Sawat dee all,

Has been a busy few days since last update so a brief(ish) catch up for you

Thursday

After last update I discovered the best veggie food in Chiang Mai, (large) noodels, tofu and stir fried veg - yummy!

Still feeling rough from the train decided to treat myself to a little pamper session and had a manicure, pedicure and a Thai massage. The manicure and pedicure were the worst I have ever had, very funny, she kept looking at me smiling and asking "you like, you like" I didnt have the heart or the Thai to say "No! It usualy looks better if you paint on the nail, not around it"

Thai massages are an experience, and oh so painfull. To start with you lay flat on your back and she pushes down on everypart of you (working her way up the body) I was a little worried as had a Thai tummy for the last few days, and prayed that everything stayed where it was meant to. Then she started twisting my leg around at a right angle and from there on in it was just pure pain. At one point I was laying flat on my stomach and the woman was laying flat on her back (away from me) with her feet at the top of my legs holding my arms and stretching away from me, then she was sitting on my back pulling me up with my arms behind me. At times I thought she was going to crack my spine. Ouch. She used every sharp point on her body, elbows, knees, feet, knuckles etc. It really hurt. I thought I was going to have to crawl back to the hostel/guest house, instead I felt so loose I floated back. Amazing. I should mention here that when I went in I was given a pair of white trousers and white tunic to wear. The trousers were huge with an incredibly high waist, I put them on with the ties at the front and waist coming up to my boobs (with tunic over the top) only to find out latter that these were fisherman trousers, I had them on back to front and you fold the waist bit down over your hips. Opps! No wonder the woman laughed when she came in.

In the evening went to backpacking shop and rented rucksack, sleepingbag, roll mat and a large muu muu type thing that has elastic around the top and you use to wash in - class ;-)                 Then it was off to the night markets, which sell anything and everything, (more so then Bangkok, I think). Where shopping and lots of haggling were done. I have mastered the art of the haggle now and it is fun. If they dont meet my price I just walk off, as I know I will find it again a few stalls up. Brought a few CD's (It would be a crime to come home from here without a few knock offs), and a pair of fisherman trouser/shorts (3/4 length) for the next days trek.