Day 13 - Gettin' around

There are three main ways that a traveler (foreign or not) can get around Chiang Mai: by scooter, Tuk - Tuk, or Song Tauw. It is very common to see 3-4 people (an entire family) on one scooter driving through the busy streets. I have not dared to ride a scooter yet, because they are very dangerous. We have seen numerous accidents in the street. However, they say it is great to rent one for the day to take up into the mountains! A Tuk - Tuk is a small triangular bike that seats about 3-4 people. They are cute and fun to ride in! (see the picture above) But the mode of transportation we normally take is a Song Tauw. It is a pickup truck with a covered back that has two benches for people to sit on. They do not have a bus system in Chiang Mai, because from what we have heard the Song Tauw business is run by the mafia (along with many other things) and they will not allow the city to start a system. It usually cost us each about 20 baht to get from place to place around the city. They do have cars and trucks here, but I would say that they are about 1 in 15 vehicles on the road.

The pollution level here is very high. The first couple days out on the streets I had to cover my mouth and try not to breath in while we were in a vehicle, because they do not have regulations for the emissions. Unfortunately I think I getting use to it and it doesn't bother me as much now.