My 60-Day Stay in Chiang Mai, Thailand (I Just Don’t Get It)

I entered  Chiang Mai, Thailand by plane from China on the 5th of November, 2019. Jonas and I received a 30-day entry stamp initially, which we needed to extend. I wrote this piece partially during my stay in Chiang Mai and partially afterward. Months later I’m still puzzled by this city and its appeal to other foreigners. An unsolved mystery. Contents1 Expectations Set2 Arriving in Thailand3 Ecoviolence: the Yi Peng/Loi Krathong Festival4 Ill in Chiang Mai: Welcome to Foodpanda5 A Slow Recovery with Delivery Food6 Traffic Troubles7 Yoga and Swimming8 Socializing, but Actually Networking9 The Visa Extension9.1 Medellín vs. ChiangContinue reading

Kayaking the Ping River in Chiang Mai, Thailand

So far, Jonas and I joined the paddling meetup on the Ping River in Chiang Mai twice. Kayaking in a group usually happens once or twice a week in Chiang Mai. Click here to find the information to find the next kayaking meetup, the map of the route, and some tips on what to bring/wear. Paddling Addicts Since we finished paddling halfway down the Danube, Jonas and I have been looking for our next paddling fix. We once paddled down the Morava river in Slovakia before drying our dear boat Zucchini. But since then, we haven’t set foot in aContinue reading

144 Hours in Shanghai: My 5-Day China Itinerary

This is about October/November 2019 when I visited Shanghai for a five-day stopover. This happened from Thursday the 31st of October till Tuesday the 5th of November, 2019. That’s when we flew on to Chiang Mai, Thailand. We traveled to China visa-free with the 144-hour on arrival visa. Though it’s our personal itinerary, this article also contains a wealth of information on things to do and see in Shanghai on your 144-hour visa. Here you can find a handy map of our itinerary and the sights. Here’s a list of must-download apps for your trip to Shanghai or elsewhere in China.Continue reading