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WELCOME TO UNSEENinTHAILAND
NORTHWEST THAILAND TOUR - 31 January to 11 February 2013
Day 12, Monday 11th February - Bangkok

Anti-climax..... I guess after a tour like this there is bound to be an anti-climax and so there is. The return to Bangkok could not be more straightforward. The owner of BanPoh Garden House has been very helpful and I use up my coupon for sausage, egg, toast and coffee. A late start has allowed me to catch up with my notes but now as I depart, I wait no more than 2 minutes for a songtheaw and in no time I'm in the bus terminal where a tour bus is waiting to depart on its way from Lampang. This Viriya Company tour bus is again of the two-deck variety and no sooner than I'm allocated a seat on the lower deck, the bus departs from the terminal on its way south. The time is 11.30 am. There is no forward view from the lower deck but in any case views from highway 1 are boring for the most part. They do show a video and play music, but I take a better option and get some sleep. As with the outward journey, the bus stops near Nakhon Sawan and the ticket includes a meal coupon but quite honestly it's just survival rations. The vehicle makes it to the outer suburbs well before dark and I get off at Rangsit. From here I can take a city bus and I guess that's it.
It has been one of the longest tours I have recorded and arguably the most interesting. I will remember it for the variety of attractions visited, the challenge of independent travel and working off-script. Initially, I followed the Chiang Mai Pai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sariang Loop which is a must for those who visit Chiang Mai with more time on their hands, but this tour developed into detachment from modernity as I took the border route south. 7-hours in a pick-up truck would not fit into any tour plan, but the experience was magical. Arriving at Kampheang Phet and visiting the ruins on the penultimate day was amazing too. Four provinces were explored creating a huge apatite for more.
With all the material I collected, I can now begin to refine and collate it over the coming days. I shall have fun doing that too!
First Page.
Tour Detail
Accommodation
Lampang........In Town Home, rating....good, price 400 baht (2 nights).
Pai........Palm House, rating....good, price 600 baht (2 nights).
Mae Hong Song........JongKham Place, rating....very good, price 600 baht (3 nights).
Mae Sariang........Pangsariang Guesthouse, rating good value, price 300 baht
(1 night).
Mae Sot........First Hotel, unrated (refer to travel log), price 450 baht (1 night).
Kampaeng Phet........Ban Pho Garden, rating excellent, price 390 baht (including breakfast) (2 nights).
Dining out
Lampang.....local foodshops used only, evening food stalls opposite the station (very good value).
Pai.....International cuisine widely available plus street fare and local resaurants at every turn.
Mae Hong Song.....a few better class restaurants, local and street food.
Mae Sariang.....generally limited to local food but try Lalewadee Restuarant in the town.
Mae Sot.....mostly local food in town.
Kampaeng Phet.....Wide selection, American breakfast at Ban Poh Garden.
Transport used
Mochit 2, Bangkok northern bus terminal to Lampang, Chantour bus 562 baht.
Lampang tour private arrangement.
Express train Lampang to Chaing Mai 53 baht, songtheaw in Chaing Mai 50 baht, minivan Chiang Mai to Pai 150 baht.
Local bus to Mae Hong Son 80 baht.
Songtheaw, Jongkham Place to bus station 80 baht.
Local bus to Mae Sariang 187 baht.
Songtheaw to Mae Sot 200 baht.
Local transport to Friendship Bridge and back 120 baht.
Minivan to Tak 78 baht.
Songtheaw Tak to Kampaeng Phet 50 baht.
Local transport in Kampeang Phet 30 baht.
Hired transport for city tour 600 baht.
Viraya tour bus to Bangkok 297 baht.
Bangkok city bus. 22 baht, taxi 55 baht.
Motorbike rental
Pai……price/day 200 baht (good quality Honda automatic). fuel 80 baht.
Mae Hong Son.....price/day 150 baht (well used Honda automatic). fuel 95 baht.
Weather (temperatures are approximate)
Lampang sunny, hot 30c overnight 20-25c.
Pai mixed sunshine and cloud occasional thunderstorms 30c overnight 15-20c.
Mae Hong Son, hot 35c cool at night mist lingering in the morning 15c.
Mae Sariang hot 35c mist in the morning 15c.
Mae Sot, hot 35c, overnight 25c.
Kampaeng Phet hot 35c overnight 20-25c.