Second to Nan

Even with the semester break looming right around the corner, Jack and I decided to take advantage of a long weekend and head east to a small province near Laos. We were planning to take a bus right from Lampang, but the seats were booked by the time we got to the station (quite a rarity!) Instead we hopped on a minibus (read: van) to Phrae and another to Nan.

The secret to minibus-riding is being stocked up on motion sickness medicine and avoiding watching the driver. The curvy mountain roads are not conducive to passing other drivers and, although the lane lines prohibited such dangerous behavior, our driver wouldn’t heed the painted suggestions. Instead he seemed to enjoy spiting them by spending time leisurely in the oncoming traffic’s lane. So, just stop watching. Ok? Ok.

We made it safely to Nan and hopped in a songtaew to our hotel Srinual Lodge. This place turned out to be clean and charming, and we were blown away that it’s available for about $100 a month.

How ‘bout those Hill Tribes?

Jack had to go to Chiang Mai this week to extend his student visa so I hopped a bus on Friday to meet him and spend the weekend on a little getaway. Every time I visit Chiang Mai I like it a little bit more, probably because we avoid the other farang (Westerners) and get into the rural surrounding areas. This time, I wanted to visit some hill tribes so we wandered a bit to find the best price on a tour. Pro tip: The way most of the tour companies work here is that they all book on the same tour: usually no matter who you book through, you will be on the same minibus with the same people. Knowing this, we can shop around town for the best price (which can be as much as $10 difference) on whichever tour we want, as long as we pay attention to the descriptions. I had already found a place I wanted to book with online, but on the way we spotted these guys outside a tour company and I started snapping photos.

I’ve Reached a Turning Point…

My perspective has changed since arriving here 4 1/2 months ago. It wasn’t an overnight switch, but a gradual shift from an American consciousness to a more Thai-ish consciousness. I’ve got an entirely new “normal.”

Hang Chat Spotlight: PaPan

May I present a new section of our blog, Hang Chat Spotlight, where we’ll give you a peek into our daily lives by introducing someone very special to us. Today I’d like you to meet PaPan (Aunt Pahn).