Last day in Thailand. Sent some stuff home, let someone cut my Hippie-hair and met my friend Natti, who I knew from Ko Phi Phi and happened to be in town too. She showed me the amazing Grand Palace and the temple of Wat Pra Kaew with its famous Emerald Buddha. Had dinner in a quiet alleyway away from the bustling Khao San Road.Letzter Tag in Bangkok. Schickte ein paar Sachen nach Hause, liess mein Hippie-Haar kuerzen und traf mich mit Natti, die ich auf Ko Phi Ph...

Took the morning bus heading for Bangkok. Once again I'm the only westerner aboard on this 10-hour rather uneventful journey. Except maybe for this little story...During my bus ride they were playing several movies and music shows. In the last two hours they were broadcasting what appeared to be some kind of variety show in front of a teenage audience. With funny games and dance performances which looked like a mix of MJ's "Thriller" and Freddy Kruger. On...

In the late morning I went to the local Women Correctional Institution where they have a vocational training center for female inmates. Most of them got time for drug offenses. And here they get job training to become therapists for traditional Thai massages. So I got one and I must say it was amazing. The whole environment didn't really feel like a prison either. It was a great and unique experience. In the afternoon I grabbed a Tuk-Tuk and drove north to t...

Today was TempleDay ;) Chiang Mai used to be the Capitol of the ancient Kingdom of Lanna Thai. So, naturally it is a feast for culture vultures ;)First i ventured through monk filled alleyways to the picturesque Wat Duang Di, followed by the age-old Wat Lok Molee and the cool kid among the temples: Wat Phra Singh, then to the ruins of Wat Chedi Luang and the teak-crafted Wat Phan Tao. After so much holiness I was ready for some down to earth secular fun at the ma...

Took a late morning flight with Air Asia ($130) from Phuket to Chiang Mai, up in the northwestern part of Thailand. Originally I planned to take the train via Bangkok. But flying the distance saved me almost 2 days. Found a decent guesthouse in Old Town named "Safe House Court" and hoped it kept its promise during my stay ;)In the afternoon i checked out the nearby temple, wrote some postcards and updated my travel blog. The north is also a welcome escape from th...