Well, Sunday today and had decided to go to the zoo. Lots of attractions in Chiang Mai, but nothing suited. There was bathe with and feed the elephants, where you roll around in the mud with them and see them working. You have to buy a change of clothes and then wash afterwards. Mmm, No. Then the half day tour of the 3 temples and the people of the tribe who grow their necks long (much like a group in Africa). That sounded interesting, but no, it didn’t run until Thursday and I’d be in an aeroplane back to Melbourne.
So the zoo it was. I decided to take a TukTuk, you’ve all seen them, a triangular chassis built on a motor-bike frame. No seat belts, seats at the back and enjoy flying along at speed with your bottom almost at ground level. So off to the zoo at about 9:30 am. We haggled about the price and agreed on Bt150 (about $7.50), but once the poor fellow had a manoeuvred his way through the city to the zoo, I felt sorry for him and paid what he had first asked for, which was Bt200. He seemed happy with that.
So once I paid my ticket into the Zoo (Bt350-about $17.50) I could see this was going to be a strenuous morning. Nothing was on the level, also I realised there were groups of exhibits separated by a kilometre of road. Up hill and down mountain. I realised that the zoo was spread out over about 70 hectares! Thus people were renting golf-carts and catching the train (a bus on small wheels). So fathers were kindly letting their children and babies navigate these golf carts on the road driving much as they did each day.
I was determined however that I would NOT pay the fare and I would hoof it from one exhibit to the other! After about three hours I had begun to regret my decision, however I gritted my teeth, bought another cold water and plugged on. Finally in sheer desperation after following the fifth EXIT sign that seems to lead to another exhibit, I relented and gasping to the driver of the train, I heaved myself aboard only to find the exit just down the road from where I had embarked. The driver felt sorry for me, especially after I over-extended my knee alighting. He didn’t charge me for the ride.
Once outside the zoo it was time to negotiate with the taxi rank for a ride home. I hopped aboard a side saddle 8 passenger bus for the sum of Bt50 and was taken home the long way with others departing one by one. Finally I was near enough to my Hotel to walk and knocked on the drivers window and alighted. Collected my key went upstairs to my room and cleansed every part of my body that have been in contact with the seat, handrail and side of the taxi. Then I went across the road and had a KaiMoi(?), which is an egg sandwich, toasted and then flipped to the vertical in a little cardboard container, opened like a flower and garnished with avocado, bacon and other choices plus of course a beer (Bt120). Then upstairs to snooze a little. I knew that dinner time would find me at one of the little restaurants (that is too grand a name for these street cafes) that littered every thoroughfare in town. Most of them had been created by mum and dad emptying their front yard of junk and importing second hand tables, chairs and a portable kitchen. Sort of street food elevated one level.
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