My House in Chiang Mai

Tell us about your new house. My new house is outside the city of Chiang Mai, located on a quiet soi (a side road), amidst groves of banana trees and other fruit trees, and plenty of yard space. The owner lives in a big house in the front; my house is in back, which means it's away from the road. Talk about privacy! It's so private here, I get downright lonely sometimes.
     The house itself is an old wooden house, raised up off the ground in a typical Thai style, to prevent flooding and drainage problems. There is a front porch, which is a lovely place to sit except that around five in the afternoon it becomes invaded by mosquitos so that it is very difficult to sit out there. There are lots of cracks in the wood, and I regularly have spiders and other small critters to keep me company. I also have mice, which live inside the walls, and although I haven't seen them yet, I can hear them at night, scurrying up and down and chattering at one another.
     When it rains, there are frogs and crickets outside, most probably in the irrigation ditch which becomes filled with rainwater. They make such a racket that it becomes almost deafening; once, when I had some friends over for dinner we could hardly talk without shouting, as if there were a rock band playing outside. Afterwards, my ears were ringing.
     There is a kitchen in the back of the house, and this is one of its nicest features. I like to cook, and I also think it's more healthy if I can control what I eat. And sometimes I just like to hang out in kitchens because there is always a nice, friendly feeling to them. The floor here is nice and cool - it's concrete - and on days when the rest of the house is hot, I can come here and cool off.
     My yard is big enough for me to go jogging in, if I don't mind running around the same track fifty times. I like it because it is convenient and because I don't have to worry about the neighborhood dogs trying to take a bite out of my leg. Dogs in Thailand are not very well mannered, and nobody tries to control them until after they have bitten you.
     On the other hand, there are several dogs on the property where I live, whom I have made friends with. They like to come sit on my porch, and stand guard for me.
     Living in the country has it's own set of advantages and disadvantages. On the plus side, nobody ever keeps me awake at night with loud music or parties. I don't have to look at scruffy farang tourists, either, when I go outside to the market near my house. The kind of Thais who live in this area are generally simple and straightforward people; you don't get the slick farang hustlers out here. There are a few farangs who live out here, but they know how to keep a low profile and not make waves. If you want local Thai culture, this place has much more of it than the center of Chiang Mai. It's also a good quiet place to do my writing, or drawing, or reading, or anything else I want to do.
     On the downside, because it's far from town, it's also not convenient when I need something that I can't get in my local market. I am rather isolated. I can't really walk places from here, unless I want to spend all day doing it. I have to do a little more planning before I go out running errands, because it's a hassle to keep coming home and then going out again. I also miss the good eating that I used to have living near the university; out here, there don't seem to be so many specialties, just standard noodles and curry. But all in all, I have a house to live in that I can afford, that has nice surroundings to look at, and that is peaceful, so that I can think.
How much does it cost to live in a house? The amount of rent I pay is very modest, about 4000 baht a month, including utilities. It is about the same as I would be paying to live in an apartment in the center of Chiang Mai. If I wanted to live in a nicer house, with solid wood floors, and more modern facilities, I would probably pay at least 6000 a month. A house in the middle of Chiang Mai would also be more expensive. But the main thing I like is that the house has beautiful surroundings, and that makes it kind of peaceful. Right here, right now, this place seems like the best choice I could make.
    
What is the neighborhood like? There is a wat - a buddhist temple - nearby, and there is a local market, where I drop off my laundry, shop for fruit and vegetables, and occasionally buy other things. I went to the local barber once, and paid 30 baht, about 60 cents, for a haircut. There are a couple of places to eat, but the fare is pretty standard. About 2 miles away, back toward town and alongside the river, lies one of the main entertainment areas of Chiang Mai, with lots of nice restaurants on the water. This area is slowly spreading toward my neighborhood, but it will be a few years, if ever, before this trend reaches my block. For now, I am happy to live in a quiet neighborhood with a rural feeling, and I would hate to see all those lush green fields and old stores disappear.
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Will John manage to survive in the wilderness of Thailand? Find out in the next series of newsletters.