Climbing up Maslov's Heirarchy

(Hi, this is George posting) According to Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, I’m still a long way from “self-actualization” here in Chiang Mai. But check off physiological needs of shelter, water, and food! As you read in Christine’s recent blog, we finally found a condo, drinking water delivery, and many great neighborhood markets, vendor stalls, and food carts. So, my advice herein on what to do, to avoid, and definitely to laugh about (because doing anything else expends personal energy into nothingness – start listing aphorisms).

Several of y’all asked “Why Thailand?” (I’ll skip the “What’s with the pony tail?”). This is our 4th visit to Thailand, each a little longer than the last, and more interesting each time. Checklist: wonderfully friendly people, stable government, Buddhist, safe, excellent healthcare facilities, delicious food, exotic surroundings, and Chiang Mai is the most historically significant city in northern Thailand. Compared to crazy Bangkok (8+M go-getters), Chiang Mai (200K mellowers) is calm, cool (temperature and temperament), and culturally integrated.

Santitham? It’s a neighborhood just north of the moated Old City (founded in 1296 as "New Walled City") that we wanted to live in to go deep. Very few tourists, and little English spoken here. There are many students from nearby universities as well as families. Already we’re making friends with locals who sell vegetables in the morning, everything imaginable to eat (ask me later about “egg hatching egg” aka Thai-style balut) and take-away meals wrapped hot in small bags.

[I’m back, sorry for the interruption – writing about it made me think “Hey that place is just 5 minute walk away!” #nevernothungry]

We’re staying in D'Vieng Santitham condominium, Hussadhisawee Road, Soi 8, Changpuak, Mueng Chiangmai, Chiangmai, Thailand (say it all in one breath). What an adventure to get a condo! But now we’ve a home base from which to explore SE Asia. We’ll try to keep old good habits (exercise each day) and learn challenging ones (practice two new Thai phrases each week).

The next level on the pyramid is Safety. As my children know too well, I’m all about “safety first” [except that bungee jump in NZ, motor scooter in Monaco, trek with indigenous tribe in Amazonian rain forest, etc., but never mind). In Santitham there are no real sidewalks or traffic lanes (Thais drive on left side), and cars, trucks, motorcycles (with side cars), scooters, tut tuts, songthaews, bicycles, are all over the street (especially to stop by street food carts at night). Future blog: “Will my wearing a reflective orange safety vest with flashing strobe really help?”

หวัดดี, George.

Walking our stuff to the condo

View from our 5th floor condo - view toward Wat Phra That Doi Suthep

Sirriwattana Market: so many stalls - all exotic, all delicious! #nevernothungry #yesIwantthattoo

Neighborhood children having great fun! Kids everywhere.

Location! Location! Location!

We found a condo (D Vieng Santitham Condos)  and we’ve moved in.  The location is great, just 2 blocks from a large market and food court and 3 blocks from Tops, a large western style grocery store. Also in the neighborhood  is a Thai Boxing arena and the Miracle Cabaret/seafood restaurant which is very popular with Asian tour groups.  

We are in a one bedroom on the 5th floor (top) with a partial view of the mountains. When George noticed there were no screens on the windows, he was told that Thai mosquitos don’t fly to the 5th floor.  The decor is mid-level IKEA, which means there is just enough storage space.  We are lucky, we have a hot plate in the kitchen.  Most apartments don’t.  We also have a washing machine, a real bonus.  Electricity (which we are told can be surprisingly pricey) and water are extra and we will pay those bills at the 7-Eleven.  

George made arrangements for the delivery of drinking water.  The system is very much like the milkman some of us remember from our childhood.  George put a 200THB ($6.10) deposit on a crate which holds a dozen large bottles. When we need more water, he will put out the empty crate with 45THB ($1.37) in an envelope and later in the day our water arrives. 

Can you find George in the food court?

One of the charming and talented chefs in the food court with her assistant.

Food photos are so cruel! We have no idea what we are eating, but it's delicious.

See me waiting? We stopped for a snack on the way to dinner.

Bride and groom at the Tha Phae Gate, an entrance through the old city wall. It's a popular venue for wedding photos.

George and the water.

The ISTY Hotel. $37 /night

Our flights went smoothly.  On the first leg we flew to Taipei where we had a short layover.  However brief the connection, George always aims for the airline lounge so he can eat at the ever-present buffet (#nevernothungry). Not quite time enough to enjoy some of the other airport amenities such as the "Hello Kitty Lounge" or my favorite, the "The Glory of High-Tech Waiting Lounge".  I’m not kidding.  Then on to Bangkok, and finally to Chiang Mai -- almost 23 hours of travel time rewarded with 14 hours of jet lag.

We are staying at the small ISTY Hotel in the Santitham neighborhood, just north outside the moat which surrounds the old city of Chiang Mai. Santitham was the rather run-down section of Chiang Mai well-known for its several brothels. It's all better now, but still a very Thai neighborhood and very few tourists.

