1:21’s Trip to ChiangMai

The trip to Chiang Mai made me realise several things during the 11 days.

1. We should appreciate everything we have in Singapore. People in the village we visited didn’t even have the basic necessities of an average teen in Singapore, such as air-con, a comfy bed, a feast to eat everyday, etc. But they’re some of the happiest people I’ve ever met. They’re so easily contented with everything in life, while here we are wondering whether another handphone will make us happier, when we already have everything that one really needs to be happy.

2. Singaporeans really do not smile. At. All. It’s amazing how much the people in Chiang Mai smile at you. Even when you walk by their stores and don’t even go in, they still smile at you. Even after bargaining with them for a price so low it would drive shopkeepers in Singapore crazy, they still smile at you and talk to you, asking where you’re from. So nice, the people there. Really. Buying stuff made me happy, for two reasons. One was cause of my buys, of course. The other was for the simple fact that the smiles of the shopkeepers made me smile too, which was a good feeling, knowing I probably made their day and they definitely made mine.                  

3. One definitely needs to have an open mind if one wants to be a traveller. I did so many things that were out of my comfort zone in Chiang Mai. I rode on elephants for the first time, I sat on a raft, I stayed in a village with the bare minimal necessities, I trekked for more than 6 hours in total (something I would have vehemently protested against here in Singapore), I tried food i’ve never tried before (eg, fried worms), etc. It was an enjoyable experience overall, stepping out of my comfort zone and knowing that some of the things i did in Chiang Mai might be only done once in my life, and i was glad i did it there.

Care to try some? We did!     

And last but not least,

4. Damn, Singapore air definitely smells good. No more haze man.