Day 35

The final day of 2018. 

I decided to return to the old town in the early evening because the streets used for the Sunday night market were going to be closed for the holiday. It was another pleasant walk and I ate pad thai while watching traditional Thai dancing at the Chiang Mai Arts and Culture Square. 

On the walk back I watched the lanterns being released and as I write this many hundreds are floating peacefully in the sky. 

Day 34

Yesterday I cut my running distance to one mile, so this morning I decided to run to the Municipal Stadium rather than walk to it. As I age I sense my body giving way to slowness and I prefer walking in public places because who wants to see an old man running down the street. I was bold and shameless as I wended through the narrow streets and when I reached the track I ran nine laps for a distance of three miles. 

In the evening my energy was high so I decided to walk the old part of the city and visit the night market. It was a pleasant walk and I felt pleasure wandering the streets, which were closed to car and scooter traffic. I imagined a time before 1930 when walking streets were quieter and more peaceful, but I quickly discarded that thought and reminded myself that everything is in flux.

As I was leaving the condo I noticed that the owner had hung a gift of cookies on my door, along with a note wishing me a happy new year. To return the courtesy I bought a small ceramic elephant at the night market and placed it and a well-wishing note at their door. 
 

Day 33

Left the condo at 7:30am with fresh legs, after one mile at the Pharmacy Gardens I decided to end the run due to low energy. Walked the exercise circuit a few times then returned home.

Spent most of the day napping, reading, and analyzing chess games. 

Gray sky all day and rain.

Day 32

A day of rest so I did not go to the Pharmacy Gardens.

At 10:30am I walked to the ceramics shop and found a decent vase for 30b, hopefully the condo owner will find it to be an equal replacement for the one I shattered.

As I read through the initial chapters of The Wanderer, the scenes of building a well are familiar to me and I recall that I read this book in the late 1990's. Good books are worth reading a second time, especially when two decades have passed.

 

I was under budget for the week. Giving myself $90 to spend is more than sufficient for the things I like to do - eat, sleep, walk, run, read, study chess. 

12/21	weekly start - 3000b	12/22	7/11 - 106b = $3.21
	7/11 - 15b = $.45		food stall - 45b = $1.36
	Tops - 133b = $4.03		Makro Foods - 48b
	Total - 148b = $4.48		Total - 199b = $6.03
	3000 - 148 = 2852b		2852 - 199 = 2653b

12/23	7/11 = 6b = $.18
	Food stalls - 160b = $4.85
	Tops food stall - 50b = $1.52
	Tops bakery - 35b = $1.06
	Tops - 202b = $6.12
	Total - 453b = $13.72
	2653 - 453 = 2200

12/24	7/11 - 15b = $.45	12/25	7/11 - 15b = $.45
	food stall - 30b = $.91		food stall - 50b = $1.52
	laundry = 30b = $.91		Tops - 250b = $7.58
	Tops - 225b = $6.82		Total - 315b = $9.55
	Total - 300b = $9.09		1900 - 315 = 1585b
	2200 - 300 = 1900b

12/26	Move to #1714	12/27	7/11 - 12b = $.45
	7/11 - 15b = $.45		Food stall = 35b = $1.06
	food stall - 85b = $2.58		Total - 47b = $1.42
	book - 90b = $2.72		1022 - 47 = 975b
	Tops - 373b = $11.30		weekly spent = 2025b = $61.36
	Total - 563b = $17.06
	1585 - 563 = 1022

 

Day 31

Easy day of exercise at the Pharmacy Gardens, a few sets of pullups/pushups and a walk back to the condo.

Last night I knocked over a small vase and it shattered, so today I went in search of a replacement. I found a ceramics shop but it was closed, although the hours stated it would be open. 

Day 30

I ran ten laps at the Pharmacy Gardens today, this being the first time I finished strong, the final 400m run at a fast pace coupled with a quick recovery. 

On the walk back to the condo I stopped at the 7/11 and drank chocolate milk on the steps outside the store - such a feeling of health and pleasure!

Moved out of #1724 at 1:00pm and moved into #1714. #1724 has a mountain view and #1714 has a panoramic view of the city, both are exceptional and help create a beautiful environment. 

After settling in I walked to On the Road book shop and sold The Luzshin Defense, exchanging it for Knut Hamsun's The Wanderer.

 #1714

View from #1714

Day 29

I walked to the Municipal Stadium this Christmas morning and found it empty of students. Exercised on the bars and then walked back to the condo, on the way noticing the library was open. 

