Chiang Mai

As you can see in the pictures, we've been very busy. Picking up little -lucky- sister Loes from the airport, taking her out for drinks, when the next morning the alarm clock went off very early because we wanted to visit Bangkwang prison - one of the most notorious prisons in Thailand. We went to visit Adriaan van Ommeringen, who has been there almost 8 years now. I didn't expect to see someone smiling and laughing, but that was about all Adriaan did when he was talking with us. I hadn't always been easy for him he said, but he tries to make the best out of it.

Together with a friend and his Thai wife he was arrested 8 years ago for dealing XTC-pills. A while ago he discovered he had cancer. It was very difficult to get a treatment but some Dutch friends set up a campaign to help him financially and he was operated - and is now free of cancer. He will be relocated to the Netherlands between the end of this year and mid-next year.
Our next plan was to take a bus up north, to Chiang Mai. We decided not to do it in once but make a stop in Sukhothai. We rode bicycles in the old town near the ruins while it was unbelievably hot - after a few hours we'd had enough.
Chiang Mai is where we are right now. It's still hot, and mosquitos are ruling this town. Thank God for inventing deet. We hired motor bikes and have another trekking ahead of us - so you're not gonna be hearing from us for a few days, as we'll try to survive the jungle...