Boring in Chiang Mai...
Is it a scam or just incompetence?
I roughly know where hotel and guesthouse district is located, pretty close to the airport as it happens, shouldn't be more than a 15 minute ride. The driver of this tuktuk has zero English language skills, but a vague understanding of the need for accommodation seems to click as the rather battered old machine heads North. Traffic everywhere - the place is busy as a relentless flow of cars, pick-ups and scooters mingle and meander across the 3 lane highway all heading North!
The first sign of trouble arises as the driver pulls up along side what seems to be a collection of his mates. One pulls out a map, another loads Google maps onto his phone - all with seemingly puzzled looks. well, 3 can play that game and I pull out my phone which luckily had Google maps pr-loaded. They are definitely struggling with the word hotel and equally struggling with the word guesthouse but finally a consensus - well, actually I pointed to my phone map much to their dismay.
so, here we are in he old city when actually I need to be on the outside - its going to cost me, another £1 says the driver who has no problems with a conversation about money! Incompetence or scam - both I would say! After an hour of riding around, down numerous lanes searching for a guesthouse and still no closer to getting a good nights sleep. Useless, completely useless - for some unknown reason this driver hasn't a clue whatsoever. I mean how simple is it to pick up a passenger from the airport and find him a guesthouse in the city? Not a good start to Chiang Mai we both agree to abandon the exercise.
A 10 minute hike to the main road and still no guesthouses but at last some hotels are visible. Several westerners are mooching about here so I must be getting warmer. Grabbing the attention of an Aussie lady and asking "where might I actually find an inexpensive guesthouse", "not round here, this is the pricey area". Elation turns to despair as she knows where the guesthouses are but she doesn't know how to give directions - shes only lived here 10 years! With the traffic as relentless as ever and with dusk fast approaching, Chiang Mai is already 'not my favorite place' it can only get better from hereon in - I hope.
Is it a scam or just incompetence?
I roughly know where hotel and guesthouse district is located, pretty close to the airport as it happens, shouldn't be more than a 15 minute ride. The driver of this tuktuk has zero English language skills, but a vague understanding of the need for accommodation seems to click as the rather battered old machine heads North. Traffic everywhere - the place is busy as a relentless flow of cars, pick-ups and scooters mingle and meander across the 3 lane highway all heading North!
The first sign of trouble arises as the driver pulls up along side what seems to be a collection of his mates. One pulls out a map, another loads Google maps onto his phone - all with seemingly puzzled looks. well, 3 can play that game and I pull out my phone which luckily had Google maps pr-loaded. They are definitely struggling with the word hotel and equally struggling with the word guesthouse but finally a consensus - well, actually I pointed to my phone map much to their dismay.
so, here we are in he old city when actually I need to be on the outside - its going to cost me, another £1 says the driver who has no problems with a conversation about money! Incompetence or scam - both I would say! After an hour of riding around, down numerous lanes searching for a guesthouse and still no closer to getting a good nights sleep. Useless, completely useless - for some unknown reason this driver hasn't a clue whatsoever. I mean how simple is it to pick up a passenger from the airport and find him a guesthouse in the city? Not a good start to Chiang Mai we both agree to abandon the exercise.
A 10 minute hike to the main road and still no guesthouses but at last some hotels are visible. Several westerners are mooching about here so I must be getting warmer. Grabbing the attention of an Aussie lady and asking "where might I actually find an inexpensive guesthouse", "not round here, this is the pricey area". Elation turns to despair as she knows where the guesthouses are but she doesn't know how to give directions - shes only lived here 10 years! With the traffic as relentless as ever and with dusk fast approaching, Chiang Mai is already 'not my favorite place' it can only get better from hereon in - I hope.
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