Jun 22
Sleep ok. Rise 8:30. Indian guy Mayur back from BKK, talkative as before, gave me a joint. Made coffee. Checkout 11:00 AM. Played Mayur in chess, drew with Black. Chatted with Mayur about Sanskrit and Pali until 12:30.
Walked with Mayur to the noodle place by CM gate, 70B crisp pork. Walked w Mayur to Doze Hostel. Checked into Shin Hostel 2:30 PM, sent passport and booking screenshot. Weird numpad lockers, not good (ng).
Smoked joint from Mayur.
Ran into Mayur again. Walked to the 30B gym for a leg workout, but it was closed. Had a Rin Park full body workout: front levers on rings, pull-ups on a tree, one-arm push-ups 3x15. Inverted shrug. Weighted pistol with concrete bar 2x7, on shoulder 1x3. Probably fried CNS, lumbar sore. Walked back slowly, night market being set up. Grabbed noodles near North Gate 60B.
Outside shower awkward af. Dorm cramped af, lockers not good, disappointed with shin hostel. Showered, rested, tired.
8:10 PM: Headed to the Sunday night market. Ate outside North Gate corner, pork rice only 50B. Walked through the North-South Sunday market, mango-pineapple smoothie at South Gate only 30B, awesome. Did some stretches at the South Moat. Rain started, walked back.
Chilled on the 2nd floor deck, no people. Created "freedom-pillars" blog post.
Jun 23
Sleep ok, dorm quiet except for door beeping. Chilled upstairs, made coffee, chilled on the deck. Chat briefly with a group, taught basic pronunciation, claiming mine is better than all the Brits.
Walked south looking for a smoothie. Bought cut-up mango for 30B, a bit overpriced. Grabbed tray food at CM corner 60B, three items. Walked to a quiet temple, did a bunch of kicks, footwall holds, Cossacks, decent flowy flexibility training, not too intense.
Chilled on the deck, body in a bit of pain from training restart.
Grabbed a smoothie only 25B and Thai milk. Ate at the North Corner again, 60B fried pork, surprisingly good.
Shower, rest hard. Used a laptop in bed for the first time.
8:20 PM: Walked out for dinner. Walked toward the Night Bazaar but drizzle changed plans. Went back to the South Gate: smoothie 25B + curry chicken rice 80B. Solid. Chilled on the terrace, chat with GPT, no work.
Jun 24
Dumb Latino alarm going off 3x before dawn. Sleep more. Rose 9:30 AM. Had coffee upstairs, pretty chill patio. Stomach purging from new food, maybe Thai milk. Packed stuff, checkout 11:40 AM. Worked on handstands, 5 sets, got last one- try to straighten higher leg right away. Slight progress. Light kicks and one-arm push-ups on a bench 3x8, easy full rom.
Left Shin Hostel 1:12 PM - try to be high tech w keypads but just annoying. Walked right to Doze hostel, easy early check-in, top bed on the 3rd floor, no curtains. Can double-lock the locker. Water dispenser not working, but decent work spaces.
Walked south to the Old City. Found a mango-pineapple smoothie for 35B. Ate at the regular corner spot: biryani chicken with rice 60B, two drums, solid.
Paid 20B for a towel. Shower and rest while rain hard. Made a DIY curtain for the dorm, which is kind of cramped.
5:30 PM: Rain stopped. Walked along Mani Nop Rd, North side of the gate, decent night market. Got another smoothie 25B, Pad Thai 50B. Walked to Wat Lok Temple, not many people. Hand strikes against a tree for the first time in a long time, approx. 200 strikes. Agility drills about 7. Paced around the temple in contemplation, excess time. Walked through a small alley with like 30 hostels. Grabbed another smoothie. Actually, a pretty solid area!
Chilled in the room with AC, chat with GPT. 10:00 PM: Grabbed more food, 50B chicken fried rice, solid. Chilled a bit in the dorm, Chinese guy complained about noise.
Jun 25
No insomnia, cleared out colon. Chinese guy snoring a bit. Sleep ok, rise 10:15 AM. Free coffee mix in the lobby. Chinese guy in the bottom bunk complained about my tape falling on his bed, countered with he snores and leaves shoes in the dorm against rules.
Walked to South Gate, tray place closed. Red pork rice corner spot 50B. Chiang Mai way more chill than Nam.
Chilled a bit in the dorm. Handstands on the terrace 5 sets, not as good as yesterday. Jaw exercise and manual tib raises in the dorm.
2:45 PM: Walked North to Chiang Mai Stadium. Found a good calisthenics area: 1x3 muscle-ups, flag hold 1 per side. Found a decent weights gym only 20B. Ate across the street, 60B fried chicken rice, huge portion for university students.
Rain. Walked back, shortcut. Grabbed a smoothie 35B.
Dorm empty. Chat with GPT a bit, uploaded some pics - probably update and add more as the site gets more extensive. Shower, nap ok, dorm quiet.
