FROM BISBEE TO CHIANG MAI

Well folks, it's taken me long enough to get this journal from Thailand started. It took me till yesterday to arrange to tie onto the hotel's wireless connection. Then everything has been pretty much nonstop. In addition, I've been suffering from a bad case of jet lag. It's about 4:30 AM here in Chiang Mai which means it's about 2:30 PM in Bisbee. During the short layover we experienced at the Tai Pei airport after an exhausting almost fifteen hour flight from LAX, we were confronted by a large sign that left little doubt as to the Taiwanese government's stand on drugs. It read - WARNING! POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL DRUGS IS PUNISHABLE BY DEATH. I considered taking a photo of the sign. However, at that point, I was too exhausted from the long flight to bother to remove the camera from its bag. Following another three hour plus flight, we arrived in Chain Mai. We converted a portion of our U.S. dollars to Thai bahts, then caught a ride from the airport to the Khumsiphaya Hotel.. Upon our arrival, I checked in, then had a cold Chang beer, a warm shower and a nap in that order. That evening, our group headed out to the Sunday bazaar. This evening marketplace was certainly something to experience. Hawkers were selling everything from exotic foods to colorful souveniers of all kinds. Exhausted as I was, sleep was spotty that first night. The effects of jet lag left us without a real sense of whether it was the middle of the night or the middle of the day. So, after a fun but tiring evening, I returned to my hotel room, downed one last cold one and fell into a fitful sleep to the screeching sounds of what I assumed were either birds or monkeys just outside my hotel room. OH, AND ONE BRIGHT SPOT WAS THAT THE HOTEL BATHROOM FEATURED ESSENTIALLY WESTERNIZED FACILITIES AS OPPOSED TO THE NATIVE SQUAT TOILET AND ACCOMPANYING WATER FILLED TRENCH IN LIEU OF TOILET PAPER. In my next post which will follow shortly, I'll bring you up to date on our first full day of experiencing and photographing the ancient and modern marvels that the old moated city section of Chiang Mai has to offer. Larry Elkins Elkinsphotos Fine Art Photography