I know that our friends expressed alarm that George booked us into a $37/night hotel. No worry (this time). The ISTY hotel opened 7 months ago, it's very modern with simple, contemporary furnishings.  The walls are decorated with inspirational New Age type aphorisms that speak directly at me and encourage me to be happy and calm - remember this blog is called "Travels with George".  There is rooftop bar and lounge which is quite charming if only it were not raining.  Our room is on the 3rd floor, on the backside of the hotel.  We overlook Thai houses and a community center where they teach Thai line dancing  on the front porch in the evenings.

The hotel staff are children.  No one seems older than 18. That said, they are well trained, cheerful and very, very helpful.  They have directed us to tasty local restaurants and street food carts, and helped us insert and activate SIM cards so we have a Thai phone number (more about that later when we tell you about our manic adventures to lease a condo).  We went to several phone stores and ubiquitous 7-11's to shop for SIM cards, but no one spoke English.  It seems that very few Thais speak English in Santitham. One shopkeeper, when asked if he understood English, went directly to his Apple computer and opened Google translator.  He and George then had a conversation over the keyboard.  No SIM cards but an interesting way to get to know the neighborhood.  Later, when George found some cards, our hotel staff helped us load and setup our phones, just as children would do for their technologically-inert parents. 

Entrance is on a quiet street 41 Changpuek Soi 4, Si Phum

Message for me on the bathroom door.

The cook and hostess from a local restaurant Baan Landai.

George's meal at the Baan Landai.

Mural on the wall across from the hotel entrance.

Your Visa, please...Madame

Thailand and Vietnam require visas so....We took a road trip to Los Angeles to get our METV 6 month visa from the Thai Consulate.  Arriving early we quickly made friends with others in line.

George put the necessary papers together as per the on-line instructions—a bank statement to show we have enough money for a 180+-days stay, air-travel tickets, hotel reservations and a few extra passport photos. The on-line instructions forgot to mention that we needed photo copies of our passports.  So George ran out the door and to a little copy center across the street.  Others followed him because the on-line instructions omitted several other documents.  This little mom and pop operation has a steady stream of people every morning.  That was at 9 a.m. Pick-up to be between 3 and 4 that afternoon.  

Hello, LA!  Zoe took the day off from work and joined us and off we went to the  Annenberg Space for Photography and  The Broad Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Then back to the consulate to wait. 3 o’clock....3:10...3:15...3:20...3:25....3:30....of the dozen or so people waiting, no one was getting a visa. People were getting very nervous.  I need to mention that we paid a $200/person non-refundable fee.  That means no money back if we are turned down.  And people talk when they are nervous.  One fellow had saved for 5 years to get enough money for a long term Thai visa.  Another fellow had fallen in love with a Thai woman and was moving to Thailand to run a B&B with his sweetie.  I even met her via a live LINE video  (it's like Whatsapp).  3:35...3:40... still no visas...3:45 ... 3:50...and finally the visas were distributed. Phew!

With the METV  we have to leave Thailand every 60 days and the clock starts again when we re-enter Thailand.  METV stands for "multiple entry Thai visa." And that’s why we also need visas for Vietnam. That was a little easier since we just had to go to downtown SF. We were 3rd in line and in/out in 10 minutes. The Vietnam visas  cover a specified 30 day period so we are committed. 

Got it!

Main floor of The Broad Museum

Blade Runner was filmed here, the Bradbury Building.

Diseases That Can Kill You

I was worried about travelers’ diarrhea but after talking to the Kaiser Travel Nurse, that’s the least of my worries.  Pepto Bismo, Imodium, and an antibiotic should take care of the usual travel woes.  What I should be worried about is Malaria, Yellow Fever, hepatitis A, Typhoid fever, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, bird flu, salmonella, e-coli and if that isn’t enough, add Cholera to the list.  To stay healthy I simply need to avoid food, water, daytime biting mosquitoes, nighttime biting mosquitoes, all flies,  and chickens.  Easier said than done.  And yes, there are vaccines, shots and pills.

First round of shots.  Ouch! Ouch!

What to pack???

I can pack for a weekend, or a three week holiday (starting with 21 pairs of underwear) but I have never packed for 6 months.  George and I are reading lots of travelers’ blogs and gleaning  lots of packing tips. Some things are easy to find there and other things  are not so easy.  Flip flops are everywhere but perhaps not size 11 for George. We also have to stock up on our Rx meds which requires a bit of planning.  I normally wait until the last minute to pack, but for this trip, I have started early.

Maps page

Why Chiang Mai?

Well, we have enjoyed our past visits to Thailand.  Bangkok is a great city—big, busy, and very crowded.  Great place to  visit, but, perhaps not the best place to settle into for a few months.  Chiang Mai is an hour away by plane.  It’s a little smaller (pop. roughly 200,000), a little more navigable, and, a little cooler than Bangkok.  Chiang Mai is in Northern Thailand where one can find mountains, forests, rice fields and verdant valleys.  It’s an old city, founded in the 13th century and rich with monuments, museums, and temples (300+). And, the old part of the city is surrounded by a moat! Is that cool or what? It is also a university town which means younger people, bars, cheap eats, and lots of entertainment. 

A little fuzzy, but you get the idea.