Chiang Mai 2024
Helen
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Our flight was on time and we were quickly seated, jammies handed out and food choices selected. It was an easy flight to Taipei and we both got some sleep. Luckily our layover wasn’t very long and we relaxed in the lounge, no ice cream dramas, before getting our flight to Chiang Mai. We were able to fly TPE-CNX so we didn’t have to deal with another layover in BKK. The plane was smaller and had old style seats but was still comfortable. Another great flying experience with EVA Air in the books.
Ian came and picked us up from the airport which was really nice. He brought the items they had stored for us and had also gotten us a bag of our favorite Akha Ama coffee as a “you are back” present. We headed over to The Siri Condominium and were warmly welcomed by Jen. Ian and our friendly security guard helped us load up all our stuff and we headed up to apartment 704. I guess we arrived sooner than expected since the cleaner wasn’t finished yet. No biggie, being me, I’d clean again anyway. The 3 of us decided to head over to Roastinyom for a coffee, us to keep going and Ian before he had to go to work. We had a nice catch up and then we got to work getting unpacked.
The apartment is… interesting. We are on the 7th floor, in one of the middle units facing Doi Suthep. All the furniture is the same as our other stays but lots of throw pillows and other colourful decorations tossed in, even wallpaper, which adds a nice contrast. The kitchen is slightly different, the fridge is more in the living room area which is a bonus since it is easy to grab a bevvie without having to get off the couch! We were a bit taken aback with the one wall being covered in a mirror but have since gotten used to it. We think the landlord is Russian, they left some items in drawers and the closet which are in Russian. Even though the apartment definitely needs a refresher and some new couch cushions, it’s nice to be back.
We quickly settled in and started to go around to visit our favourite restaurants. Khao Soi Mae Sai, University, Roast Chicken, Chai n’ Thai and Nong Bee’s are all still delicious. Shared a nice meal with Ness, Ian and Ness’s Aunt at Sri Nakornping on the river, which was delicious. We had some bevvies and a wonderful meal at Sapians with Ness, Ian, Peter, Luigi and their friend Alex. Had some fancy sushi at Uchi Sushi with Ness and Ian. God came into town, we went to the night bazaar and then God introduced us to a live music bar. Met Ness for drinks where he and Paul were soaked when a large puddle of water came off the awning as the staff adjusted it, ironically to protect us from rain. We met with Matt at a new brewery by our apartment where we had a nice visit. All in all, we were enjoying being back. We both battled some colds and flu but recovered quickly enough.
The rainy season was off the charts this year. At first it didn’t seem too horrible, many sunnier days mixed in with a bit of rain so people thought maybe it would be a drier year. Nope, it was just delayed and when it started raining, it was intense. The Ping River hit record highs and quickly overflowed. Elephants were killed when the camp area around Mae Taeng flooded. Some areas, like Nimman where we are, were not affected. Other areas has numerous flood warnings, elephants delivering food to 2nd stories when main floors were flooded, roadways impassable and homes destroyed. God and Yves had two floods but luckily not too much was damaged. Peter and Luigi, Bo and Pack couldn’t leave their apartments for days. Bo ended up having to be evacuated to a hotel when the water got into the building electrical room. Eventually it stopped raining and places started drying out. Chiang Mai organized a massive clean up and it was back to normal for most people in 10 days or so. Some businesses along the river were very badly damaged and many haven’t reopened. Unfortunately Sri Nakornping was one such, the damage was just too much and they ended up tearing down the building shutting down permanently.
Paul and I decided it was time to learn some Thai. It’s embarrassing that we have been coming to Thailand for 20 years and can hardly speak any Thai. We signed up for lessons, twice a week for 6 weeks. Kru Palm is a great teacher and kept us learning while making it fun. We started with 7 in the class but eventually it was basically 3 or 4 of us that consistently showed up. Paul’s pronunciation is good, mine not so much but we keep trying to say what we can to practice. Luckily our friends and local Thai people we interact with are very patient in correcting and helping us. To this day I still raise my shoulders when trying to hit the high tone for “baan” which is house in Thai. Don’t even try to get me to say ‘and’, even the teacher told me not to bother. We still have the book, videos and flashcards so we can continue to learn even though class is over.