I collected my chess set and stopped at the library in the late morning, but the few tables which are big enough to hold the board were being used, so I read the Da Vinci Notebooks instead. When leaving I noticed a group of outdoor tables beside the building, one having an inlaid chessboard, so I was able to study chess after all. I was concerned about mosquitoes or ants, but no insects interrupted my session. Unlike my visit in 2012, Chiang Mai has been devoid of mosquitoes, I can open the unit windows and not be concerned about bites.

Tomorrow I am to move to another unit within the building, from #1724 to #1714. I will miss the sunset views of the mountain, as I believe the new unit faces another direction. I will be staying in #1714 until January 16th, on that day I will fly to Bangkok and stay in an AirBnb near Lumpini park for ten days. 

Day 28

I contemplated taking a day off from running but was intrigued by the image of myself running in the empty field across the way from the Pharmacy Gardens, so I ran two laps around the field. It was enjoyable running on grass and dirt so I will probably run there again at some point before leaving Chiang Mai.

I stopped at the library to examine the book collection because the last time I visited all I did was inquire about their printers. Many of the books are in Thai but there is a small section of English language books available. I pulled Davinci's Notebooks from the shelf and sat at a table and read his ideas on the scientific method. 

I imagine instead of studying chess in the condo I would be more productive if I were to bring my set to the library in the afternoons. I work with more discipline and energy if I am not inside my home because I consider home to be a place for rest and relaxation. I would not be a good candidate for a "work from home" job.

Day 27

I woke at 11:30pm and left the condo at 12:30am. I ran to Tha Phae Gate and arrived a few minutes before the start of the Chiang Mai Marathon. 

I entered the course 400m from the start and ran one loop of the city gates, total distance six miles. During my cool down I stopped at 7/11 for food and drink, returned to the condo at 2:30am, ate, and was asleep by 3:30am.

I was out of bed by 8:30am and walked to the Pharmacy Gardens. I was surprisingly refreshed, no muscle soreness. I felt strong as I did pull-up sets. 

The Convention Center located in the center of the Gardens is celebrating a festival, so I stepped inside and purchased food and a box of tea. Having just brewed a cup, it has an unpleasant odor but the taste is passable.

As I waited for the elevator this morning, a man standing beside me asked "running or walking today?" I mentioned I ran six miles the prior evening and was now walking to the Pharmacy Gardens. I asked if he knew the place and he nodded yes. An hour later I crossed paths with the man a second time while walking the exercise loop at the Gardens. We both smiled at the unusual synchronicity.

Day 26

Today is a running day, however the Chiang Mai Marathon is tonight, start time is 1:00am. Not wanting to do a double run I decided to spend my day hiking the Monk's Trail. 

I had not been on the trail prior to today so I drew a map, deciding on a route which took me through the Pharmacy Gardens, the CMU campus, and past the zoo entrance. When I reached the end of Chiang Rai Rd I needed to turn left but right was the only direction to go, so I walked right and after a quarter mile decided I was going the wrong way. I turned around and returned to Chiang Rai Rd, a locked metal gate being the end point of the road. I studied the gate and noticed it could be pushed partially open, wide enough for a person to squeeze through. I decided to pass through the gate and when I did so I turned left onto a quiet residential road. I passed a few desolate looking food stalls, then reached a road which went up the mountain. I was unsure if the mountain road was the correct way because my map ended at the gate. 

I stood on the side of the road and pondered, and as I did I saw two westerners on bicycles, stopped and resting twenty meters distant. I considered approaching them but decided against it. Just then one of the bikers pedaled toward me and slowed to a stop a few feet away. I took this as a sign to approach and he directed me past the zoo, up the mountain, and to "look for the parking lot with lots of cars." 

After a steep hike up the road I entered the parking lot and the fun began:

 

After resting at the forest temple I hiked down the mountain and reached home at 2:00pm. 

Walking distance was eight miles round trip. 

I was famished, ate lunch, and slept from 7:00pm-11:30pm. 

Day 25

Another week under budget -

12/14	weekly start - 2215b	12/15	7/11 - 15b = $.45
	Laundry - 30b = $.91		food stall - 75b = $2.27
	food stall - 50b = $1.52		Tops - 44b = $1.33
	Tops - 241b = $7.30		total - 134b = $4.06
	total - 321b = $9.72		1894 - 134 = 1760b
	2215 - 321 = 1894b

12/16	food stall - 110b = $3.33	12/17	Rimping - 315b = $9.55
	Tops - 105b = $3.18		total - 315b= $9.55
	Bakery - 60b = $1.82		1485 - 315 = 1170b
	total - 275b = $8.33
	1760 - 275 = 1485b

12/18	7/11 - 15b = $.45
	food stall - 50b = $1.52
	Rimping - 84b = $2.55
	food stall - 35b = $1.06
	total - 184b= $5.58
	1170 - 184 = 986b

12/19	7/11 - 15b = $.45	12/20	7/11 - 45b = $1.40
	Tops - 261b = $7.90		FreeBird - 105b = $3.18
	total - 276b= $8.36		vietnam visa printout 10b = $.31
	986 - 276 = 710b		total - 160b = $4.84
			710 - 160 = 550b

Day 24

A productive day. 

