Shop, breath, stretch

Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai, THAILAND: 8 -19 June 2011

In contrast to Borneo (which I had never heard much about but wanted to go), I had never really been attracted to going to Bangkok even though (or maybe because) I have met so many people who have been there. This was in part out of a fear of being surrounded by younger backpackers who are mainly only interested in getting drunk. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by Bangkok. It is a fascinating mix of the old (scores of impressive Buddhist temples; a bustling Chinatown)

and the new (the open air Dome Sky Bar on the top of a skyscraper, as featured in The Hangover 2, is the bar with the best view that I've ever had a drink in).
This juxtaposition of old and new was most clearly evident when I got the traditional canal boat to an area full of modern shopping malls. Shopping, whether in the maze of stalls in Chinatown or those modern malls, is a big part of life in Bangkok.

While I enjoyed my time in Bangkok, it is an exhausting city. So after three days I was happy to hop on the sleeper train to head 13 hours north to the charming city of Chiang Mai for a complete change of pace.

I spent four days in Chang Mai, two of which were spent taking part in a meditation retreat run by one of the many Buddhist monasteries in the city. It involved a 5am start, being silent all day apart from some chanting, and a mix of sitting, walking and lying down meditation. It was a very worthwhile experience. The monk leading the retreat, a very peaceful and smiling man (like all Buddhist monks I've met or seen), said that "Our minds are like a monkey, constantly jumping around from one thing to another. But here in Thailand we can train monkeys, and you can train your mind too". While I found it difficult at times to clear my mind and just focus on breathing, I made some progress. I especially liked the silence rule. The first principle of ethical conduct in Buddhism is "Right Speech". This includes abstaining from lying but also abstaining from "idle chatter that lacks purpose or depth". I can't imagine this "talk only when necessary" rule working well in Ireland.Continuing with doing my mind and body some good, I went three hours further north to the town of Pai for two days of yoga. While realising that I've a long way to go in terms of improving my flexibility, I enjoyed doing yoga, although the head-stand was a bit painful and disorientating.I had thought that I needed to take a break from constantly travelling. But now that I'm in South-East Asia, there is so much to do and see that I want to keep moving to see as much as possible. So after doing the meditation and yoga, I've decided to head east from northern Thailand to Laos.