I’ve decided to dedicate a post to our modes of transit, as how we get around now is nothing like how we did in China or back home!
 
Tuk Tuk

This is a tuk tuk (pronounced “toook toook”). It’s a motorized 3-wheeled vehicle with a tiny open-air cabin and room for a couple of people. They’ll take you wherever you like, you just have to negotiate a price!

tuk tuk

 
Songthaew

This is a songthaew. It’s basically a pick-up truck with some benches put into the box and a roof fashioned overtop. We wonder if you can just buy a kit to turn your own truck into one? Its the closest thing to a bus or a taxi in Chiang Mai, and it’s what we use to get around everyday. There are definitely no seat belts – so try not to fall out the back!

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City Buses

These are the city buses in Bangkok (no such thing up north). They are mainly set up for standing and the ventilation is by open windows; the locals are usually dangling out of these when it’s too hot. The buses pause in the middle of the road as they’re driving by a bus stop, and you have to run out and hop on before it speeds away. You’d be lucky if it comes to a complete stop so it’s a mad dash to get on. Once aboard, a ticket lady comes by with her colorful money box to collect the 8 baht fare.

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Run to jump on the bus! the ticket ladies on the bus