ThaiBeach, thanks for the good read about Antartica. You are one of the best writers here. And you just killed my desire to go there and saved me $20K.

 

The walking tour is my least favorite kind of tour, I never make it more than half an hour before I start drifting away. Unless the leader is a mono-maniac on the subject, you can tell they're bored in the very special Khao Soi Noodle place for the millionth time. It all feels begrudging and desperate.

 

And it's always too long. A good walking tour would run about 30 minutes. They make it long to justify the price, just like they give you too many French fries at McDonalds. I have abandoned walking tours in London, Paris, New Orleans (like, 3 times), and Hanoi.

 

Another terrible idea is a cooking class. In Chiang Mai, they've had problems. So everything is pre-cut and then you're invited up individually for a festive turn at the stir fry. At the end, it's a feast of very blah Thai food, most of which has gone cold. That papaya salad has been shredded down to match stick size by nose-ringed backpackers.

 

We had a chance to invest in one of the multiple seat, bicycle beer-dispensing contraptions.  Hugely successful in the southern states. But subject to sudden regulatory change the first time they run over a child.

 

A friend still has a horse and carriage for touristic rides around adowntown and clears about a grand a day. The ride costs about $2  a minute. Has anyone paid for a pricey carriage ride? Legend has it that Lampang has them.

 

 

4 hours ago, Prubangboy said:

friend still has a horse and carriage for touristic rides around adowntown and clears about a grand a day. The ride costs about $2  a minute. Has anyone paid for a pricey carriage ride? Legend has it that Lampang has them.

Yes many in Lampang. Lampang is a disappointing town. Lamphun is better. 300 baht for a ride in one.

 

 

4 hours ago, Prubangboy said:

And it's always too long. A good walking tour would run about 30 minutes. They make it long to justify the price, just like they give you too many French fries at McDonalds. I have abandoned walking tours in London, Paris, New Orleans (like, 3 times), and Hanoi.

With google maps you don't need them anymore. Songkhla old town is good for walking. If you don't like walking grap/bolt tour. Pick 5 destinations and use apps. Better than organised tours.

 

yes, if it's the only way to visit somewhere, two examples; i wanted to go caving in NZ so had to go with a group and guide, and traveling across the salar de uyumi from chile to bolivia i had to join a group with guide traveling in land cruisers. both excellent trips.

 

 

21 minutes ago, uttradit said:

Lampang is a disappointing town. Lamphun is better. 

 

 

-But not much.

 

Just closer to Chiang Mai to mitigate the disappointment.

2 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

-But not much.

 

Just closer to Chiang Mai to mitigate the disappointment.

Mae Taeng is a beautiful area but not for restaurants. Mae Rim is the place. I'm going to try Mae Chaem.