I ran eight loops at the Pharmacy Gardens in the early morning. 

Because it is cleaning day I needed to be out of the condo from 11:00am-1:00pm, so I walked to the Free Bird Cafe planning to work on my laptop. Fortunately I brought Luzhin's Defense with me because signs are posted in the cafe, "Please no computer use in the cafe." I thought back to my visits to Free Bird in 2012, when I would eat a delicious meal while editing pictures. I wondered about the reason for the computer ban, did it have something to do with the Digital Nomad trend? If so, the place was not crowded, having a few bearded hipsters drinking coffee would not be a bad thing.

I recalled that I used Free Bird's printer in 2012, thanks to the lovely teacher/waitress Maria, whom I was on friendly terms with. However, I have not spoken to anyone at the Free Bird in 2018. 

Thinking back to the times when I needed an odd supply or piece of equipment, my mind would focus on the thing needed and within a few days it would appear, usually through an unexpected source. For the past two days I have been focusing on a printer, and after leaving the Free Bird it materialized. 

I was walking to the CMU campus to visit the university stadium because I wanted to check on the condition of the running track. A few blocks before reaching the stadium I was walking on the shoulder of Chiang Rai Road and I passed a row of computer shops with open doors. I was not thinking of my e-visa and I passed some of the shops before looking into one and seeing a row of computers and printers. I stepped inside and took a seat at one of the desks, inserted my memory card into the computer, and printed the e-visa file. With visa in hand I sought out the owner of the shop, and she smiled when I asked the cost of one printout. "One baht," she giggled. "One baht?" I dropped a 10b coin into her hand and departed.

 Materialization Street, 6 2 Chiang Rai Rd.

Day 23

I walked to the Chiang Mai library today, which is only a few blocks from where I am staying. It seems like a nice place, and the reason I stopped in was to use their computer printer, which unfortunately is not available for public use. 

I need to find a place which will allow me to print my Vietnam e-visa. I will check the internet cafes near the Municipal Stadium over the next few days.

Day 22

I ran eight laps at the Pharmacy Gardens, which is four miles. After the run I was walking the exercise circuit and the pagoda where I do pull ups was occupied by a female westerner practicing yoga with the aid of a harness attached to a roof pipe. I am impressed with the imagination needed to think of such an exercise. 

Walked to Maya Mall/Rinping in the evening to buy spring rolls. I wished to buy a premade meal but none looked appealing, and the sushi is expensive when compared to Tops, so I stopped at a food stall near the condo and bought pad thai for 50b. The portion size was large enough that I did not have the appetite to eat the spring rolls, so I will save them for tomorrow's lunch.

Day 21

No fitness work today because I watched the Bears beat the Packers. The game started at 1:00am so I slept for only five hours and woke later than normal. 

Later in the day I decided to walk west to the CMU campus, along the way I stepped into the Maya shopping mall, which looks like any mall in the USA. The basement area has a food court and a Rimping grocery. I bought spring rolls and curried rice.

Tomorrow I plan to run six or more laps at the Pharmacy Gardens.

Day 20

Left my bed as the sun touched the eastern horizon and was soon walking to the Pharmacy Gardens. On the way there I witnessed my first scooter accident spanning both of my stays in Chiang Mai. It was not what I expected because of instead of happening in dense traffic, what I saw was an empty road and a single scooter laying on its side, with a man sprawled on the pavement twenty yards distant from his scooter. He was not moving. 

At the Gardens I completed seven sets of muscle exercises, my high mark for the year.

Day 19

Ran six laps at the Pharmacy Gardens today.  I am hoping to lose a few more pounds and that should carry me to a higher level of fitness, allowing for longer running sessions.

I applied for a Vietnam e-visa today, with the plan of flying there from Denpasar, arriving in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) on February 22. I am planning to participate in the challenger section of the HD Bank International Chess Tournament, March 9-15th, and return to Chicago a few days later.

