Back to Chaing Mai

Court was up early this morning, she was cold and couldn't sleep. Her toque fell off. So, she got me up about 7:15. Very chilly morning, we can see our breath, yes we can, very much so. We go and have breakfast down the street, said goodbye to the waitress (Jip) there (she was soooo friendly), she gave us hugs, then back to the huts and sat around with Johnny for 45 minutes, practised counting from last night, and Johnny taught Court and I a bunch of other useful Thai phrases ("How much?", "Too much!", "Lower price!", "My name is...", "You are very handsome.", "You are very pretty.", "I like you.", "I love you", etc.) Of course, I remember nothing, but Court actually has a very good memory, and remembers a lot of it. We walked down the street to the minibus.

Johnny told us when were talking with him we could get a free ride to Chaing Mai with someone else that was going to Chaing Mai that day. Unfortunately, we had already bought our ticket. Too bad. Johnny also gave us his phone numbers, and he tells us to call him amytime if we have any problems with anything. We're his friends, and he wants us safe and happy, and if we have problems or trouble, call him, and he'll do whatever he can to help.

On the bus trip back to Chiang Mai we got stopped by a Thai police checkstop (we also got stopped on the way up to Pai, but I didn't journal it). Thailand started a new war on drugs in the beginning of February, and they are probably doing checkstops to try and catch drug dealers or something. I remember one of the police officers checking the bag of one of the hill tribe people in the minibus...the hill tribe people are big drug dealers, as that's the only way for them to make money. The main drug is opium.

We got back to the Chiang Mai about 1:30. Courtney started taking out her hair extensions. Took her 4 hours.

More notes:
- Chickens walk around the restaurant and kitchen of a lot of restaurants. Especially in the smaller towns. It's funny to see a chicken dogding the steps of the cook as she's frying up rice or eggs.
- a pack of cigarettes about $2.00 here.
- Northern Thai people wear toques and scarves in the evenings and mornings.
- I'll have everyone know, I've eaten more vegetables in the last month that I've eaten my whole life. Yes, I am eating my vegetables. Courtney sounds like my mom. "Eat all your vegetables, Todd." "C'mon eat up." Knowing my mother, she probably e-mailed Courtney and told her to harass me about it.

Anyway, it's about 7:30 on WEdnesday, we're off on our trek tomorrow morning, a 3 day trek, so we won't be online for a few days.

See ya.