in person. But as I found out the hard way, can’t buy a ticket in person at the counter anymore! Plus the two hour time limit before the flight had prevented me from buying a ticket online now. After begging the Nok Air and Asia Air agents “there has to be a way” “do you understand how ridiculous it is that you have seats available for this flight yet can’t sell me a ticket at your counter” - didn’t even work. Did the robots win?? Fortunately there was a free bus to the smaller domestic airport in Bangkok which still had a later flight I could still purchase online! After a few hours I was in Chiang Mai, the northern Thailand adventure tourism hub.

Grand Palace, Bangkok. One of my first film shots!

Fried insects. First of many food adventures

I met this gentleman at the free food giveaway hosted by the crown in the Bangkok park. While eating, sitting on the concrete, we started talking via Google Translate. The standard “where are you from” “are you alone” and I mentioned to him that I needed help buying a motorbike. Within minutes we were in a taxi driving around Bangkok looking for one. I still smile thinking about his instantaneous desire to help. The next day I’m walking around the same area and I see him again! He was selling Thai trinkets, so we sat for a bit and recounted the prior day.  Ofcourse I didn’t walk away without first buying a buddha necklace from him. 

Another friend that joined us for the motorcycle shopping

Grand Palace, Bangkok. Hope you get a kick out of the solo shots as much as me. Told Kial I’d send her one every time another solo traveler asked me to take one of them.

Chiang Mai, Thailand: Buying a Motorbike

Before departing I researched various ways and necessary procedures for travel by motorbike in the region. I learned: everyone has a scooter, they are inexpensive, Thailand leads the world in vehicle accidents, crossing borders with a bike was going to be difficult - mainly due to each country protecting against an influx of Chinese and foreign bikes….so let it begin.

Although buying might not have been the most cost-prudent (jury is still out as my bike sits in Bangkok with a friend waiting to be sold), I knew it would provide me with the most flexibility and give me the best chances of traversing across borders (crossings were not possible with rentals). Maybe I’ll look back at this saying “I should’ve rented” but at the time I couldn’t fathom having to think about returning the bike to the same location! 

After scrolling Facebook Marketplace for a few days, taxiing around Bangkok with a couple guys I met at the“Big Buddha day” lunch festival, visiting four scooter locations to no avail, I found a secondhand bike warehouse in Chiang Mai.  A friendly Tuk Tuk driver took me there who spoke quite good English. After the Tuk Tuk brown down and we waited on the side of the road for 30 minutes for a replacement we arrived at the shop and a huge smile came to my face.

It was probably for the best I didn’t get the bike in Bangkok as I’d hate to get picked up by a Bodysnatcher after an accident, which are volunteer rescue crews that operate out of Bangkok, working to earn karmic merit for their services. Incredible to believe, but Bangkok is the only international city without a state run EMT service!

Although the shop owner tried to convince me on a Honda scooter, I saw just the bike I was looking for. The GPX Legend 200cc. Manual (better control for hills), sexy, and powerful enough to make it across the rolling mountains, but not strong enough to throw me off the back or ride on highways which I promised my mommy I would avoid! 

At the cost of a long weekend in NYC and a bit of paperwork to get the bike’s title, I was off with a new motorbike! Hadn’t a clue what brand GPX was but I was enamored with its style. 

Second Hand bike shop

After a fun Thai cooking class in Chiang Mai (which also happened to be the night of my birthday…quite an interesting bday) and a night out with a few folks I had met, I was excited to get out of the cities and explore the rural countryside.

Mae Hon Song Loop

The 800km loop is a highlight of Thailand, circling the stunning mountain ranges and rural farmlands of the north west corner of the country. It’s in the heart of the Golden Triangle, the region of Burma, Thailand and Laos where the Opium trade used to rule. 

Starting and ending in Chiang Mai, I decided to complete the loop clockwise to save the majority of the windy turns for my last couple days.  Loading the bike for the first time was quite the challenge, as my first few turns I constantly checked to confirm it was securely strapped and gingerly leaned around my first few turns in case the 40 additional pounds on the rear tire affected the traction. 

