Whatever the journey brings you, you either take it or miss it.
Meeting people on the traveling path can teach you some lessons.
This is my retrospect of last day in Chiang Mai.
The clock was ticking away the evening minute by minute, and there was seemingly only two options: either to call it a night and hang out at the hostel with more bottles of Chang beers (←sounds super logical isn’t it?) or venture out to the other side of the evening.
I just returned from 2-days tour and legs were still sore from the hike through deep bamboo forests and mountains. However, it was impossible to calm down my curiosity to “check out” this city that I am only going to stay for another 17 hours; so I decided to keep my shoes on and hopped out from the hostel room.
Night street of Chiang Mai was sculptured by beaming headlights of motorbikes, trucks, and food stand of some sort. I was standing in the middle of intersection, not certain which direction to go and quietly waiting for something to show me the way.
I raised my left arm to attract taxis and almost instantly one red truck swerved its course to my side of street and stopped; as if it was destined to pick me up at this location.
I opened the passenger side door and hopped into the car to meet the driver — Mr. Big — who became my tour guide for the rest of my stay in Chiang Mai.
When I requested to go to night market, Mr. Big quickly picked up my Japanese characteristics and smiled and pointed the books he stacked on the side of his seat: “Japanese text books for Thai”.
Mr. Big — I don’t know if that’s his real name or some sort of made up name, but either way that’s the name he introduced to me as.
Mr. Big was an ordinary Thai taxi driver dude who drives regular red 4-wheeler pickup truck and makes his ordinary living with easy going attitude; imagine Thai version of Dude from The Big Lebowski except he does not sit behind the wheel with beverage.
What brought us close was his strong passion in studying Japanese language, and my interest in learning Thai language. Fortunately, we both spoke one of the desired languages fluently.
Big welcome to the language exchange club.
On the way to the night market, Mr. Big and I spoke in broken Japanese and broken Thai — throwing in few English words to substitute the missing pieces — I don’t remember exactly what kind of conversation we had, or did it actually mattered, but by the end of the taxi ride we were becoming friends.
There you go, yet another proof that spontaneous exploration can bring the world into one place! You just have to trust your guts and go with the flow!
Mr. Big and I made agreement to meet up again the following morning to do the final tour of Chiang Mai.
That’s how the remainder of my travel itinerary in Chiang Mai shaped up. This is the beauty of making local friends on the road, you will get to experience something more authentic than doing it yourself that is usually based on the secondhand recommendation coming from guidebook — Mr. Big is the best tour guide in town!
The next morning.
Mr. Big and my party met up in front of the hostel and departed for the one of my most interested sites to visit in Chiang Mai — Wat Phra That Doi Suthep — the golden temple on top of the mountain!
I made a request to make a short stop at Chiang Mai train station to buy night train ticket to Ayutthaya.
When I asked for ticket availability at the hostel, I was told the tickets are most likely sold out because of giant moon party taking place in Koh Phangan that weekend (yeah, we missed the festivity by one weekend). Thankfully, there was still some ticket available at the station and I was able to secure the sleeping train to Ayutthaya.
The ticket price was only 816 baht, which converts to $25.
Much cheaper than flying!
Leaving the train station, we continued our way to Doi Suthep.
The morning rush hour just started and we got caught in some unfriendly traffic.
I was sitting in the passenger seat while Ross, my traveling buddy, was catching nap in the back of truck.
CD-R copy of audio Japanese language curriculum was playing in the car, and Mr. Big pulled out his Japanese homework to have me solve some questions for him. It was a peculiar experience…being personal tutor for dude that I hired for tour. I quite enjoyed this rather unique experience though. I never knew how difficult it is to teach my language under the circumstance of limited way of communication, and the feeling I got when he understood the meaning of certain words was awesome like scoring 3 points shooter from the far side of high school gym.
We passed the big sign of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep and started to spiral up our way towards the summit of mountain.
There was a short stop point where small group of street vendors were selling handmade clothing and accessories.
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Mr. Big bought a cup of diced pineapples with pomegranate and shared that with me and Ross. It was very fresh and tasty fruits.
The view of Chiang Mai from the small vista point was lightly hazed by the cloud just like in San Francisco.
