Chiang Mai, Thailand - Winter Break 2013

After six hours of flight time and an unsettling layover in China, on December 23rd two friends and myself arrived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where we spent a full week of our winter break.

One of the perks of traveling in Thailand- it's very cheap! Our hostel was about nine USD per night. And I mean nine dollars for a three person private room, so each of us only paid 3 dollars per night! And the room was pretty nice too! We stayed in a place called Yourhouse Guesthouse, which is owned by a friendly lady who is fluent in Thai, English, and French. She was very helpful and was happy to help us book adventures and appointments. She even told me what foods to eat to feel better when you are sick (plain rice, dry toast, and raw banana- the Thai version of chicken noodle soup!) when my friend became very sick with food poisoning.

The lobby of our hostel

The only drawback to the hostel was that we had to share the bathroom with the occupants of five other rooms. So in the mornings it was always a game to get in the bathroom before someone else did! Also, the toilet, sink, and shower were in one room with no enclosures so the floor got dirty very quickly. I did not once go in there without shower shoes. The shower did not have hot water, but it wasn't outright cold either. It was just lukewarm enough to not be unbearable, but just cold enough to make you seriously dread having to step under the shower. From talking to other traveler's in Chiang Mai, I learned that it is very common for buildings to lack hot water so maybe that just can't be helped. Overall, the hostel was quite comfortable and a great deal for us.

Posts on the week's happenings coming soon!

Our first bite of food in Thailand- and it was delicious! Called a rotee, it was kinda like a sweet quesadilla.

Blueberry, strawberry, and orange flavored oreos- wow!

Perhaps the most sought after of Thailand's souvenirs. By the end of the week, all three of us found the perfect pair.