T

hailand 2000

 

November 25 - December 9, 2000










We'd been to Thailand so long ago that it might as well have been "Never-Never" land. That was in April, 1978 when in ten rushed days we'd seen Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pattaya, and Bangkok again. Now, because Jan's brother Dave was on a break from his work in India and visiting his in-laws in Thailand we took a break from our work in China and popped over.

Our visit nearly doubled the 1978 one, this time lasting 17 days. Everything was new to us, almost as if we'd never been. Bangkok had boomed with road flyovers and an elevated Metro. Chiang Mai had boomed and was no longer the sleepy town we vaguely recalled.

For our first week we visited the north, seeing Phitsanulok, Sukhothai, Chiangmai, Phayao, and Chiangrai, all except for Chiangmai new places, with Dave and his wife Jhap as our guides and hosts. They treated us wonderfully, as did Jhap's extended family.

After a week we came south, passing through Bangkok, to the royal beach resort, Hua Hin. There we mostly lazed about the pool, which is twenty feet  from our door. It's the life that Jan wants to live.

Then it was back to Bangkok where we saw some of the sights along the river and, all too soon, flew off back to Hong Kong and work.




Updated September 16, 2002