The truck continued the way upward and transformed the city below us into elaborately crafted miniature models.
After another 30 minutes of drive, we finally entered the main parking lot of Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
Oh, by the way – Doi Suthep is actually a name of the mountain that temple is located on. So the proper name of temple is Wat Phra That Doi Suthep 🙂
To note: Doi Suthep temple sits high on the mountain, so you have to work/walk your way to get up there.
If you are lazy not feeling like climbing up by yourself, there is a gondola service that takes you directly to the temple entrance. BUT I highly recommend climbing the marvelous stairway that leads up to the temple at least for one way either up or down.
The stairway is decorated with extravagant amount of colorful tiles and stones… very clear to see its sacred stature and simply gorgeous look at spiritual virtue preserved by the people of Thailand.
A young dancer in traditional dress waiting for her cue to perform.
Street vendor making coconut pancake with quail eggs. Oh, man. This stuff was incredibly yummy!
Typical sight of souvenir shops in Thailand. Many Buddhas!
…and finally made my entry to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is temple with very conspicuous golden architectures. Here’s the first sight of the temple from the gate.
There is a pathway built around the temple structure and golden Buddhas stand by it.
Emerald Buddha.
People’s prayers are written on the bells and hang high in the sky.
Beautiful Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.
After the visit to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, Mr. Big asked me if I am hungry. Yes, I am. We had a lunch stop at Chiang Mai’s finest restaurant and ate one last dish of Khao Soi before leaving to Ayutthaya.
Mr. Big and me in front of Chiang Mai train station. Yeah!
It was a very short visit to Chiang Mai, but my encounter with Mr. Big and his exceptional kindness and hospitality really made the hours in this city special. From this experience, I have learned there is always one way that makes the journey meaningful and turns into lesson for life — Get outside of your box and explore! Check out what is going on in the city and befriend the unfamiliar.
There are very different flows of time in unfamiliar places, and this is not hard to realize when you become humble to learn from the strangers. It can offer you some new perspectives.
After all, good traveling is comprised of series of these special encounters that makes it truly inspiring and worth experiencing.
I hope you meet your Mr. Big on your next travel!
(All color photos taken with cross-processed Agfa Color Slide film)
Matthieu and Armandine getting coconut pancakes.
Cow and her child in the middle of remote village in Chiang Mai.
Domestic scene in the village.
Ross standing in front of old house in the rural side of Chiang Mai.
His day starts from here. Every day.
About 1hr ride on pickup truck, we stopped at remote village in Chiang Mai and ate pad-thai for lunch. This is my friend Shuki (on right) buying a can of coca-cola from the lady that works at the food stop.
After lunch, our tour guide Maxi took us through moderate jungle hike into Hmong tribe in the shade of hilly landscapes. My Hmong friend passionately explained to me his love for Japanese motorbike!
Meet our tour guide Maxi. 
This is how most of the hiking trail looked like. Doesn’t look too hard of a hike, eh?
This breathtaking view was waiting at the exit of bamboo forest.
We can kind of see Hmong tribe in the distance. That is the direction we’re heading to.
Taking a short break.
We walk passed cabbage field maintained by Hmong tribe people.
Maxi and some baskets of cabbage in the middle of field. We are really getting close to the Hmong hill tribe lodge.
This is a view from the highest hill at our lodge area in twilight hour.
Next morning. A break of dawn at Hmong hill tribe.
This dog was extremely friendly and loved our company. He even followed us on the hike to the jungle (well, he eventually got hungry and turned back home)! His human lives in the Hmong tribe.
The lodge was maintained by Hmong families. They are making some sort of seating platform with the wood pieces.
This guy. Screeched away the morning like Skrillex.
Day 2: another great weather.
Hmong mother and her baby.
Morning hours in hill tribe lodge was so slow and relaxed.
This is the small garden in our hill tribe lodge (opposite view from above)
All packed and ready to go.
Harvest season was on! Cabbage. Cabbage. Cabbage!
Hmong ladies harvesting cabbages.
Maxi crafting water cup out of bamboo.
Lunch break at local restaurant. This is fully functional old school Pioneer karaoke machine.
A boy and elephants.
Helmets for bamboo rafting.
…and FINALLY! We found Khao Soi! 