Biking during monsoon season made for quite an adventure! After learning the hard way, I never set

out without my bag’s rain cover on and a poncho handy.   

First stop of the day at the tallest peak in Thailand. Also the first of many rains!

One of many stunning views from the mountainous region

Burmese Refugee camp. Picture below is meeting the mother of an English teacher in the camp, who still practices the long neck jewelry tradition

Charming lake-side village of Ban Rak Thai

Fun night in the Chinese-Yunnanise village Baan Rak Thai. After driving around the lake looking for somewhere to stay, I stumbled into this hotel, where a group of locals enjoying sake bombs and late night alcohol included conversation on American politics, the “right” age to settle down, and life philosophy from the oldest bloke at the table. Here is Punlop who lives in Bangkok but was in the village visiting his mom. He showed me around a new villa development he is working on by the lake the next morning. Told him I’ll be back!

Wat Pa Tam Wua - Four days at a Buddhist Monastery

Tucked into the stunning mountains of Northern Thailand is monastery: Wat Pa Tam Wua. It was directly on my route of the Mae Hon Son Loop, and I came across it after seeing a few monasteries in Bangkok which implored me to do my own research on whether I could stay at one. The Wat is one of two major monasteries in Thailand that accepts foreigners and allows for a structured but not insane practice (some of them you have to be silent the entire time or even shave your head). Reading up a bit more and learning you can just show up with out reservations and that its run completely on donations, I was quickly in for what I thought would be a unique experience. The only rules were that you show up to the rituals, respect the formalities, and stay for a minimum of two nights. 

Daily meditation area

After a few days on the loop I pulled into the monastery slightly wet as it began to rain on my ride, signed my name in their massive guest book and donned my white garb. I was shown to my room, a beautiful hut overlooking the mountains. The bed was a wooden platform and they give you a small blanket as padding! But what about my Restonic latest xr3000 mattress? And no food served after 11am? Here we go! 

The first activity of the evening was raking leaves to help upkeep the monastery, followed by “evening chanting” which was 50 minutes of reciting Buddhist verses in the traditional Pali dialect, followed by 30 minutes of silent dark meditation. I smiled to myself during the chanting, shaking my head ever so slightly, just thinking “what did I just get myself into. Here is the daily schedule: 

Chanting book

Going from zero to six hours of daily meditation was just like you’d imagine - difficult! I tried my best, doing what I was told during the walking mediation to put your right foot forward slowly saying “Bud” in your head, and then bring your left foot forward internally reciting “Doh” - Bud,Do, Bud, Do, ok cool, just slowly walk and follow the monks, trying to meditate…now just 600 more slow steps for the next hour around the monastery grounds. No problem right? 

The breaks in between the meditation sessions were filled with reading, journaling, or best of all - meeting folks from all over the world who also found time and took interest at spending a few days at the monastery. Several lunches and dinners spent with Israelis doing their post-military service travels, one fascinating guy from the UK who is studying world religions, Germans, Russians and a couple of Thai elders who came to connect deeper with the faith that dominates 95% of the country (a jaw dropping statistic I looked up). In fact a couple guys I met there I spent the next few days with in Pai and Chiang Mai having quite a few post-monastery libations. 

My last morning, I arrived a few minutes late to the 6:30AM rice offering to the monk. Karma got me quick, as ofcourse this meant I was chosen out of the group of 60 to follow the monks to a separate area for the offering. Spooning my rice into the monk’s shared pot, everything went smoothly until my head didn’t touch the floor all the way when paying respects. I was quickly reprimanded by the head monk! 

Fortunately other than this occurrence the monks were extremely friendly and open, often staying after the meditations to answer any questions the group had, from as basic as “how do I stop myself from falling asleep while meditating” to “explain the relation of the eight fold path and the four noble truths”

Post-meditation Q&A with the friendly monks

I learned quite a bit about the Buddhist religion, the practice and meditation during my three night stay. Unique, unforgettable and a relaxing way to settle into week two! 

Comfy quarters (fortunately I got my own hut, but this was the shared one)

Meditation Cave

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