ARRIVAL IN CHIANG MAI

Bloody Hell! I wouldn't want to go through that again. I don't mean spending hours in a plane trussed up like a chicken getting to Chiang Mai, I mean trying to log on to the hotel wifi. The laptop went into meltdown when I switched it on, and 2 hours later I'm not sure how I got this far, certainly not the usual way, so this is a pure fluke. Future posts may be problematical, so bear that in mind over the next couple of weeks.  And today is Saturday 29, not Friday 28, so the clock on the laptop is a day out of whack. Anyhow, I got into town last night at about 9 pm local. Considering I did not sleep particularly well the night before departure, then got up at 4 am to get going, I had been up for a lazy 23 hours before I could crawl back into the sack and I was fairly knackered. (Understatement of the week, I felt like threepence worth of cat crap).

A few quick observations:

• You can get Guinness in Thailand, well at least in the airport in Bangkok, so apologies for my earlier doubts.
• The Suvanabumi airport terminal in Bangkok is freaking huge, even though I have been in it previously.  Its true size was only revealed after I had to walk about 2km (really) from one end and almost but not quite to the other end to change planes. It's supposed to be the second biggest in the world, but I'm wary of such claims, they are often vaguely defined until you read the fine print. But it's gigantic, no doubt about that---and it's busy. What a bunfight, I thought. It will be a bloody miracle if my luggage and I get to Chiang Mai at the same time, and there is anyone from Big Bike Tours there to collect me. Clearly, miracles happen. Apologies once again for my doubts.

• In Bangkok airport I had a bit of time to kill, so headed for the eatery. All the usual suspects were there, and for about $10, I could have bought a heart attack in a box. For about $3, I went local with a green chicken curry and rice. It was like a belt in the face with a wet doormat. And it really was green. Bright green. A strange and possibly unnatural green, with stuff floating in it. As I warily circled it, I detected its pungency from about three feet away. OK, let's not die wondering! The sour bite of lemongrass, the sweet tang of coconut and the volcanic heat of the chillies soon had me perspiring just under the eyes and gasping slightly for air. The little floating green things which looked like peas but were bigger and crunchier had me intrigued, but it was just superb. And this in an airport! I had to put out the flames with an icy cold Singha, naturally. Yippee, this is going to be a culinary treat, I can tell.

• The mozzies ambushed me. The baggage collection area in Chiang Mai was swarming with the little sods, and all my repellent and other chemical warfare agents were in my luggage. Round one to the mozzies, on points.

•  The sky is very hazy up here, and visibility severely restricted, so I suspect the scenic panoramas may be compromised. Bit of a shame, hopefully it might clear up. I have been told its because right now the farmers are burning off whats left of the rice crops. How do you set fire to a rice paddy? Never mind.

• The hotel I'm in might have been three star about 30 years ago, ok but tatty and down at heel. At breakfast this morning, it was no trouble playing Spot the Aussie. Shorts, thongs, singlet, beergut, tatts. And that's just the women. We just ooze class, don't we? No trouble playing Spot the Paedophile either. Or the Germans. Or possibly both. Got the picture?

I was picked up at the airport by the two owners of Big Bike Tours (BBT). Kay is German, a  former road racer, and Nirin is a local who looked fast just standing still, kind of twitchy and walked with a limp. Both looked like sports bike riders, and I think this ain't going to be a slow ride.

Anyhow, I'm off for a walk around the town, and hopefully I'll have some pictures to post before we saddle up and head out on Monday.