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4th Jan - We took the night train (the train from hell) from Bangkok to Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand. It was a 14 hour journey from 22:00 until 12:45 the next afternoon. We could not get booked in 1st class of 2nd with air con, so had to suffer 2nd class with no air con. My advice if you ever do the journey go first class or 2nd with air con. To keep cool the windows had to be open for the whole journey, and it is LOUD! Take ear plugs. Also, take bottle of something strong too. We had some Thai whisky to help us sleep, but that wasnt much help. I was ok until 4am when I got ill (not from the whisky i might add) and spent the rest of the journey throwng up in the most disgusting toilet you have ever seen. Those of you that have done the journey will know exactly what I mean.
When you get to Chiang Mai train station, make sure you have the name of somewhere you want to be taken too as you are hounded from the second you get off the train. We luckily had already found somewhere we were going to check in at. If you ever go to CHiang Mai, head for Imm Eco. It's the most amazing hostel. It's like a little garden of eden and has recently been refurbed, and bonus, has a swimming pool. You can guess the first place we headed.
CHiang Mai is so much nicer than Bangkok. I was glad to leave Bangkok as it was too hot and too many cockroaches and hasstle from everyone. CHaing Mai is small, but mainly all baout the elephant trecking.
We couldn't get booked into the elephant sanctury we wanted to stay at, but went on a mini elephant treck. THe elephants are amazing. After that you are retured to base on an ox drawn cart, random.
Bamboo rafting was also a great experience. the rivers are so beautiful and there were elephants bathing and roaming around all down the river.
CHiang Mai isn't my happiest memory, because we had to start taking our malaria tablets and I got horrible side effects, so spend a couple of days, litterally in bed (well when I say bed I mean by the pool in the shade) and couldn't eat anything. Luckily that didn't last too long.
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