Unknown destination Thailand

I devoured them the Lonely Planet travel books. I listened attentively to the tourist radio program of the VARA: 'On a journey with Dr. L. van Egeraat'. TV broadcasts such as 'Do you know the country?' and "On a journey."

Van Egeraat was a household name among travel-loving people and became, among other things, the first director of the Netherlands Scientific Institute for Tourism in Breda. Following one of his radio talks, I ended up in the sixties with my tent in a small town in Italy that no one had ever heard of at the time. Beautiful surroundings, nice small lake and …. many, many compatriots. Didn't stay there long and never went to a place promoted by van Egeraat.

Lonely Planet

A lot has changed since then. The initial founders of the Lonely Planet, Tony and Maureen Wheeler, sold a 75% stake of their brainchild to BBC Worldwide in 2007 and also transferred their remaining stake to the BBC four years later. For the last remainder, the couple was allowed to add 50 million euros to their already not inconsiderable bank account. In 2013, BBC Worldwide transferred the purchased company Lonely Planet to the American NC55 Media for the equivalent of 2 million euros. The conclusion is that the BBC had to write off a considerable loss and that the Wheeler couple can afford a lot of luxurious holidays.

Vacation plans

Soon, on January 15 to be precise, I will be at Schiphol Airport with a good friend to arrive in Bangkok after an eleven-hour flight. Frankly, it is my habit to prepare well for a trip. Mr van Egeraat has long since passed away and the Lonely Planet is not one of my reference works either. Internet and Google are my buddies because almost everything you want to know can be found there. Yet I catch myself that this time I have taken the preparation of the trip a bit laconically. The many visits to Thailand have made me a bit lazy and I think I can boast a lot of experience.

Where are we going?

Neither my companion nor I are real beach worshipers; so the preference goes back to the north. Pattaya is a blank slate for my good friend and that's why I don't want to keep it from him this time. Let's face it, after Bangkok you will find the best hotels and restaurants in the entire country. Pattaya really has a bit more to offer than just a go-go's and bars. So after arrival acclimatize in Bangkok and then taste Pattaya for a few days. With AirAsia we then fly to Chiangmai, rent a car and then the adventure begins.

On adventure

The plan is to drive from Chiang Mai to Mae Sariang and from there to Mae Sam Laep. More than twenty years ago I was once there for only a few hours. I was allowed to ride with a truck that brought goods weekly from Mae Sariang. My most beautiful trip I've ever made in Thailand. Too bad I can't find out to this day if we can go there with an ordinary car. Google didn't help in this case. The hotels that I emailed in Mae Sariang about the possibilities were so customer-unfriendly that they did not respond. Thai puff? Hope to be able to publish an enthusiastic story about Mae Sam Laep on this blog at a later stage. Mae Sot, who I must confess never been there before, is the next target. “There are few places in Thailand where I would rather spend a few days than in Mae Sot, the vibrant district town on the border with Myanmar in Trat province,” writes Thailand expert and publicist Sjon Hauser.

Google also provides a lot of information that we are already looking forward to. how long we stay there? We don't know and it doesn't matter. The only thing we have fixed is our hotel in Chiangmai where we want to be on Friday, February 6th. The next day, the famous annual flower parade passes through the city and we should not miss it. Have seen it many times and can enjoy it intensely every time.
But before arriving in Chiangmai we also visited Sukothai, at least if we are not too absorbed by all the beauty that Mae Sam Laep and Mae Sot has to offer us.

A fervent wish

Two years ago we visited the elephant training center in Chiangmai together. My good friend was completely bonkers about the elephants' painting skills. I regularly had to listen to the story of how much he still regrets not having bought such a 'work of art' at the time. I now want to relieve him of that lamentation and intense regret, so….
And to bring him completely into seventh elephant heaven, we then drive to Lampang to visit the elephant hospital. In my mind we will stay in Lampang for a night and have a delicious dinner in one of my favorite restaurants on the river in the evening. A good night's sleep and then towards Phrae and surroundings.

Nothing is set in stone, everything is possible and nothing must be done, so just be on the spec. At the end of the year, think back to Wim Kan's New Year's Eve conference; “Where we go, Jelle will see.”