We were able to get our dengue vaccine which was a big relief. With the cooler weather, and finding another short cut to make it easier, we have walked into old town a couple of times. We haven’t been cooking as much and have been finding loads of new places to go. Found a little restaurant around the corner where the lady is really nice, we call it “fireworks” because one day the fan blew the breaker and started a fire in the electrics. Another place called Kwamsug does fancy Khao Soi. Lux to Eat is a nice, basic Thai food restaurant.
With the new visas and entry changes, Thailand also updated their tax laws and it became a bit muddled. If you stay 180 days you become a tax resident, that’s reasonable, cut and dried. What isn’t clear is what you will be taxed on, is it only income brought into Thailand or only if your country doesn’t have a tax treaty or what rate you pay if items aren’t taxed in your home country but are in Thailand. It’s mass confusion and there is a lot of misinformation out there. We decided to stay under 180 days for this year so that we can see how it all works out. That meant 12 days where we’d need to be outside the country to stay under the timeline so we needed to make a trip. We decided to head to Malaysia as it was easiest and we could see the dentist before heading to Penang.
Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur and Penang - October 12-21, 2024
We got easy flights to KUL from CNX with Malaysia Airlines. Never flown with them before but they had the best timed flights so we decided to give them a go. Worked out great, we had a smooth flight and good service. We had booked an AirBnb in KL that was very close to KLCC and the dentist. Our first night we started with a meal from My Biryani house which is tradition. The apartment had a view of the Menara Kuala Lumpur which was lit up every night. We were on floor 13A which is really the 15th floor when all other A floors were counted. If you continue reading you’ll see why this matters.
We went out for a couple of breakfasts instead of getting groceries. The first day included a long walk and great food but was a bit pricey for Malaysia. Our second morning we found a closer place and ordered eggs and mushroom for me and Paul had bacon eggs benedict. I got my food in about 10 minutes but it took another 20 minutes for Paul’s to arrive even though there were 3 cooks. Imagine our surprise when it had mushrooms and no bacon. When we asked about it, turns out we misread the menu and it wasn’t bacon, it was Becon a brand of mushrooms. Lesson learned and we went and got our usual yogurt and fruit.
Since we first arrived the elevators in the apartment building had been having issues, at least one was always out of service. This came to head when we returned after spending the morning walking to and from the dentist and around KLCC before stopping for lunch. When we arrived all the elevators were out of service and no one had any idea how long it would take before they were back up. It was muggy and hot in the lobby and seating area was full. Being brilliant, I said why don’t we try to walk up the stairs. Note: at no point did I consider that the stairwells would also be hot and muggy. Paul reminded me that there is no “try” in this scenario and we’d have to keep going. Undaunted, I said, we got this and let’s go. In the end, I didn’t have it. Paul did, went up the stairs in his usual energizer bunny style, barely broke a sweat. I took a break at floors 5, 7, 9 and 11 before finally making it to our floor. Paul had gone ahead and was calling down encouragement… “boom”. I’m sure people who passed us on the way down thought I was going to collapse. I did manage to get to the apartment and have a shower prior to said collapsing so yay me!
Paul ended up having an issue with his sinuses to the point his face was quite swollen which has never happened before. We headed over to the nearest hospital to get it checked out and hopefully get him some relief. The hospital was busy but we only waited about an hour for Paul to be seen. The doctor was great, gave Paul some medication and told him to take it easy so we headed home. A funny side note, while waiting for Paul to be seen I grabbed a coffee, Starbucks being the most accessible, gave my name and went to the waiting area. I was the only person so it was quick and the staff just handed it to me. Turns out that was a good thing because I wouldn’t have responded when they called “Aglan” which was what Helen had been changed to. Luckily the rest of our time in KL was fairly uneventful but I continued to blame the elevators for everything from spilt water to stubbing a toe.
