Chiang Mai - Thailand

A smokey smog hangs over the city at this time of year because in addition to the pollution, the famers are burning their grass land. The rain is late as the hot season continues. I have hired a bike to see the Golden Triangle, Norther Thailand.

The guest house here in Chaing Mai is immaculately clean and run by John, a biker and ex-pat of Australia. With fan and en suite it represents a bargain at the equivalent of 5GBP per night. On Monday I will head towards the Laos border through some of Thailand's most spectacular roads. So far I taken two days to pootle around town and acclimatise.

The 33 degree heat makes leathers uncomfortabley hot but they have to be worn. Everyone rides scooters. The locals don't even wear helmets, let alone jackets or even shoes sometimes. So when I pull up at the front of the queue waiting for green at the traffic light GP, I get stared by about 15 other riders, probably for being on a bike which is 500% more powerful, or perhaps because I am wearing 500% percent more clothes. If anyone does wear a helmet it is a locally available brain-bucket which looks like a Fireman Sam item from the dressing up box and offering about the same amount of protection.

I nod to my competitors, quietly confident that I am about to take pole position. Which indeed I do. It is like being part of a motorcycle gang, hooing our way through traffic, round cars, through gaps that London couriers would balk at. That said, people do use their mirrors and indicators. And the horn is useful too. What looks like two lane roads is actually at least five lanes. If there is a gap there is a lane. And it is remarkable good fun.

More to follow, but suffice to say, it is a bit different than Auckland, but not that different.