7:00 PM: Chat more with GPT, "hermesis vs allostatic load determine gains." Flexibility on the rooftop 40 min, felt good, aiming for no muscle tension.
8:40 PM: Grabbed another smoothie on the corner 25B. Decided to walk all the way to South Gate to get khao pao 60B. Chilled in the dorm awhile, chat with GPT about life.
Jun 26
Ugly Chink snoring intermittent again. Sleep ok, insomnia better after purge. Rise 9:30 AM. Chilled on the 3rd floor. Checkout Doze at 1140, dirty cheap hostel but has potential
Walked south along the main street. Grabbed tray food beside the pork rice place 45B. Walked to Lazy Gibbon 2 Hostel, easy check-in at 12:30 PM by owner (Floridian). No passport needed. Best lockers, solid dorm with curtains, just no water dispenser. Easy check-in overall.
Grabbed water at 711. Walked by Nonoteru. Walked around Pantip Plaza, interesting place. Rain. Grabbed khao soi. Drizzled on the way back, didn't reach the bazaar, dead during daytime.
Chilled on the deck, fixed "survivehostellife" funny post. Rain stopped.
Grabbed more food. Tried crispy pork rice at an outdoor spot 45B. Still hungry, grabbed khaoprao at 711 corner beside Nonoteru.
Shower, rest. Comfy dorm, just needs shelf.
8:00 PM: Walked to Night Bazaar. Grabbed a couple of beers at Big C, best price. Night Bazaar not great, kind of expensive for food. Walked back to South Gate: smoothie and rice dish 75B.
Need to do: withdraw Baht, pick up good used shorts, squat workout, haircut (HC), laundry (laund), before heading to Chiang Dao.
Jun 27
Sleep ok, dorm quiet. Rise 8:50 AM. RO water only 1b per 1.5L, make coffee on the terrace.
Grabbed a smoothie and kaopao on the 711 corner 85B.
Hostel -> Aeon back on South Gate Rd. No Aeon. Tried a yellow ATM, didn't work. Withdrew 18k THB from SCB, cost $799 CAD, biggest so far this trip. Light work on the site: published "hostelsurvivaltips" funny post.
1:00 PM: Walked along the East Wall to the used clothes shop. First store was huge, bought no-names for 39B. Realized there were way more stores. Bought white New Balance shorts in good condition 100B. Another store found dry-fits for 60B, a few stains and tears. Very uncharacteristic, bought three shorts, 200B total. Smoothie 35B. Walked back to Chiang Mai Stadium. Used the 20B gym for a leg workout: awkward squat rack 135x12, 185x10, 220lb x9, 9, a bit tough, poor setup (excuse). Leg press 3x12, strange machine. Leg extension 2 sets. Other leg press machine 2x12, ez stack. Calf raise 2 sets, last one to almost fail. Found the entrance to the track, Muay Thai gym seems closed beside the 20B student gym. Found another gym with Eleiko bumper plates. Ate across the street at the student price place 60B fried chicken, free water and garlic.
Walked back through the Old City. Kayan Hostel looks ok. Got another smoothie. Found a cheap 100B haircut place just outside the SE corner, decent cut, sides and back not zero length like i asked.
Shower, rest, rain outside. Productive day: four things done. Chilled in bed. started "minimalism" post.
9:10 PM: Rain slowed to a drizzle. Walked to S Gate, regular smoothie and kaopao 90B, mmm. Chilled on the deck awhile, chat with GPT.
Jun 28
Sleep better from active day. Rise 9:00 AM. Made coffee in the lobby. Polish guy smokes a lot of weed, starting a fitness app / Jiggawear. Checked out Lazy Gibbon 11:00 AM, nice stay, solid hostel. Chilled in the lobby until 11:30 AM, Polish guy doesn't want to sell 1g of weed.
Walked to the 711 corner: smoothie and kaopao 90B. Walked to Agga CNX. Chilled in lobby. Checked in at 2:00 PM exact. Good lockers, free water and towel. New price 112B online. Seems like a solid deal.
Walked out for food and weed. Try to view Islander Hostel was kind of rude. Grabbed corner pork spot 60B, crispy. Rain on the way back.
Chilled in the hostel until the rain stopped. Walked back to the South Moat, grabbed 1g weed rolled in store 100B. Chat with two guys - weed stores seem too personal in Thailand.
Smoked and waited to chat w son. Practiced kicks and handstands on the terrace, figured out the left leg is easier. Did about 200-300 kicks and stretching.
6:30 PM: Chat with son, interested in international geography and airplanes, 33 min tot.
Walked to Chiang Mai Gate: smoothie 30B. Ate at the closest place: spicy chicken rice 60B. Walked through the night market: sushi 35B, hagao 20B, sesame balls 20B. Still kind of hungry but held off.
Chilled on the patio. Indian guy smells so bad. Chilled inside, chat with GPT, no work.