Long-distance Walk (200-300 K) Originating CM - 30 Days - Never Been Outside CM - Help

[lookforzeros]

Terrible time of the year for long walks. You have the heat, the smog, and the fields are brown and barren. That being said there are plenty of great walks. You can go north up the canal road to Mae Rim and then continue on the road through Huai Sai that goes to the Prem School. There are plenty of places to stay in that area but the road is much more scenic north of Huai Sai, but few places to stay. There is the small secondary road that parallels the main road just east of the Ping, and there is the canal road further to the east of the 1001 that runs behind Mae Jo Univ. As for Thai dogs, just carry a walking stick. If you can get use to sleeping in temples then your options open up. And if you do then walk with a pakama tied around your waist or wrapped around your head and use that to cover up in the public bathing spots such as you might find in a rural temple or local village. OK, you also have to get use to showering wearing some Thai briefs, don't go try to wash in public going commando with just a pakama. It also helps to have crossed that Rubicon and use left hand discipline and be comfortable using a low rise commode while only using the bowl and water provided. Good luck, but really, far too hot to be safe at this time of year.

How does one go about sleeping in a temple? Is it free?

[fireplay]

Terrible time of the year for long walks. You have the heat, the smog, and the fields are brown and barren. That being said there are plenty of great walks. You can go north up the canal road to Mae Rim and then continue on the road through Huai Sai that goes to the Prem School. There are plenty of places to stay in that area but the road is much more scenic north of Huai Sai, but few places to stay. There is the small secondary road that parallels the main road just east of the Ping, and there is the canal road further to the east of the 1001 that runs behind Mae Jo Univ. As for Thai dogs, just carry a walking stick. If you can get use to sleeping in temples then your options open up. And if you do then walk with a pakama tied around your waist or wrapped around your head and use that to cover up in the public bathing spots such as you might find in a rural temple or local village. OK, you also have to get use to showering wearing some Thai briefs, don't go try to wash in public going commando with just a pakama. It also helps to have crossed that Rubicon and use left hand discipline and be comfortable using a low rise commode while only using the bowl and water provided. Good luck, but really, far too hot to be safe at this time of year.

How does one go about sleeping in a temple? Is it free?

I crashed out at a temple festival once...i just found a place near some vendors I was partying with....

Woke up in the morning to eggs and lao kao...oh boy...

But I'm sure you can just walk on up and speak some thai

Now mak....bai nawn yuu nee dai mai...

Or something like that

(Very tired sleep here ok?)

[moe666]

Just startwalking to Mae hong song 200 some odd k, saw a Thai guy walking on the 1095 last year I guess he was going to mae hong song. just get one of those rear warning lights for bicycles so the cars can see you

[WonderousWand]

Just startwalking to Mae hong song 200 some odd k, saw a Thai guy walking on the 1095 last year I guess he was going to mae hong song. just get one of those rear warning lights for bicycles so the cars can see you

Good thought.

One could just attach it to one's belt in back.

Correct, I always worry about motorbikes coming up behind me.

I walk on the right, but you never know with motorbikes, they drive anywhere, including sidewalks.

I have never seen anyone walking with a flashing red light, but I am not out there to look good, and better to try to be safe

And thanks for the alternative route suggestion.

I am seeking flat, because I am not trying to climb hills, if I can avoid it.

Edited April 22, 2016 by WonderousWand

[Ghostnigel]

In this heat perhaps you should open another thread as a possible obituary.

With respect , although you like to walk without a hat and say the heat does not effect you ..... heat stroke can come on gradually without you noticing it and if that happens your budget will go right out the window.

Might be best to break into your budget and invest in a hat before you set out. If the cost is prohibitive you could at least use a handkerchief knotted in the four corners to stop your brain frying.

OK, good advice.

I will use a straw hat.

But, you probably know, the straw hats don't stay on well.

I suppose I could use some tin foil, but would not consider it.

I will take a hat, agreed.

Tin foil? Sorry, but you are taking the piss....you got me laughing anyway, good luck with that, you loony toon...555

Laughs are invaluable, these days, and I am happy if I was able to provide you one.

If everyone were less fashion conscious and more practical, then we would all be using some sort of hat made of aluminum.

Everyone knows that the coolest houses are those which have tin roofs, just look around.

They are more costly, but they make up for the initial expense by reducing energy costs.

If I were walking in an unpopulated area, in the sun, I probably would create a broad brimmed straw hat with an aluminum reflective coating on it.

That way, the hat could still breath, but the majority of the surface area would be reflective, and shield me from radiation of the sun.

No doubt it has been tried before, but I have not seen any around Chiang Mai.

I would have thought a tin foil hat would boil your head to like 500 degrees...lol

anyway, you seem to have it all planned out, except maybe using brand new, tight fitting leather shoes, the sore blisters would take your mind off the rabid dog bites, and the 'mirages' from heat exhaustion...maybe thinking you see a beer bar, but its only water...hahaha. Have a good trip, gawd help yer.

[anto]

>>How does one go about sleeping in a temple? Is it free?<<

It would ease things all round if you made a small donation ,say B100 .

[WonderousWand]

In Reply to the leather shoe comment above:

Speaking of shoes, I used to really hate Nike, because I did not like their ads, and I thought they might be sacrificing or diverting money from quality shoe construction to pay for the ads.

Maybe true in the past, I do not know, however a few years ago I was forced to buy a pair of Nike shoes because there was nothing else in my size where I was at the time.

After a year of constant use, I realized that Nike does make a tough shoe that is comfortable, is well constructed, does not fall apart, and is worth the money.

After that, I just buy Nikes.

I have no stock in Nike, and I still hate all television and radio ads, which is why I also threw out my TV 20 years ago.

I don't think the Armies of the World would be advised to outfit their soldiers with leather shoes, because the synthetic fibers are getting really good.

Wingtips are great, but cost about USD5000, and then you cannot exactly go walking around town in Louis Vuittons below jeans, and expect people to take you seriously.

[mgjackson69]

>>How does one go about sleeping in a temple? Is it free?<<

It would ease things all round if you made a small donation ,say B100 .

I agree....

A small donation should get you a place to sleep and a bit of food as well

[WonderousWand]

Here is a small but important item I bet some of you guys might not have thought about:

I have been walking around with a key chain in my pocket, and after about 160 K it has ruined one of the pockets of my new jeans.

Scratched up my thigh, too.

So, it might be a good idea to have pocket liners, but I don't think they make them for jeans.

You could probably make them out of Kevlar, Laxan, or some other similar ballistic carbon fiber material, but I am not a great seamstress.

So, maybe I will try to Google it. However, it is a must have, because I keep my 13000mAh E13 Eloop power bank in my back pocket, and it is definitely painful, too.

By the way, I bought the E13 after I read on ThaiVisa that it is recommended.

That was correct advice because it is extremely thin, and sold here for less than in China where it is manufactured.

I think they must have imported too many, and so is sold for like a 40 percent discount.

I have a total now of 36000 mAh combining this with my old ones, and that would be enough to run a phone for a week or more.

The E13 is really a great buy at 40 percent discount. Quite beautiful design, as well.

Only my opinion, of course.

If anyone has a suggestion regarding what to use for a pocket liner for jeans, I need both front and back pockets, and the Wrangler jeans have these Giant Pocket.

They are ugly, but very functional.

Also, I do not like to walk with anything in my hands but the two water bottles.

And I hate those things that some call fanny packs that you strap to your belt.

I HATE the NAME Fanny Pack. Hate it.

Even uglier than Wrangler Pockets.

note: The Wrangler Jeans in Thailand are very high quality, and cheap, but they also have a dye problem, and if you wash them in hot water they bleed blue over everything, INCLUDING your shirt if you are doing a lot of sweating. So now I just wear the same shirt each day, washing it at night, and it is permanently stained with Wrangler Blue dye at the belt level where it is tucked in. Just a minor annoyance, I suppose.

Robinsons has a sale, about once a month, on Wranger Jeans, and I think they go for about half price. Very good deal, I think.

Edited April 22, 2016 by WonderousWand

[mgjackson69]

In Reply to the leather shoe comment above:

Speaking of shoes, I used to really hate Nike, because I did not like their ads, and I thought they might be sacrificing or diverting money from quality shoe construction to pay for the ads.

Maybe true in the past, I do not know, however a few years ago I was forced to buy a pair of Nike shoes because there was nothing else in my size where I was at the time.

After a year of constant use, I realized that Nike does make a tough shoe that is comfortable, is well constructed, does not fall apart, and is worth the money.

After that, I just buy Nikes.

I have no stock in Nike, and I still hate all television and radio ads, which is why I also threw out my TV 20 years ago.

I don't think the Armies of the World would be advised to outfit their soldiers with leather shoes, because the synthetic fibers are getting really good.

Wingtips are great, but cost about USD5000, and then you cannot exactly go walking around town in Louis Vuittons below jeans, and expect people to take you seriously.

Not to mention that wingtips are for looks, and not for serious walking.

[anto]

Here is a small but important item I bet some of you guys might not have thought about:

I have been walking around with a key chain in my pocket, and after about 160 K it has ruined one of the pockets of my new jeans.

Scratched up my thigh, too.

So, it might be a good idea to have pocket liners, but I don't think they make them for jeans.

You could probably make them out of Kevlar, Laxan, or some other similar ballistic carbon fiber material, but I am not a great seamstress.

So, maybe I will try to Google it. However, it is a must have, because I keep my 13000mAh E13 Eloop power bank in my back pocket, and it is definitely painful, too.

By the way, I bought the E13 after I read on ThaiVisa that it is recommended.

That was correct advice because it is extremely thin, and sold here for less than in China where it is manufactured.

I think they must have imported too many, and so is sold for like a 40 percent discount.

I have a total now of 36000 mAh combining this with my old ones, and that would be enough to run a phone for a week or more.

The E13 is really a great buy at 40 percent discount. Quite beautiful design, as well.

Only my opinion, of course.

If anyone has a suggestion regarding what to use for a pocket liner for jeans, I need both front and back pockets, and the Wrangler jeans have these Giant Pocket.

They are ugly, but very functional.

Also, I do not like to walk with anything in my hands but the two water bottles.

And I hate those things that some call fanny packs that you strap to your belt.

I HATE the NAME Fanny Pack. Hate it.

Even uglier than Wrangler Pockets.

note: The Wrangler Jeans in Thailand are very high quality, and cheap, but they also have a dye problem, and if you wash them in hot water they bleed blue over everything, INCLUDING your shirt if you are doing a lot of sweating. So now I just wear the same shirt each day, washing it at night, and it is permanently stained with Wrangler Blue dye at the belt level where it is tucked in. Just a minor annoyance, I suppose.

Robinsons has a sale, about once a month, on Wranger Jeans, and I think they go for about half price. Very good deal, I think.

Will you not be having a small back pack ?.Things you will need to carry that i can think of immediately .Mossie spray ,foam mat and air pillow ,water container ,camera ( pictures or it never happened) ,copy of passport with visa page ,change of clothes ,sunglasses ,maps ,guide book etc ,etc ..

[WonderousWand]

Here is a small but important item I bet some of you guys might not have thought about:

I have been walking around with a key chain in my pocket, and after about 160 K it has ruined one of the pockets of my new jeans.

Scratched up my thigh, too.

So, it might be a good idea to have pocket liners, but I don't think they make them for jeans.

You could probably make them out of Kevlar, Laxan, or some other similar ballistic carbon fiber material, but I am not a great seamstress.

So, maybe I will try to Google it. However, it is a must have, because I keep my 13000mAh E13 Eloop power bank in my back pocket, and it is definitely painful, too.

By the way, I bought the E13 after I read on ThaiVisa that it is recommended.

That was correct advice because it is extremely thin, and sold here for less than in China where it is manufactured.

I think they must have imported too many, and so is sold for like a 40 percent discount.

I have a total now of 36000 mAh combining this with my old ones, and that would be enough to run a phone for a week or more.

The E13 is really a great buy at 40 percent discount. Quite beautiful design, as well.

Only my opinion, of course.

If anyone has a suggestion regarding what to use for a pocket liner for jeans, I need both front and back pockets, and the Wrangler jeans have these Giant Pocket.

They are ugly, but very functional.

Also, I do not like to walk with anything in my hands but the two water bottles.

And I hate those things that some call fanny packs that you strap to your belt.

I HATE the NAME Fanny Pack. Hate it.

Even uglier than Wrangler Pockets.

note: The Wrangler Jeans in Thailand are very high quality, and cheap, but they also have a dye problem, and if you wash them in hot water they bleed blue over everything, INCLUDING your shirt if you are doing a lot of sweating. So now I just wear the same shirt each day, washing it at night, and it is permanently stained with Wrangler Blue dye at the belt level where it is tucked in. Just a minor annoyance, I suppose.

Robinsons has a sale, about once a month, on Wranger Jeans, and I think they go for about half price. Very good deal, I think.

Will you not be having a small back pack ?.Things you will need to carry that i can think of immediately .Mossie spray ,foam mat and air pillow ,water container ,camera ( pictures or it never happened) ,copy of passport with visa page ,change of clothes ,sunglasses ,maps ,guide book etc ,etc ..

Don't need maps, of course.

But, I will not carry a backpack, because it is too hot, and you need to keep your back free of anything but your shirt.

I haven't tried it yet, but I was thinking of some sort of roll that I could carry on my shoulders.

Yes, passport will be in my pocket, but no wallet. Just a credit card in my shirt pocket.

I think that I stated above, clearly, that this is not a trek in the wilderness. I don't use that much insect repellent. Concentrated Deet goes a long way. A flexible plastic mat is very light, but it would be better to just find a couple of cardboard cartons when you get to where you intend to sleep.

That is not the issue for me.

I am not sure WHERE to sleep along the way.

Also, in most of the factories I have visited in Asia, you see factory workers sleeping on shipping cartons, and I have done so as well, for a nap.

They are quite comfortable, even on a concrete floor.

I am speaking of the Export grade cartons, and when folded before use, they are quite thick.

Probably unreasonable to expect to find Export grade cartons along the way, but I think carrying a mat around is not for me, so I will think of something else.

But, do not worry...I will definitely be taking a hat. I do not use one around town, but I will wear one if I need to walk 20 or 25 K per day in the sun.

Edited April 22, 2016 by WonderousWand

[WonderousWand]

>>How does one go about sleeping in a temple? Is it free?<<

It would ease things all round if you made a small donation ,say B100 .

I agree....

A small donation should get you a place to sleep and a bit of food as well

If I could easily stay, comfortably, in a Wat, for only B100, then problem solved!

My concern is looking stupid when I walk in, a Farang, at an out of CM Wat, and asking.

I am not really sure that it is done, and I don't want to embarrass anyone.

[WonderousWand]

Does anyone know:

Where can you get quality work done around town to re-tread a pair of Nikes?

I don't want to change shoes, because the Nikes I have now are perfect.

I checked, and you cannot buy STRUCTURE 15 in Thailand, since it is considered an old style.

Robinsons suggested I contact Nike in BKK.

But that would take time, and mailing back and forth.

Or, if REAL Structure 15 shoes were available in CM, then that would work, however I was told they are no longer inventoried.

[WonderousWand]

With regard to water requirements,

If one is drinking about 15 liters of water per day, or more in some cases, then water gets heavy. It would be difficult to carry 15 kilograms of water along with you if you were going out walking for a day.

This leaves two options.

One could buy water, but then there would be the plastic empty containers to discard, which is probably not good.

Or, one could drink the tap water, which I do in Chiang Mai,

Or carry a good filter and hand pump.

Walking in a populated area, finding water is not an issue.

However, trying to walk a 30 kilometer stretch of road where there was no places to fill up would not be possible.

Probably dangerous, as well, if one were not able to stay adequately hydrated.

[anto]

When a man starts talking to himself ,out loud ,i start to question that mans sanity .

[fireplay]

So did you do the walk?

[anto]

>>So did you do the walk? <<......no ,he is still talking to himself about getting started .

[CNXBKKMAN]

It was 40-42'c when op was planning to go on this adventure. Did he start and give up? Never come back? Never start?

[WonderousWand]

It was 40-42'c when op was planning to go on this adventure. Did he start and give up? Never come back? Never start?

Sometimes, I wonder.

Sometimes, one cannot get any respect around here.

The last comment I read over 6 weeks ago stated, in effect, don't write anymore about this topic.

So, I stopped reporting.

If I report, and people don't like to read or see it posted, then they get pissed off.

I don't mind.

It's OK.

[TheSiemReaper]

I find the OP's response to be quite Zen. I hope he enjoys his bargain basement walking and wish him well in his endeavors.

[JaseTheBass]

It was 40-42'c when op was planning to go on this adventure. Did he start and give up? Never come back? Never start?

Sometimes, I wonder.

Sometimes, one cannot get any respect around here.

The last comment I read over 6 weeks ago stated, in effect, don't write anymore about this topic.

