Bob Marley, Pete Tosh,and Mick Jagger. Neo does Buddhism.

Although arriving in chaing rai took a few surprise turns and a little longer than it could or should have,finally getting here was pretty nice. Hugging the Burma border it was beautiful views everywhere I looked and I met lots of interesting people while riding in the back of a truck with lots of locals. On my way I also met a French couple that was biking there way across Thailand. I know some of my friends would be super jealous of that...they were awesome and were doing it on a tandem bike and were eventually going to make it all the way into china. They have done his in France and last year spent minus I. South America riding along...so inspiring that they just went for it and are totally doing it. Not many people can but it's admirable for sure. When I arrived in chaing rai I was able to steal wifi from an apartment above a Internet cafe so I was able to sent caty, a girl I met on couch surfing, a message because we planned on getting together and grabbing a bite to eat or to just meet up. She responded quickly and we made plans for later o. That night to get some drinks at a reggae bar called the peace bar. While I was sitting g outside the www cafe I net another solo traveler names Caroline from France who was on her way to Laos soon. She gave me some good advice on where to stay and we were going to try and meet up that night but regrettably that never happened. We had great conversation for a while and it's amazing how much of an impact she had on my, as well as many others lifes, in such a fleeting moment of stopping and saying hello. I love it.

After walking to the main road with guesthouses (Jet YOd Rd) it seemed like everywhere I looked was either full or too expensive. It was early enough in the day ( 2 or 3) that I was intent on finding a great deal so I trudged along with my backpack and pretended it was t even there. I met a girl and guy named claudio and lindsey. I sat and chatted with them for awhile and when I got ready to keep looking for a hostel lindsay offered to come explore for me. We stopped at lots of places but nothing seemed right until we literally stumbled upon a place called the chat house. Tucked in a corner it had a great atmosphere and was only 80 b a night. Go check out the conversation rate...

It was certainly the jackpot and was well worth my time looking for a place.

I settled in to my new home and we both
Relaxed there for awhile. As we were getting ready to go out again we net a girl named Coleen from california who was also my roomate in the dorm. She was on her way to a wat on a hill so I branched off from Lindsay and planned to meet her near her guesthouse later on ( I basically told everyone I met to meet at the peace bar... Central location and a good meet up spot...)

I hung out with Coleen for the next few hours exploring and eating and marketing and having a great time. We tried some greab food and enjoyed what we thought were fried onions but were in fact fried minnow. Either way they were delicious. While exploring we also saw a big horde of pedi cabbers and I vowed that before I left I was going to take an awesome ride In one and give the guy a supreme tip.


We had a great time together and had alot of similarities and common interests so it was cool to chat with her. A pretty rad california chick.

After wandering in the market we made it over to the peace bar to meet up with caty and one of her friends named Roberto who was actually rehabbing a broken leg and staying a the same hostel as I was. Small world. Hanging out at the bar was awesome as everyone was great company. Watching Roberto play pool, buying flowers from the street children, and hanging out with he co rasta bartenders. Caty, whose from long island (last name diguardi ...) came to visit Thailand and fell in love with it and has been here for 2 years. She speaks Thai pretty well and was friends with all the guys behind the bar. She plans on opening an art space/yoga studio/classroom/activity center in chaing rai. Super rad chick, i hope I can get to know her.


We ended up closing the bar and hanging out I the gardens in the back way past closing and had a really really awesome time. I also met a girl whose name I can't recall now but we talked alot about his she has traveled around thailand teaching english and livig with her Thai husband. She was pretty cool and had an interesting backstory. All the rasta guys were awesome and super cool. The dj played some dubstep for me and the bartender and resident drummer was rockin my uncle jimmys favorite lithuania basketball shirt. I took a picture with him but probably should have taken it before I started enjoying the cold beverages but o well.



An awesome afternoon and night in chaing rai meeting lots of really cool and awesome people.

On Tuesday the first of march I woke up and borrowed Roberto's (living in the hostel with a busted leg for 2 months) moped to go and make plans with Lindsay and Claudio. We made rough plans to bike ride to the white temple later on. I returned the moped, and rented a bike and checked out a really awesome bookstore that trades books and maps. A gem of a place t had thousands of titles super cheap and the atmosphere was incredible. They guy used to own a guesthouse but when he retired he loved to read, had a large collection, and loved meeting travelers. Perfect match for him.


well later has happened. Lindsey and I went off for a bike ride and it was a great ride. Although the map from the guy at the tatoo parlors map was awful and unhelpful we made it there via the most direct road. pretty busy but not awful and we rode at a leisurely pace the entire way and had great conversation. Lindsey is a rafting guide in JAckson Wyoming and basically lives a bad ass outdoor chick lifestyle. I think if matty d could marry her tomorrow I am confident he would. Interestingly enough I was thinking about seasonal jobs the other day and was surprised i didnt know anyone who was a rafting guide or a trekking guide outwest. No more than two days later I have a great connection and someone who told me she would always be willing to help me out if i ever wanted some adventure out west. will do lindsey!

When we got to the white temple it was undoubtedly the coolest temple or wat i have seen yet. It has a great backstory and basically this artist decided he wanted to dedicate a buddhist temple to the community and so he used all his own money and is doing whatever he wants with it. check it out. crazy crazy artwork and the most modern temple you can ever imagine. think a buddhist temple with depictions of the America and the west, space invasions, mutants, crazy colors and trippy designs, and the most grotesque and beautiful artwork you could ever imagine. and then keep in mind that it is a buddhist shrine and temple. Wat Rong Khun - Chiang Rai. seriously do yourself a favor and check it out or ask me about it when I get back. Everything is still being built so it was also really cool to see the artists working to build it. a work in progress expected to be done in 10 years or so it is monstrous and magnificent.






We rode home from the temple with more great conversation and left each other at our respective hostels with tentative plans to meet up later on that night. together lindsey and i have been talking alot about laos but cant seem to make up our minds about anything so its kind of humorous to listen to us try and make decisions. hopefully something will get done and we can continue together but odds are if we meet again in laos it will be by chance. she has no plan and i have kind of a plan but they dont go together and trying to join them just leads to infinite possibilities.

When I got back to my hostel that night I met Maud, a girl I had given directions to on the street earlier in the day. she thanked me profusely for helping her find such a great place and later that night we wandered the market and streets and had a great time together looking at all the market stuff and getting to know each other. I love traveler small talk and especially love when it gets past the basics and into meaningful communication. While we were walking we also saw the clocktower, a massive art installation that the same guy who made the white temple had created. at 9p everynight they play music and a cool light show.






- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhonesebalsi