What Keeps Me Retuning to Chiang Mai in Thailand

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There are many reasons why Chiang Mai has become one of the world’s most popular places for tourists and expats. One post isn’t going to cover all of them, so I will start with those that keep luring me back year after year, except for two years: one during COVID and the other in 2016, when I went down to South America. This year is my 16th time here in Chiang Mai along with detours (often a visa run) to other places in SE Asia. However, Chiang Mai, the second-largest city in Thailand, has lured me back every 16th time. I really love the rection I get from many Thai faces when I tell them this.

Thailand is an easy country to visit, and Chiang Mai is a great place to find just about everything one looks for as a visitor in a foreign city: friendly people, delicious food, easy modern-day living, a warm climate, varied activities and sights to see, colourful festivals, and markets galore for shopping at reasonable prices. Whew! One can’t get bored in this city even after 16 visits. Of course, it’s by no means perfect. The traffic is heavy and noisy, but I give the drivers credit for watching out for us pedestrians. I feel safe walking here, so I use my feet to get where I want to go instead of relying on tuk-tuks, songtaos or a Grab taxi. Buses are almost extinct. Motorbikes and huge late-model cars seem to be the people’s choice for getting around the city. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that cars could be outnumbering motorbikes indicating that there is a fair amount of wealth in this city. However, this has led to more noise and pollution. When I first visited the city in 2008, there was a brave plan in progress to ban cars and trucks from the inner city which is encircled by a moat. A large number of residents tried to get the local government or council to have electric trains only to enter the city. There would be no huge cars cluttering the streets and better sidewalks for the pedestrians. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened and instead has put the city’s air quality up to the level of other large cities in Asia.

Honestly, I cannot think of any more negative things about Chiang Mai. I have written about the smog and pollution in some of my past posts. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for some of those if you want to know about the changing climate and what some have done to get the government to pay more attention to it. The weather seems to vary from year to year. Since I have been here this year, December and January have had almost perfect weather with cool nights and warm days (none above 30 degrees centigrade). There has been no humidity and no rain. It will no doubt get hotter as the days go by causing the quality of the air to get worse. In the past, by the time April rolls around, it’s unbearable at least to me. The weather in the dead of winter back home in Nova Scotia is another factor determining why I keep coming back in December, January and usually February. However, not this year, as I must return for other stuff I need to pay attention to. This year the weather has been horrible with rain, freezing rain and snow so far. Having the sun every day as I have had this year in Chiang Mai, has been the perfect medicine I have needed to sleep better and jump out of bed more quickly than I do at home. Oh, I must add that having at least seven coffee places around me for my morning coffee has helped also.

Another lure for me to return to Chiang Mai every year instead of some other country is the market scene which beckened me to start up a small business back home in Nova Scotia, Canada, selling clothing and accessories made in Thailand. My customers love the Harem pants and anything with elephants on it. This year, I am sensing a slight change in taste to anything with cats on it, which I hope will give the elephants some competition. I have been buying pants, shopping bags, and some other cute stuff which I am hoping will attract my customers back home. Over the years, I felt the need to keep this little business going to make a bit of extra money, which I have used to pay for my airfare over and back again. Therefore, it’s become safe to say that Chiang Mai has become like a second home for me.

I have often thought I should become one of the many expats who have made their homes here permanently. It’s not just about the friendly Thai people and living in a warm climate, but there are other benefits as well, such as a much lower cost of living, a good health care system, and easier rules for choosing to live here full-time. If you would like more information on the benefits of living in Chiang Mae that I put together several years ago, you can go to the following post Back to the “Land of Smiles” published in 2018. The cost of living has gone up slightly for food and beverages but nothing like what I am facing in Canada. Clothing is still a bargain, so I hope to keep my prices down at home for my customers provided the shipping charges haven’t risen too drastically. Rentals are holding steady. I am paying a wee bit more for a month at BhanPongPhen where I have been staying for the past four years. For about $415.00 a month I am getting a small apartment with a kitchenette providing a fridge and microwave, free internet, and weekly maid service. Most importantly, the owners and their maid are very kind and helpful. Mrs Pong (that’s what I call her) is always supplying me with delicious snacks and Om their maid does a super job at keeping my small apartment clean.

Yes, my life here is very good which makes it difficult to leave. Sooner or later I will have to make a decision on where I want to spend the rest of my days. However, I believe I should have made this decision in 2018 when I was younger. I’m not sure Thailand would want me now at the age of 80, a milestone I faced in August. When I tell a Thai person my age, I get a wonderful reaction because most 80-year-olds here aren’t travelling and doing the things I am doing. As their elders reach my age, the young are expected to look after them. Elder care is low on the list for any kind of government help.

In conclusion, although I have stuck to all the positives for Thailand and especially Chiang Mai, there are the negatives. They are covered in some of my previous posts so you can go to them if you wish.http://Sundays in Chiang Mai, Being Inspired By Chiang Mai’s Changing Culinary Scene.

How to Stay Happy When Our World is Suffering

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I am finishing up this post which I started a few days ago in the year of 2025. Now that we are officially into 2026, I must seriously think about how I can have a good year by making a supreme effort to stay positive by choosing happiness as my primary goal. Therefore, the first thing I will do is wish everyone a “Happy New Year” and mean it.

Staying happy these days is a huge battle facing humanity, and it won’t get better until we can define what it truly means for ourselves and how we can attain it. This is a question many of us are asking when we are witnessing so much suffering in our world? I know it’s a difficult concept to accept, but I also know we musn’t give up the hope that we can find happiness if we can change our thoughts about what happiness is and what we need to do to find it. Of course, many will argue that when we hear and see what is happening around the world, then what hope can we have that it’s possible to find any happiness anymore? Some of us are already giving up and believing we are doomed. They believe we will not be able to change our thinking and embrace the new world that some enlightened people are envisioning quickly enough to save ourselves.

I think it is possible to save ourselves if we can change how and what we choose to think about. However, we need to be prepared to take this seriously by taking the time to find out more about how to do this and then dedicating time practicing it. It requires some inner work which may prompt one to ask how can we find the time to sit still, meditate, or take courses being offered these days online, all focused on how to quiet our overloaded minds? With the way things are going, we are already finding our lives being stretched to the limit trying to keep pace with the changes happening around us. Some are feeling threatened of losing their jobs, for their safety as our crime rate rises, their health due to our failing health care system, and, finally, the demise of some of the outdated beliefs we were brought up on. All such concerns can then lead to more of us experiencing extreme stress which can often lead to depression, physical illness, and yes, crime.

In 2015 I wrote a blog entitled “A Moment of Happiness” on the topic of cherishing those fleeting moments of happiness we might have experienced in our lives. Back then, I didn’t believe that I could ever achieve a permanent state of happiness. Only gurus and special people devoted to a spiritual calling could ever be happy all the time. Having always been a person who has been attracted to more than a conventional life, such as I was brought up in, I have taken courses and worked on myself to become that ‘better person’. I totally believe that it’s our thinking or mind that holds us back and keeps us stuck in the familiar way of living rather than embracing the new. Let’s face the truth, we humans are simply not good at embracing change. I thought I was getting better at making changes but when I went back and read the post I wrote over ten years ago, I realized I have more work to do. Lately, I’ve been finding it difficult to accept the many changes facing us today, especially in the field of technology and the way we are being forced to communicate to one another. I find myself wanting to keep doing what is familiar because it helps me feel more successful at what I do. However, I know that taking on something new, which can stimulate my creativity rather than my mind, is the route to take. If I keep doing what I’ve always done, I will get stuck, which I know brings on negative thinking because when I let that happen, I often feel depressed. However, I can manage to change my thinking with a good talking to my “self” to change whatever I was thinking about. One of the best tools I use is to take a quick walk down to my garden or to the beach which is near where I live. Breaking my state of mind is a great way to banish my negative thoughts which are often bound to pop up far too much at times if I let them.

I am being reminded of another much broader way to look at what is happening in our world these days which has given me some hope. Have you ever heard about how we are moving upward from the third dimension to the fifth dimension? To understand this concept think for a moment about the Broadway hit “The Age of Aquarius,” which addressed this new age we were entering back then in the late ’90’s. This was a time of rapid change when young people in America hit the streets in protest of what was going on with governments allowing ridiculous wars such as Viet Nam to take so many lives, young people hoping to find a better place with the help of drugs, and those with grudges to assassinate those in power. This feeling of unrest spread to other countries as the people woke up to the fact that the old way was not working. It was time for change. Since change is hard for many, such as our leaders and those in power, it is slow to happen and things get progressively worse to the point where it almost seems hopeless to idealists that it will ever happen.

Well the good news is that it is now happening and moving more quickly, but not all people are going in the right direction. We are at a precipice where we have the pros and the cons about who is right or wrong making us seemingly more divided than ever. However, there is hope. Futurists, psychics, astrologers, healers, and many others are awakening. They are predicting that by the year 2032, most earthlings will have entered the fifth dimension with some going even further into the sixth and seventh. At present, there are still many of us who are stuck in the Piscean Age or the third dimension where we have been for centuries. If all these forward-looking people are right, this is certainly good news. Maybe I will still be here in 2032 to have the opportunity to witness the change. My hope is that my one and only grandson will reach the fifth and be a part of this New World. However, until this happens, our years until then are going to demand that we make big changes within ourselves to be ready for the changes ahead of us. For instance, there will be such challenges as our changing climate, a huge migration of homeless people, more wars and disputes from those who haven’t risen to the fifth dimension and continue to dominate and make trouble. The changes needed to make this new world aren’t going to happen quietly and easily overnight. We will have huge challenges to face for sure.

However, if we listen to the people who know and understand this, there can be a new world where we will be living a life fueled by love and kindness rather than fear and hate. The old order of large governments, cities and dictators will have gone the way of the dodo. It will indeed be a New World. Again, this is nothing new as great leaders, writers and enlightened souls in the past have written about this. I still remember how Plato’s Republic grabbed my attention in high school. It also explains why I enjoyed living and working on a kibbutz in Israel years ago as a volunteer. The kibbutz was a good example of people working together for a common good which did not follow the rules of communism.

I was recently listening on YouTube to a lady by the name of Diana Cooper who speaks and writes about the dimensions as well as the existence of angels. Since she was a child, she sensed other personalities were around her urging her to devote her life to spreading to others what she was learning by listening to their messages. Now her vocation as a senior adult in England is to follow the messages she has gotten from her angels so that today she has forged a successful career for herself by passing on her experience and knowledge about the world outside of ours here on Earth.

She firmly believes we must take the time to stop and listen to them through prayer or meditation. We all have angels up there as they may be our relatives, loved ones, or just old souls who stay up there in the nether world (or heaven or whatever you wish to call it) to be guides to those of us still here on Earth. I have heard about this but have never taken it seriously. After listening to her, I think I should. Now it doesn’t necessarily have to be angels, it could be God (if you believe there is such a person or thing), Buddha or any entity who has passed on to the nether world. All we must do is believe there is a greater source beyond our physical body out there where eventually we will be going, who is guiding us or at least trying to if we can accept such an idea. Perhaps for some of us, it is easier to understand if we think of this as a soul which could be a deceased relative or spouse trying to keep in touch with us. This is my attempt to understand the importance of a world outside of what I see and live while I am here on Earth. If you are really interested in learning more about this, you might want to go to Diana’s website at dianacooper.com where she explains so much better than I can about what dimensions, angels, past lives and old souls are. Once we open our minds to this, I truly believe that it will give us more hope and a promise to make the most of ourselves and our talents. I think that the actual word or words I need to use is to first learn to love and accept our “self” and once we do that, it will be easier to love others. Then, when we do that, we need to understand that this energy will go beyond and help our whole world. How many people and how many ways has this been said for centuries? The person who immediately comes to my mind is Carl Jung, a brilliant psychologist. Then there is Edgar Casey, an American psychic who predicted many events that have already taken place.

There have been many advanced souls or seers, but we need many more. We are at a turning point as far as I can see. If we don’t give up our fears and replace them with love, then I can’t help but believe we will possibly annihilate ourselves. There is no going back to our old way of thinking and acting. We must keep moving forward and not give up the battle.

The Risk I Have Never Taken

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Daily writing prompt
What’s the biggest risk you’d like to take — but haven’t been able to?
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Throughout my long life, I have managed to take quite a few risks. For me, a risk was doing something different from the norm. When it came to style and the latest fad, I never got too excited about them. However, what did turn me on was the opportunity to travel away from home, my province, and my country. Listening to my heart instead of my head and what my family or friends thought I should do, I took off for Europe with a backpack for a year of travel. When I decided to retire from work, I made a conscious decision to travel in earnest again to explore the other side of the world, namely Asia.

I have visited more than ten countries in Asia and Southeast Asia. I liked them all except for India, which I found very challenging. Thailand has taken first place in capturing my attention. After sixteen visits over the years, it’s not surprising that it has raised the question of whether I should move there permanently.

These days, there are many good reasons why it would be a good idea. The number one reason is that it would be cheaper than my home country, Canada. I also feel better physically when I’m there, living with the sun practically every day. Then there are the Thai people who are so accepting of foreigners. For example, I don’t feel any judgment. They accept us and greet us with smiles, no matter how much of a nuisance some of us might be. These are just some of the reasons I would like to live there.

So why do I hold back from moving there? Is it a fear of having to make such a major move on my own? Yes, it is because I have made so many moves over my lifetime. I am now a homeowner and living on my own. I like my life and know I could sell my house with no problem. It’s the packing and having to get rid of my furniture and all that other stuff I’ve collected over the years. Then there is the problem of language. Most Thais know some English, but not enough to have deep conversations. There are many expats living in Chiang Mai where I go, but do I want to just hang out with expats? I would like to make some Thai friends, but to do that I would have to learn the Thai language which isn’t easy. Learning a new language isn’t one of my strong points.

Honestly, my main reason for not taking this risk is my age. I should have done it earlier when I first began to consider the idea. I don’t think I will regret not taking the risk. Life where I am right now is good. It all boils down to no matter where you decide to live, you can always make the best of what it has to offer.

Facing Hard Work

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What a person considers as hard work means different things to different people. Hard work for me is having to face the challenges that my computer and cell phone give me. Why I say this is because they demand too much of my time trying to figure out how to deal with the latest changes being made, such as deleting unwanted emails trying to sell me something I don’t want, having to deal with changing my password because someone was trying to scam me, trying to figure out instructions Google gives to make changes to suit them, and finally the worst one of all is the help that the chat box wants to give me. I don’t trust them since I used one that tried to lure me into signing up for a membership which cost me money. I got it back, but it took time to contact my bank to have it cancelled. This was stressful and what I consider hard work.

I am over the age hill when it comes to all the stuff going on in our new world of technology. It’s coming to the point where I can easily spend the better part of a day dealing with it all, which stresses me out. I can’t do those things that give me satisfaction instead of grief. However, knowing it’s something I can’t avoid, I grit my teeth and tackle them hoping for the best. I have discovered that in the end, most things work out in my favour, but getting there is always scary and a battle for me.

When I get my bills paid or find the information I need, I feel a great deal of satisfaction. I can at last breathe a sigh of relief and set my sights on doing something I enjoy which is often usually something physical like tending to my vegetable garden or going for a walk. Everything does happen for a reason, I guess. I can’t give up no matter how difficult that may be.

Why I Love Cats

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I’ve been a cat lover and owner for most of my adult life. I’m not sure why that is but it could be because as I was growing up, we had cats for pets. The only person close to me who ever had a dog was my grandmother. She had cats, too, but I never got too attached to them since they were outdoor cats and most of them got hit by cars. In those days there was no such thing as a house cat. Her dog also met an unfortunate death when he was killed by a pack of wild dogs one winter. Although I was saddened by Patch’s terrible demise, I didn’t quite miss him as much as the cats who got hit by the cars passing in front of our house.

When my grandmother died, I moved to the city where we were brought up by our Aunt who was like a mother to me. She loved cats and always had one. That was when I learned so much about cats and their behavior. In fact, one of the first presentations I had in Grade 9 was all about Ginny our cat. Ginny came to her when he was a kitten but she thought he was a female so that’s how he got his name. Ginny had no tail so we thought he was a Manx. He could have been but he might also have lost his tail from some kind of accident. We didn’t know so he got stuck with a female name. He was an extremely friendly cat and was always there to meet the kids after their classes at the school which was just across from our house. He was in our lives for a long time entertaining us with his antics. I can’t remember how he died but have a hunch it was because of old age. By the time of his demise, I was no longer living at home.

The next cat to enter my life after I got married and before my daughter was born was another stray who just appeared one night at our New Year’s Eve party. Our house was packed with people and I was too busy making sure everyone had food and drink that I never noticed him until someone asked when we got this cat who was making friends with everyone. What cat I thought? We don’t have a cat. Well, the next day we decided to keep him if no one came to claim him. No one did come so we named him Pogo. He was a tabby and so clever. In fact, his character was almost dog like. He loved people and followed us around like a puppy. He was also easy to train and loved to play games. My husband had him jumping and doing all kinds of things a dog would do. For example, he would walk along the beach with us. When he came to some water, he would simply walk around it and continue to walk on with us. As you probably know, cats don’t like water like dogs do.

He was also a very sensitive cat. I always felt he was reading my mind. After our daughter was born, like any new mother, I put most of my time on her and didn’t pay as much attention to Pogo as I used to. One night, he came to our door looking rather ragged and limping. We assumed he had been hit by a car. We quickly bundled him and took him to the vet where he had a pin put into his back leg joint. After that incident, he was never the same. He seemed to be fading away. About the same time, I happened to catch an interview on CBC with a pet psychologist from New York who was talking about cats and their sensitivity. It caught my attention when he explained that bringing a baby into the household, your pet could resort to extreme behavior, such as injuring itsel,f just to get attention. My mind flashed back to his accident two months previously, when he came home dragging his leg behind him. I was the cause because I had abandoned him. At that time, I was following Dr Spock, many mothers’ guru for bringing up babies, who cautioned us to never let a cat sleep with your baby. That old wives’ tale has since been abolished.

I would like to have a cat these days because I live alone. However, so long as I keep travelling for months at a time, I won’t take on that responsibility. It might be good for me, but not for a cat. I’ve learned my lesson.