We had heard a lot of good things about Penang but had never been so decided to head over for 3 nights. We chose to stay in the Georgetown area as it’s a historic site and everyone recommended it. Since we got an awesome deal on the KL AirBnb, we spoiled ourselves with quite a fancy place and stayed at 88 Aremenian. It’s a boutique hotel with about 8 rooms, a “bath butler” and a top rated restaurant on the main floor. We had a great stay. They managed to get us an early reservation at Tong’s even though it was booked solid. We shared the 5 course meal: watermelon and anchovies starter which was surprisingly good, a grilled scallop in a delicious broth, then a shrimp appetizer followed by the main of a rack of lamb which was the standout. Dessert was a pavlova and ice cream for Paul along with a special gluten free dessert for me. We still have no idea what it was, but it was so good. Breakfast was included and was also really good. Our room was filled with snacks, gluten free and regular. We received a little note and a nightly treat for turn down service. We took advantage and ordered a bath butler having no idea what that would entail. The butler showed up, ran the bath adding in homemade bath salts and bath bombs, then lit some scented candles. He left for about 5 minutes, coming back with a jug of iced tea. He made sure our robes and towels were properly arranged before leaving.
We wandered around Penang, saw the art works, ate delicious food and enjoyed relaxing in our room. There were a few dance competitions in the mall when we walked over for some air con, so we stopped and watched for a bit. One thing about Penang was that it was incredibly crowded, everywhere. It didn’t matter what street, what was around, there were just so many people. We can see why so many people talk about the food in Penang as there were so many choices and it was all good. Had a small blip when leaving the hotel, everything was locked up and no one was around, but we figured out how to unlock the doors, got our taxi and headed home. The flights were all good, a quick transit in BKK and we were back in Chiang Mai.
Peter and Luigi invited everyone over for Luigi’s birthday party which was nice. We got to meet Kareem, a friend of Ness and Ian, and see Alex again. We also met some more of Peter and Luigi’s friends and had a very enjoyable night out. Yves was back in Thailand, he had gone to Belgium to visit family. Hitched a ride out to Mae Taeng with Bo and Wit. God and Yves were recovered from the flood and their garden is always a nice place for bevvies and a visit. We headed over to the Rice Field restaurant for a nice meal so no one had to cook.
We’ve gotten to spend time with Bo, even met for a cheeky Indian meal. It was funny the next time we went into Chia n Thai they asked where he was. We celebrated American Thanksgiving with Bo and his friends at an Italian Restaurant run by a Burmese Chef… the food was great! Another great night out at Mae Taeng, this time for Yves birthday. We drove out with Bo, got to see some of God’s family and got to meet some more of their friends. Hit up a cabaret with Matt which was really fun. Incredible acts. Had a few meals with Ness and Ian, met with Matt or Bo for coffees in various places.
Peter and Luigi had everyone over for Loy Krathong. They are the best hosts and always put on a fantastic gathering. We got to meet Ian and Ness’s UK friends who were in town. It was a great time and enjoyed watching the fireworks from the balcony. Tomas and Romana decided to head up to Chiang Mai so we’ve been able to meet with them. We see God and Yves when they come into town. Bo and Wit took us out of town to a lovely coffee shop and gallery. The owner is a retired associate professor who built a house from clay bricks on his own, so we got a tour of that, his art gallery and the gardens. Then the 4 of us headed over to a local Thai place on a pond for a nice meal and some bevvies. We met with Tomas and Romana, who happened to be with Robin, who we all know from Lipe. We’ve met a Canadian couple in our building, Elaine and Dennis. They are from the Annapolis Valley area in Nova Scotia. He is here getting knee replacement surgery, which has gone well. He was a dentist in the Navy and she is very well traveled so they’ve shared some interesting stories. We’ve had some bevvie’s on the roof top and gone out for dinner a few nights. It’s been really enjoyable getting to know them.
