Sawasdee Krap Chiang Mai!
Hello Chiang Mai!
It’s a rainy morning in Chiang Mai. I’m gazing over the city from my 14th-floor balcony. What a view. The sky is dark as the rain nourishes the city. It is a soothing rain, one that wants me to take a breath. I could use a quiet day at home.
I cancelled my Muay Thai session (I feel a little guilty about that) and thought it would be a good morning to write and let you all know that I'm still alive and well — but in a new city.
Photo courtesy of the internet. Maybe I need a drone.
Chiang Mai is in northern Thailand and is one of the country's largest cities. It exudes charm and spirituality. Surrounded by "mountains", it’s home to over 300 temples. The weather is unique. In wintertime you find yourself grabbing a sweater. A rare event in most of Thailand. It's big enough that it doesn't feel overly packed by tourists. Although it has many expats and digital nomads, it is refreshingly Thai. They live here. They make this city their home.
I have to say that I was getting tired of Samui. After four years, it was wearing thin. I hadn't made that many friends, and there wasn't that much to do. So I immersed myself in the simple life, and that worked... until it didn't.
I've been contemplating a move to Chiang Mai for a few years. I didn’t want to hurry it, so I let the idea simmer. I did a few test runs these last two winters and the feeling grew and grew. I finally decided to make the move.
At first Phatzy wasn’t in the picture. I liked the idea of starting fresh, letting the past disappear in my rearview mirror. It was difficult to come to grips with, and I told her as much. But she would have nothing to do with it. I have to say she handled me well — giving me my space and independence. "If you need to go, you go. And If you want me to move up, let me know," she said. I knew I needed to start the move by myself. Let’s see what would happen next.
So I packed up my bags, threw them into my car and drove north — hoping I was making the right decision.
After 4 days of driving, I arrived early June — the beginning of monsoon season. But monsoon season may not be what you're thinking. Yes, most days are cloudy. Yes, it's not uncommon for it to rain, but usually the rains come as short, though sometimes intense, showers. And the upside is that you've never seen so much greenery. It's also low tourist season, so you are not dealing with the hordes of people who descend in December. (But I have to say, winter in Chiang Mai is probably the best time to visit if you're considering it.)
My first step — find a place to live. After so many years of living in a tiny one-bedroom bungalow, I wanted to spread my wings. Hey, I'm 72 years old, and I'm lucky enough to have a little money — it was time to upgrade. I knew what I wanted — a nice condo with a few bedrooms. Throw in a few baths. An oven (rare in Thailand) in a kitchen large enough to cook a meal. Add space for an espresso machine. And most importantly, a balcony to sit out on and meditate. To enjoy life. I knew it wouldn’t be as cheap as I was paying in Samui. It would be a splurge. But splurging in Chiang Mai is nothing like splurging where many of you live. For what I would pay here, you wouldn't get a small one-bedroom apartment in a questionable neighborhood. If you could even find one there.
Like dominoes, things fell into place. I found not one, but two amazing condos. My agent was amazed at what I found. And fast. "Condos like these only show up a few times a year and you found two!" he said. Interestingly, choosing between them came down to a comfortable bed. One condo's bed was hard as a rock, and the other I sank into sweetly. Strange how life plays with you that way. It's not always the big things, but the little things that tell you what you want and need. Within a week of my arrival, I was moved in. No regrets.
The prize was a newly renovated and furnished, 14th-floor, three-bedroom condo, with three (!) balconies, a nice kitchen, interesting art, in the best area of Chiang Mai. Score!
I spent the next few weeks getting my new home in order. Setting up my new espresso machine was the icing on the cake.
But something was missing. I was ready for Phatzy to come up and join me. We talked and she agreed to fly up. See what happens. It was a smart move.
We kept our bungalow in Samui as a fallback. It’s still there, quite empty.
Once settled, I was determined to get into a routine — a couple of days of Muay Thai boxing and add in some pickleball (which is huge here). Though I have to say my favorite addition, was rediscovering biking. Chiang Mai is a rider’s paradise. Tons of interesting rides to keep me happy. One afternoon, I popped into a nearby bike shop to see what they offered and walked out with a brand-new Specialized gravel bike. I was set.
So I’ve become quite the consumer since arriving it seems. I still enjoy my “simple” life. But now I have a few extra toys.
More treats were in store for me. It’s been quite easy connecting with people — in the elevator, on the street, in a restaurant — random conversations lead to other connections. A delicious maze.
Music is big here. There must be a hundred live music venues in this town, covering everything from jazz to blues to full-on Thai pop. The pulse of Chiang Mai beats through these clubs.
One of my new friends here, when asked about Chiang Mai, said something that stuck with me: "Chiang Mai is a community of communities." If you have something you want to do or focus on, you can find others with your interests. Be it food, bicycling, motorcycling, music, painting, hiking, drinking, you name it. I love that, and it was something that I missed when I lived in Samui, which basically had very little, if any, of that. Whereas Koh Samui was exclusive, Chiang Mai is inclusive.
I'm coming up on seven years since I left Los Angeles. Hard to believe. In that time, I’ve visited almost 50 countries. And in that time, in the back of my head, I've always pondered what's next for me. I knew that bouncing from country to country would have to slow down. Not stop, mind you. The world is a blank slate that I want to continue exploring. But living out of a carry-on gets tiring and even a bit monotonous. I finally realized I needed an anchor. A home. First, it was southern Thailand — starting in Samui, but it became too small. I needed more. Could Chiang Mai be my home?
Looking out from my balcony as the rain stops and a little blue sky peeks its way through the clouds, I’ve found my answer.
