Thailand Trip Day 4

Day 4 – Day 9 : Today mark the start of my meditation course. At 9.30am I take Songthaew to Wat Rampoeng, Northern Insight Meditation Centre. Wat Rampoeng provides 10 days and 26 days basic meditation course. It accepts international students (foreign meditation people). They do have monk able to speak English and as translator between foreigner and abbot when reporting

Before you decide to go Wat Rampoeng to meditate, you should have resolution and dedicated mindset to meditate. It is really tough for those who like to talk. There are no talking, no handphone and no communication. What you do since you wake up at 4am until sleep at 10 pm is meditate, meditate, and meditate.

The meditation starts with mindfulness prostration. After that, proceed to walking meditation and then sitting meditation. Walking meditation and sitting meditation interchange every 15 minutes. The walking meditation and sitting meditation duration are increase everyday by 5 minutes. Sometimes depend on condition whereby when reporting and abbot review your progress, abbot allows you to maintain for same meditation duration.

At the last 3 days of 26 days basic course, you will be requested to meditate for 3 days 3 nights non stop without sleep. However, it is still dependence on individual meditator.

Meditation is really worth to experience, because it strengthen your mindset, allow you to face all the challenges with calm and resolution.

Day 10 – I am discharge from Wat Rampoeng. It is mistake cause by English language misunderstanding. Although later the foreign meditator officer ask me to stay back since it was cause by mistake, I decided to leave since I already done the closing ceremony without giving reason to abbot when asked why to leave the day before.

After left Wat Rampoeng, I headed to Tha Pae Gate as recommended by monk Phra Lim from Wat Rampoeng by motorbike (arranged by Phra Lim, really thanks to him) and then Songthaew.

Tha Pae Gate is a place where guesthouses were flourished. The guesthouses here range from 200 baht for single fan room to 550 baht for twin air-con room. It also depend on quality of guesthouses, some even expensive than hotel. Tha Pae gate is located central of Chiang Mai. You can reach Night Bazaar, Sunday Market, Wat Chedi Luang, Wat Phra Singh, Warorot Market and Ton Yam Lai market within walking distance. Each guesthouse do have own restaurant that provides foods (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and drinks with prices range from 50 baht to 150 baht. I strongly recommend all backpacker and traveler to rent a bicycle with 50 baht per day to tour around Chiang Mai ancient city. Chiang Mai ancient city is a tranquil and beauty city surrounding by moat and wat.

My recommendation is Julie guesthouse and Kavil guesthouse (for backpacker who looks for cheap accommodation). They look more promising in quality and cleanliness. If you see some ants and mosquito, it is normal in northern Thailand. All houses here‘s door and windows are covered by mosquito net to prevent mosquito and ants and insects entry. Julie guesthouse (180 baht per single fan room) is most popular among the tourist especially westerner backpacker.

All of the guesthouses here do provide hot water bath and Wi Fi (signal always very low). Some of guesthouses are awarded with certificate by Lonely Planet, Trip Advisor, Rough Guides and sticker of recommendation. You can take this as clue and gauge for the quality. I am late when arrive here, so I don’t notice it at the time.