Thailand
Arrival in Bangkok, Thailand
The arrival went smoothly. The first thing we did was change money. Each of us had bought a bundle of American traveler's checks in Switzerland - credit cards were still out of reach for us back then. You simply tore a check out of the booklet and signed it in front of the clerk in the exchange office (we had already signed all the checks once when we bought them).
Our Indian friend from Hong Kong had recommended a cheap hotel in Bangkok. I think it was called the Malaysia Hotel. We went there by tuk-tuk. The price was right for us, there was a swimming pool for guests, air conditioning in the room and countless street kitchens nearby.
Many American soldiers were also guests there. Some took a running jump from the second-floor balcony over the parapet directly into the pool. Not all of them succeeded - one was seriously injured because he didn't land in the water.
Unexpected reunion at the hotel
One evening we were sitting in the hotel lobby. Suddenly Rolf called out loudly "Egger!" - and there in the restaurant was actually a friend from Switzerland whom he knew from the same village. They struck up a conversation and he told us that he had emigrated from Switzerland to Australia three years ago and was now on his way back to Switzerland. He was able to give us lots of useful tips about Australia.
At the time, we didn't know whether we would return to Switzerland at all. At the beginning of our trip, we thought we would be on the road for around six months and would then travel back from Thailand via Burma, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Turkey. That's what I told my father when he asked me how long it would take. My answer at the time was: "About six months."
First days in Bangkok
We spent a few days in Bangkok and visited the Royal Palace, the Floating Market, Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew. Our journey then continued to the north: via Ayutthaya, Phitsanulok to Chiang Mai. We spent a few days in Chiang Mai and the Golden Triangle.
With the Karen in the mountains
We also spent a few days in the mountains above Chiang Mai with the Karen people. This was one of the most beautiful and peaceful experiences of the whole trip. The Karen are one of the largest hill tribes in northern Thailand. They live in small villages high in the mountains, often in simple bamboo houses on stilts. Many still wear traditional clothing - the women often wear colorful, home-woven fabrics with fine embroidery.
We were allowed to sleep in the village schoolhouse. It was a simple wooden hut with mats on the floor - not a luxury, but warm. The people were incredibly hospitable and reserved at the same time. They lived very simply from rice cultivation, some livestock and what the forest had to offer. We often sat together in the evenings, there was little talking but a lot of smiling. You could feel this deep calm and connection with nature.
In the school building we met a French woman again who was traveling alone and whom we had already met in Bangkok. A brave woman to be traveling all alone.
Karen Volk
Onward journey and money problems
Back in Chiang Mai a few days later, we drove via Phitsanulok towards Udon Thani. On the way we realized that we should have changed money a long time ago. Shortly before Udon Thani, we got off the bus to spend some time exchanging traveler's checks.
We found a hotel that was only about 100 meters from a bank. When we went to the bank and wanted to change traveler's checks, the clerk said they didn't accept traveler's checks.
It was just enough for dinner, but we couldn't pay for the hotel. The owner was a young Chinese woman who spoke a little French. She had previously worked in Geneva and thought that we Swiss would solve the problem.
She told us that there was a natural pool not far from the hotel. We made our way there - it was a small dam, the water was clean and it was easy to swim.
Suddenly we were no longer alone in the water: two young Thai women were swimming with us.
Rolf and I decided that one of us should drive to Udon Thani, go to a large bank there and organize a bank transfer so that the other could pay for the hotel and the bus. Rolf stayed at the hotel as a "deposit". A few days later he joined us in Udon Thani. I had moved into a hotel directly opposite the bus station to see when he would arrive.
Udon Thani was a large American air base at the time. We would have liked to get a little closer, but that was impossible - the base was super-guarded and you were immediately asked to leave the area.
Udon Thani was a large American air base at the time. We would have liked to get a little closer, but that was impossible - the base was super-guarded and you were immediately asked to leave the area.
Impressions
