What we spent: Thailand
You guys. I swear we’re not doing this on purpose. Another country, still $200ish a day.
Brian relaxes in Pai for $19 a night
Joe spots a blue crested lizard in Pai
The Pai River
18 days in Thailand
Our spending on lodging, food and ground transportation in Thailand were, as expected, on the low end. Thailand really is a great value for travelers: solid infrastructure that makes travel easy, wonderful culture and history to explore, and, as we’ve mentioned several times, incredible food.
Rain outside our balcony in Chiang Mai
Joe shops for fried insects at the Sunday night market in Chiang Mai
Yummy
But the price for Covid PCR tests in Thailand was an unpleasant surprise. Our entrance Covid tests, part of the Test and Go program, were more than $100 a pop. Exit tests were similarly expensive *and* hard to find. In addition to the $83 for each exit test, we visited the local hospital in Chiang Mai three times via taxi: first to make sure we’d communicated clearly enough on the phone to secure appointments, second for the tests themselves and finally, on the day of our departure, to obtain our results (which we had expected via email). All in, about 20% of our spending in Thailand was on Covid tests. Phhhbbbt.
Cool tree in Chiang Mai
A temple in Chiang Mai at night
Airfare from Colombo to Bangkok was $1193; flights from Chiang Mai to Bali were $746.
Our last breakfast in Chiang Mai
Speaking of Bali, I’m writing to you from the airport in Singapore where we have a dreaded overnight layover en route to Denpasar. My guys are all sacked out on the floor around me and appear to have fallen asleep. Me, I’m wide awake. Between the lights overhead, the stranger snoring a few feet away and an inconsolable toddler on the other side of the lounge, I don’t think sleep is in the cards for me tonight.