We visited with Matt at Sax Bar on Christmas Eve. Christmas day was quiet, we watched some movies and just stayed in. We met Dennis and Elaine for dinner on Boxing Day, had a nice meal but made the mistake of walking over to the nearby mall afterwards which was packed. Apparently it doesn’t matter what country you are in, don’t go to the mall on Boxing Day! We did manage to get Paul some of his favorite IPA from Deschuttes and a bottle of Shiraz so we said it was worth it. In general Chiang Mai is much busier than it’s been in years, even more so than precovid. The new flexible visa options mean more people are arriving so everywhere is packed. We haven’t been able to get into Khao Soi Mae Sai, some youtubers did a video on it and ever since it’s lined up with a 45 minute wait. Our favorite BBQ chicken place has also been discovered but if we go early enough, we can still get in. Getting a Grab has also been more of a challenge so we have to plan more if going out.
Another great time on New Years Eve. Bo had suggested meeting for an early dinner, he invited Wit and some of his other friends. We figured if we walked to the edge of Old Town it would be easier to get a Grab so took our short cut, found a spot we felt would be good and ordered a ride. Nope, nothing available… we couldn’t even flag down a tuk tuk or red truck. We decided to walk, it was about 5k but the sun had gone down and there was a bit of breeze so why not! It was actually a good idea to walk, the traffic was really busy but the police were putting barricades up for road closures which made it easy for us to cross busy streets. Worked out great and we were only a few minutes late. Bo and Wit ended up battling traffic for a while and made it shortly after we did even though Bo lives much closer. We had a nice visit with Bo, Wit surprised everyone with how much he can eat and it was a nice start to the evening. Peter and Luigi had invited everyone over to watch fireworks so we decided to walk over, it was only 20 minutes. Bo decided to head home to escape the crowds. When we arrived Ness, Ian, Seagames, Pluem, Xander, P’ure and Alex were all there. The apartment was very festive and they had ordered a special cake decorated like champagne on ice. Just before midnight, Peter and Luigi surprised everyone with handmade stockings filled with little gifts and chocolates. The screaming chickens were a great hit! We all went out to see the fireworks, spectacular again no matter where you looked. Ness and Ian had brought both vehicles, so were kind enough to give us a ride home. It was another great New Years Eve!
We both got hit with the after New Years cold that was running through the city and felt rotten for at least a week. Then it was back to a jam packed week of going out. A meal at Miguel’s with Bo, Pack, Ian and Ness as well as some of Bo’s friends kicked it off. Tik and Jesse were in town with Jesses’s parents so we met up for night out. A trip to the mall to do our 90 day report ended with us trying to get in a strangers truck but eventually made it fo a sushi night with Ness and Ian. Our 25th Wedding anniversary was a relaxed night in followed by Indian with Elaine and Dennis. We capped it off with a meal with Bo, Pack and Bo’s friend Nancy before meeting Matt and Sophie at Thapae East. We relaxed on the weekend before meeting up with Peter and Luigi along with their friend Sera, Ness, Ian, Bo, Pack, Seagames and Alec. They surprised us with a late Christmas present of some lovely toiletries for me and an engraved Parker pen for Paul, they spoil us so much. That was followed up with a evening out saying good bye to Tomas and Romana who are heading to Vietnam. We go some long walks in, walking by the moat to head out to see everyone. Another trip to God and Yves place is in the works, we don’t get to see them as often as we’d like, so take advantage when the opportunity arises. Our friend Odne, from Norway, came to Chiang Mai for a bit, he was playing in a frisbee golf tournament. We were able to introduce him to come of our friends and went out a few nights. He took Paul “golfing” and he came home with some injuries… slid on the gravel trying to get some momentum for a shot.
Our lease ends on February 8, 25 so we are going to head to Lipe… can’t miss it two years in a row! We’ve found out a lot of our friends will be there so we are looking forward to seeing everyone again. We got in touch with Mikkel and have a room at The Reef until March 2.
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