Fieldwork and Documentation

The Bane of My Chiang Mai Existence – Day 4

I soon found the bane of my existence in Chiang Mai: The camera battery. I never seem to be able to keep the battery alive for the whole day. Watching the battery bars diminish bit by bit on the screen was a harrowing experience, as I never knew how long the battery would last. My…

The Death of Predictability – Day 3

You can’t say you have visited Chiang Mai without visiting Doi Suthep. At least, that was what I inferred from the conversations I made with the locals. Wat Phra That Doi Suthep, one of Thailand’s most sacred temples, represents the epitome of Thai reverence. Many of the locals continue to visit the temple to…

5 Jan/Day 2: Blue and White

Today was a mix of blues and whites. Blue was the sky, a cerulean-cobalt endless canvas uninterrupted by any clouds. It was my favorite kind of weather too, with a chilly breeze that demanded a windbreaker (a NTU USP windbreaker that is) to keep warm, conflicting the sun that made me break into a sweat…

Calls From An Angel – Day 2

“DING DONG DING DONG Wake up call, wake up call!” exclaimed Pat, our local tour guide. Little did I know that this was going to haunt me for the rest of the trip. Like an angel descended from the heavens, her words would always herald the arrival of each location, marking the end…

4 Jan/Day 1: Next stop, Chiang Rai

Starting the day early, our next destination was Chiang Rai, a three hour ride away with a rest stop at Thaweesin Hot Spring. More specifically, my group and I were headed to the most beautiful university in Thailand, Mae Fah Luang University. Driving in, the surrounding forests and bordering mountains formed an incredibly scenic landscape…

Spooked out at Hotel 626 – Day 1

You know in horror movies, where the protagonist realizes that every room and hallway in a hotel looks eerily similar, but yet it gives off a creepy, sterile and inhuman vibe? And even though everything appears tidy and in order, something just seems really off? Well, I never expected to experience that myself on the…

Post-trip Reflection

“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” – Mary Anne Radmacher I embarked on this trip with many preconceived notions, goals and expectations. Some were met and some were not, but regardless of this I gained invaluable lessons from all of them. In my pre-trip…

Day 0/3 Jan: We’re here!

With my passport and boarding ticket in hand, our journey to Chiang Mai, Thailand, had officially started. Making way towards my seat, I was filled with a buzzing excitement and nervousness for the flight and adventure ahead. Two hours passed quickly and before I knew it, we had touched down in Northern Thailand with the…

Post-Trip Reflections

On hindsight, I have realised how short sighted I was. I expected to learn so little. I did not expect to be so moved by this trip. My greatest regret was not being diligent enough to pick up the Thai language before the trip. I struggle a lot with picking up a new language. Being…

Day 4 (07.01.16)

Today we went to Chiang Rai; the white temple and the black house! I now understand why all the other groups stayed a night in Chiang Rai, THE JOURNEY THERE TOOK SO LONG! Nevertheless, the 3 hour bus ride there and back was filled with fun and laughter as I talked to Vanessa and caught…