Its great to be back in Thailand

After a very early Hanoi breakfast and coffee with Pearl (my new younger brother), I arrived in Bangkok airport at lunchtime and headed straight to the train station where although it was busy, I had no trouble securing a second class lower berth on the left hand side of the over night train. This was done on advice given to me so that I would see sunrise as the train arrived in Chang Mai. On arrival, a young couple, Milo and Catherine, headed with me to the Chang Mai Thai House, which was recommended to me by my Canadian companions during the Ha Long Bay trip. It was everything we hoped for and even has a swimming pool (not that I have time to try it!). We were all very tired but I enlisted straight away on the evening cookery course at the Pad Thai school and ended up being the only student so had the full attention of the teacher; a real life Meow. When I got back to the hotel, Milo and Catherine came to take me for a quick beer and we found a snazzy roof top bar right next to the beautiful and enormous night market. I have also booked a three day Thai massage course and day one was today. I have the personal attention of Oie who is teaching me in my guest house room. It is difficult in parts but I am getting the hang of it although there would be a need to do some serious study at home for me to be of any use with it. With respect to my next travel move; on closer inspection, the visa that I have for Myanmar doesn't allow land boarder crossings although I know for a fact that the boarder a few hours from here is open for people making visa runs. It wont be the end of the world to have to go back to Bangkok and fly to Rangoon but I was looking forward to the excitement of another land crossing especially one that not everyone travelling in South East Asia makes. Vietnam is a great country and I am very glad I saw it, especially with the excitement over the Vietnamese New Year, although the country itself is huge and being there at the time of the festivities made it hard to get around. The people there are more awake and competitive than the peoples of neighbouring countries so it was often exhausting for foreigners, particularly those of us who had become used to the laid back ways of Loas. I had some wonderful experiences in Vietnam, not least of all with the gentle and kind school teacher called Pearl who worked at the hotel in Hanoi where I stayed and who came to my rescue in one of my less bloggable hours - never make the mistake of standing up to a Vietnamese woman - YOU WILL LOSE :¬). Tonight I am going to watch a Canadian and a Swiss take part in Muay Thai boxing, a defining, unmissable, cultural aspect of Thailand. Looking forward to it. X