Our Accomodation

It occurs to me that some folks might be curious about the types of places we're staying in. With the exception of our night in the jungle in Luang Namtha, Laos, we've been mostly staying in "flashpacker" guesthouses/hotels. One (or two or three) steps up from basic backpacker digs, but not the Ritz either.

Here in Chiang Mai we're at the Awana Guesthouse. We are sharing one family room, which tucks a bunk bed and a king size bed into a smallish room with a tv, mini fridge (under the TV) and a small desk. We have air con, and a small balcony that supposedly has a mountain view, though the pollution/haze this time of year is so thick that the mountain is mostly invisible behind the wires and billboards.

Our bathroom has a hot water shower, though no hot water in the sink and a western-style toilet. As is typical of most of the places we're staying, the shower is not separated from the rest of the bathroom, and one must take the toilet paper out of the room before showering or else it gets soaked. Typically one must be careful about what goes into the toilet, but here it's ok to put the paper in. In many places the plumbing can only handle human waste and nothing else. Many guesthouses have signs over the toilets reminding guests of this...my personal favorite was the one that admonished "no bones" in the toilet.

We are particularly fond of the Awana because neither the beds nor the pillows are like rocks. We have been surprised by how hard most mattresses here are, and even more surprised by the heft and solidity of the pillows. I had imagined I'd have trouble sleeping on sagging mattresses with paper thin pillows. Little did I realize that the issue would be bruises on my hips and neck aches from having my head at a 90 degree angle to my body because the pillow was so thick.

The best things about the Awana are the mini swimming pool downstairs, and the pool table upstairs. The swimming pool is too small to swim, but big enough to cool off in, and the pool table is a great way to spend some time when it's too hot to sight see. Not that we're any good, but it's fun. I should also note that the staff here are incredibly friendly and helpful, making the whole place feel welcoming and like home.

The Awana is centrally located too, just inside the Eastern gate of the old city. Perfect location for easy exploration and access to the tourist sites. Nice neighborhood, but we do have mind the motorbikes on the lane.