The good news: Chang Mai is still lovely, and I’ve made some new friends here. I’ve also learned to make curry paste from scratch, as well as a whole bunch of other tasty things. Look out, Sunday Dinner crowd! And yes, Karen, you can eat most of it. No wheat or dairy in sight!
The bad news: my back is worse. I was supposed to be trekking yesterday, today and tomorrow, but I realized sometime Wednesday that there was no way I would be able to pull it off. It’s been really rainy here – today’s the first sunny day – and I could just see myself slipping and immobilizing myself, basically ruining the trip for everyone else. So instead, I’ve been reading, sleeping, getting Thai Massage (from blind therapists today – excellent!) and drinking with some locals and some travellers. I’ve even been invited to a wedding next week here in Chang Mai – Grant, who’s Scottish, is marrying a lovely Thai woman whose name I forget. Then, they’re moving back to Aberdeen. I’m thinking about coming back for the ceremony – depends on the weather in Lao and how my back is feeling.
So the rest of the plan is basically the same – I’ll hop on a bus on Sunday morning and head up to Chang Kung, then across to Lao on Monday morning. I’ll be in Luang Prabang by Tuesday noonish, and we’ll have to play it by ear from there.
In other news, I almost completely forgot about Thanksgiving. Thanks a bunch to those who sent me email and SMS, and I hope you all ate way too much turkey for me. I think I might go and have a pizza (it’s western, at least) to celebrate today.
We’re going to the brewery on Saturday night. I’m wondering whether a splitting hangover is going to make the bus ride better or worse…..