Having a bike changes everything. At home biking and cooking are so much a part of what brings me joy that not having those things for even a couple of days started to take its toll. I made sure that I got to the bike shop before it closed last night so I could secure one of the joys.
Biking in Chiang Mai is kind of like biking in NYC so I have adapted quickly. The differences are that people actually smile on the road and are patient with how traffic moves so I can maneuver my way through narrow streets and major streets with relative ease. No one drives that fast either because there are so many cars on the road. I tend to end up in packs of scooters. The biggest difference is that traffic doesn’t stop so I just have to be aware of the traffic coming from all directions and merging with whatever lane I am in. Oh, and the driving is on the left here. (Living in England has come in handy after all).
I felt so accomplished making my way to school this morning and not getting lost. Also braving the morning traffic was no small feat. Tonight I rode around for three hours exploring the city. I had a destination and then ended up getting really lost so the short bike trip turned into an adventure. I figured out that the mountains are on the North side of the city and my guesthouse, appropriately named “Mountain View,” is located on the North side of the Old City. So when I discovered that I was indeed very lost I looked for the mountains and started to make my way back.
On the way I fell upon a little outdoor city of plants called Kamthieng Market. It was the end of the workday so there were no shoppers, just business owners closing down. I rode around for at least 20 minutes just exploring the flora. This place is huge and so beautiful!
At this point I thought I figured out where I was but ended up in a very crowded food market on my way to the Old City. I couldn’t resist stopping despite being lost and having no idea how without bike lights I was going to find my way home. I parked along the scooters and locked my bike to itself and headed in to explore. (No one locks his or her bike to objects, just the frame to wheel). I bought a package of cut up fruit, which I will have for breakfast tomorrow. This medley will help me discern what to get in the future as there are a lot of foods I have never seen before.
For dinner I had my first truly spicy meal. It was a leaf bowl of seafood. I am ruined for a while because of all of the good meals I am having. The most exciting part of this stop was eating bugs. I giggled out loud when I spotted the bowls of different insects. The gentleman behind the counter didn’t speak any English but could see my excitement and tried to describe in simple Thai what everything was. I wasn’t ready to buy the bags of bugs, but he was generous enough to let me try fried maggots and larva. Delicious. If I had to compare it to anything, I would say it tastes like deer jerky. I didn’t dare ask to try the giant flying bugs, but I plan to eat many more meals at this place and will not leave town before trying a few other varieties.
In traveling solo I am daring myself to be a bit braver with everything I do. Eating and bike riding are a good start because it’s a base and something I am used to pushing the envelope with. This is definitely the easiest country I’ve been too in terms of being a woman. I love that I can look people in the eye and smile and not have it be taken as anything but a friendly gesture. This openness is a good thing for me to feel for a few weeks and I look forward to whatever comes from that.