Was under budget for the week of 12/7 - 12/13 :

12/7	weekly start - 3000b
	food stall - 25b = $.75
	Night market - 70b = $2.12
	Tops - 198b = $6.00
	Total = 293b = $8.88
	weekly - 3000 - 293 = 2707
	4107 - 293 = 3814b

12/8	Green Mart - 40b = $1.21
	Tops - 32b = $.97
	night market - 85b = $2.58
	Vegetarian street stall - 33b = $1.00
	Total - 190b = $5.75
	weekly - 2707 - 190 = 2517b
	3814 - 190 = 3624b

12/9	7/11 - 52b = $1.58	12/10	Macro Foods - 68b = $2.06
	Tops - 162b = $4.90		food stall - 65b = $1.97
	Total - 214b = $6.48		fruit stand - 30b = $.91
	weekly - 2517 - 214 = 2303		Tops - 170b = $5.15
	3624 - 214 = 3410b		Total - 333b = $10.09
			weekly - 2303 - 333 = 1970b
			3410 - 333 = 3077b

12/11	food stall - 25b = $2.21	12/12	food stall - 140b = $4.24
	7/11 - 73b = $1.24		Bookstore - 190b = $5.76
	food stall - 55b = $1.66		Tops - 79b = $2.39
	Total - 153b = $4.63		Total - 409b = $12.39
	weekly - 1970 - 153 = 1817b		weekly- 1817 - 409 = 1408b
	3077 - 153 = 2924b		2924 - 409 = 2515

12/13	7/11 - 15b = $.45
	food stall - 53b = $1.60
	Tops - 228b = $6.90
	total - 296b = $8.96
	weekly - 1408 - 296 = 1112b
	2515 - 296 = 2219b

Day 18

The sky cleared a bit today.  I walked to the Pharmacy Gardens and did a few sets of muscle exercises. I watched a westerner run interval sprints, strong and fast, perhaps he is tuning up for the Chiang Mai Marathon, which is in two weeks. I plan to bandit run five miles, it should be fun because the starting time is 1:00am!

The Luzshin Defense is absorbing my attention. 

I studied two games from the Zurich 1953 chess tournament, Reshvesky/Szabo,and Bronstein/Averbakh, both games from round 4.

I am presently experiencing the peculiar phenomenon of increased fitness and decreased appetite, which is causing a favorable reduction of fat and expansion of muscle mass. I feel lighter, more energetic, and healthier. 

Day 17

Raining all day, but it made the morning run enjoyable, six laps at the Pharmacy Gardens. 

I made progress with travel planning, booking a flight and lodging for ten days in Bangkok, Jan 16-25. After Bangkok I will fly to Denpasar, Bali, and live a month at an Airbnb in Sanur, a few blocks from the sea.

Day 16

I experienced a twinge of sadness as I walked to On The Road book shop to sell Sawyer's book. The owner of the shop expressed poor judgement when telling me he was not interested in buying it. Perhaps it was a ruse because he added that if I purchased a book he would reduce the price by 30b if I gave him the Sawyer book. So I browsed the shelves and chose The Luzhin Defense by Nabokov, a story about a chess master. I will read the book slowly.

Cleaning day, so I was outdoors in the late morning. The sky being gray I was spared the noon hour heat, making my walk a pleasant jaunt.

Still making plans on where to go on January 16th.

Day 15

I am reminded of Somerset Maugham's need for reading while in the midst of his long journeys. He read each sentence thoroughly, not so much to get at its essence, but to make the book last as long as possible. 

When I was moving through Boulder City, NV during the winter of 2014/15, I carried no books, no computer, no drawing materials. The only place in town which sold books was a small thrift store. Most of the books were romance novels, but I purchased a book of two short stories by Stephen Crane and I read those pages slowly. Another book I bought was a desert survival guide, which seemed appropriate, because when I left Boulder City I hiked to Lake Mead through the desert and wandered about for a number of weeks.

Tonight I finished reading a self published book by Jeff Sawyer, "An Inquiry Into Living," this being the second time I have read it. I dislike selling it but I don't want to carry more than one book when I am on the road. I now have time which needs to be filled with something other than reading. I gaze at the walls of my room, pondering memories, thoughts of the future, wondering when and how death will arrive. My travel adventure has begun. 

Day 14

I did further research on where to go in mid-January. Cost of lodging is higher than expected. My original plan was to visit Sanur, Bali, but I can find nothing available that is within my budget other than windowless rooms and shared accommodations. I will continue looking until something turns up.

Evening Meal

Day 13

Walked to the Municipal Stadium this morning and was happy to find the track open to the public. I ran seven laps on the red oval, not much but I am patiently building fitness.

Continued researching possible travel destinations, still undecided on where I should go. I will remain in a positive state of mind and hope something falls into place.

Studied two games from the Zurich chess tournament, then ate a dinner of sushi while the sun was setting.