Author: andrewnamespetra

Some background information before I begin... Yi Peng is a Buddhist event; a time to honor the Buddha, reflect and to release one's inner demons.  The festival takes place at sites across Thailand, but the event at Chiang Mai, which is the ancient capital of the Lanna Kingdom (where the festival originated), is the biggest … Continue reading Yi Peng Lantern Festival – Chiang Mai

Yes, I returned to Chiang Mai for a couple of days. I was starting to get a feel for the city and develop my own routine. The best place for a Western breakfast was the Sompet Market - You can grab two fried eggs and a smoothie at Addy's Happy Smoothies for under 40 baht. … Continue reading Chiang Mai – Part II

After returning to Chiang Mai from the jungle, I did not have much time to relax... The bus to Chiang Rai left at 7 am the next morning (Nov. 23). To be accurate, the trip was to more to see the famous Wat Rong Khun or "White Temple" than the town of Chiang Rai itself. … Continue reading Chiang Rai Day Trip

One of my main reasons for coming to the North of Thailand rather than the popular white-sand beaches of the southern islands was NATURE. I wanted to witness, first-hand, the lush tropical forests that surround Chiang Mai.  Unlike in Canada, where marked trails can be easily spotted in National and Provincial parks, this luxury doesn't … Continue reading Jungle Trekking in Chiang Mai

Day 8: Mirco and I became travel buddies when we decided to take the charter bus (similar concept to Greyhound in Canada) North to Chiang Mai. The 5.5-hour drive was bearable thanks to audio books, good company and toilet stops along the way. A note to Canadians: when abroad, try to use the term "toilet" … Continue reading Chiang Mai – Part I

Day 5-7: Hello again folks, and welcome to Templemania!! Templemania is a period of time during which I visited a series of Buddhist temples in two ancient cities: Ayutthaya and Sukhothai.  I saw A LOT of temples, and I wasn't quite prepared for it all. For the first day of the Mania, I booked a … Continue reading Templemania

Day 1-4 (Nov. 7-10): My journey kicked off with a trip up to Guelph to visit my good friend Shannon.  Thanks for the birthday dinner, mom and dad :). In the morning, I took the GO bus from Guelph to Pearson, armed with nothing but a backpack, plane ticket and a desire for adventure. 12 … Continue reading The Kick-off: Toronto to Abu Dhabi to Bangkok

Welcome back, everyone! Having completed my cross-Canada road trip, it's time for a new adventure. Destination: THAILAND! (And other countries in SEA) Just as a heads-up, I won't have my laptop with me, so blog posts will be much less frequent. Most of my time will be spent doing cool and interesting things.

Today is the day that my journey comes to an end. Sara did not want to leave Frankie behind. James drove Sara and I to the Calgary International Airport, where we said goodbye. Here was my last look at Calgary before our plane disappeared into the wild blue yonder. Sara and I were reunited at … Continue reading Day 45 – October 16, 2015

I was awoken by Frankie the cat clambering over my tired body. Sara, on the other hand, was not affected and quite enjoyed Frankie's company. Here's a picture of me booking my plane ticket home (with Frankie's help, of course). In the afternoon, Sara and I took the C-Train downtown to meet up with my … Continue reading Day 44 – October 15, 2015