So, I stopped reporting.

If I report, and people don't like to read or see it posted, then they get pissed off.

I don't mind.

It's OK.

Fair enough, but did you do it?

[NickJ]

I was out the minute he said he would have a mat but no hat.....

[anto]

>>The last comment I read over 6 weeks ago stated, in effect, don't write anymore about this topic. <<

The way it works here is that you write a comment and wait for a response .If you start writing comments one after the other without any feed back ,such as you did ,you are in fact talking to yourself .

[WonderousWand]

Well, if it is as you say, the way it works around here, then I will keep that in mind.

However, in this case, I did wait for a reply. The only thing is, I suppose, that the reply arrived after so many weeks that I seem no longer in the mood.

But that's OK, that's journalism.

Anyway, it is now the raining season, so let's wait until the next Hot Season, which is the season best for walking, and then you can reply to me, and I will post another comment telling you about the events which transpired since the time I last posted.

It's OK.

Fine with me.

[anto]

Sorry you never ventured on that silly walk .Dont blame you really .lol

[CNXBKKMAN]

I would prefer to do the samoeng loop walk in the rainy season. Fresh air, no smoke, epic views due to the great visibility( must be more than 50km at the mo), lower temps, you only need to carry an umbrella for the showers which is also handy to wave at aggressive dogs. Low season accommodation costs and bargaining if you are on a super tight budget like the op was. The hot season is only suitable for masochists imo.

[arunsakda]

Well, if it is as you say, the way it works around here, then I will keep that in mind.

However, in this case, I did wait for a reply. The only thing is, I suppose, that the reply arrived after so many weeks that I seem no longer in the mood.

But that's OK, that's journalism.

Anyway, it is now the raining season, so let's wait until the next Hot Season, which is the season best for walking, and then you can reply to me, and I will post another comment telling you about the events which transpired since the time I last posted.

It's OK.

Fine with me.

Now it rains so let's wait till next year.

In my honest opinion there was never any intention a 200-300km walk in the blistering heat with no hat.

Just a literary exercise, for those of us interested in such things. Although were are probably due for a new thread on the subject of

"the price of eggs", it is also just a figment of amusement.

Nobody actually cares.

[garryjohns]

Well, if it is as you say, the way it works around here, then I will keep that in mind.

However, in this case, I did wait for a reply. The only thing is, I suppose, that the reply arrived after so many weeks that I seem no longer in the mood.

But that's OK, that's journalism.

Anyway, it is now the raining season, so let's wait until the next Hot Season, which is the season best for walking, and then you can reply to me, and I will post another comment telling you about the events which transpired since the time I last posted.

It's OK.

Fine with me.

Now it rains so let's wait till next year.

In my honest opinion there was never any intention a 200-300km walk in the blistering heat with no hat.

Just a literary exercise, for those of us interested in such things. Although were are probably due for a new thread on the subject of

"the price of eggs", it is also just a figment of amusement.

Nobody actually cares.

I feel he is just another lonely bored guy with too much time on his hands, and probably his wand in hand permanently.

Edited June 6, 2016 by garryjohns

[WonderousWand]

Well, if it is as you say, the way it works around here, then I will keep that in mind.

However, in this case, I did wait for a reply. The only thing is, I suppose, that the reply arrived after so many weeks that I seem no longer in the mood.

But that's OK, that's journalism.

Anyway, it is now the raining season, so let's wait until the next Hot Season, which is the season best for walking, and then you can reply to me, and I will post another comment telling you about the events which transpired since the time I last posted.

It's OK.

Fine with me.

Now it rains so let's wait till next year.

In my honest opinion there was never any intention a 200-300km walk in the blistering heat with no hat.

Just a literary exercise, for those of us interested in such things. Although were are probably due for a new thread on the subject of

"the price of eggs", it is also just a figment of amusement.

Nobody actually cares.

Please note...

I stated that I was no longer in the mood to write here about walking.

I did not say how far I had walked since my last post,or where I was walking.

Regarding the egg thing... I eat 5 eggs per day, sometimes double that number, when I am walking hills.

Each time the egg lady raises the price, I wonder why.

Is it because she sells to her neighbors who will not engage in tough price negotiations?

Or, does she get her eggs from the wrong supplier?

But one thing is for certain.. I will walk, and I will buy reasonably priced eggs.