泰国清迈 远离奢华曼谷.docx

泰国清迈 远离奢华曼谷EscapethechaosofBangkokinChiangMai,Thailand泰国清迈，逃离曼谷喧嚣BrightflashinglightsofBangkokcity.曼谷城闪耀的灯光IWASinBangkokandlessthanenamoured.Thenight-lifeischaotic,asarethecrowdedstreets,thetourist-ladentemplesandthecityitself,sooverflowingwithskyscrapersandmallsandconcretethatitseemsabouttoburst.Itwasanimpressionbasedonashort,first-timevisit,tobesure,butIfelttheneedtoescape.我曾游览曼谷，却不因它而迷醉。喧嚣充斥着这里的夜生活，充斥着拥挤的街道。游客挤满了这里的寺庙，挤满了整座城市。满眼是摩天大厦、商场和钢筋混凝土的建筑，挤得城市似乎要突然爆炸。虽然这是我首次游览曼谷，停留的时间也很短暂，这足以给我一种要逃离的冲动。Icontemplatedhoppingashuttlevansouthtothebeaches,buttheycanbejustasovercrowded.LookingforpeaceinPattayaislikelookingforasoberpersonatauniparty.我想跳上一辆汽车或卡车南行到沙滩，但我知道那只会把我带到另一个拥挤的地方。在芭堤雅寻找安静就像要在疯狂的大学派对中找到一个清醒的人一样困难。Bangkokhasareputationforawildnightlife.曼谷因狂野的夜生活而闻名SoIveerednorthinsteadtowardanancientcitycalledChiangMai,becauseIdheardtherewouldbewaterfallsandelephantsinthenearbycountryside,andachancetogetatleastalittleclosertoanothersideofThailand.所以我北行到了一座叫清迈的古城。因为我听说那里的乡村有瀑布和大象。并且这也是唯一一点点机会，去寻找泰国的另一面。FromBangkokIjumpedontoanovernighttrainandstretchedoutonthevaguelycomfortablebunkbedsthatfoldeddownfromthewalls.WhenIwokeupthenextmorningandsawonlycountrysidethroughthewindows,IknewIwasclose.我搭上了离开曼谷的夜间火车，在折叠床上平躺下来。床多少还是有些舒适的。第二天早晨，当我睁眼看见窗外的乡村景观时，我知道我找到了泰国的另一面。ChiangMaiisamanageablecityofabout200,000,areliefcomparedtoBangkoksninemillion.Thereareleafyparks,invitingartgalleriesandlittlechildrenwanderingaroundinschooluniforms.相比曼谷这个九百万人口的城市，人口二十万的清迈更容易应付，那里有树木茂盛的公园，引人入胜的艺术画廊和穿着校服四处乱跑的小孩儿。ChiangMaiisaworldawayfromthelightsofBangkok.在清迈看不到曼谷的镁光灯Thisishardlyaplace,though,wheretimehasstopped.Motorbikeszoomaroundstuffedwiththreepeopleapiece,sometexting,someclutchingkittens,somereadingbooks.Theplaceisdottedwith7-Elevens,thefootpathscrammedbothwithbackpackersandbusinessesmeanttocatertothem.Rentabikefromastandononesideofthestreet.WashyourclothesataLaundromatontheother.三人一辆的摩托车疾驰着来去。有的人在发短信，有的人在挠小猫，有的人在读书。这个地方到处有7-11便利店，到处都是背包客的足迹和尽力讨好他们的生意人。你可以在街道的一头租一辆自行车，骑行到街道另一头，在自助洗衣店清洗衣物。ThereisalsoanabundanceoftrekkingcompaniesinChiangMai,allofferingwhatseemlikesimilarpackages,sowepickedone,BuddyTours,thatwascheap,withaneasy-to-navigatewebsitethatwedlookedatwhilewewerestillkickingaroundBangkok.Wesignedupforwhatwasdescribedasatwo-day,one-nightjunglehike.清迈有很多短途旅行公司，提供类似的服务。我们选取了一个“伙伴旅程”，价格便宜，附带有一个我们在曼谷时就用的导航网站。我们签约参加的旅程是一个两天一夜的丛林远足。ThebeautifulelephantsofChiangMai. 清迈漂亮的大象Thetourcompanypickedusupinavanintownthenextmorning,andwemetourcompanions:threeCanadianscelebratingtheirrecentcollegegraduation,andaretiredcouplefromBelgium.EventuallyourdriverdepositedusinthebendofahillyroadsomewhereintheMaeTangvalley,andwesetoutwithourThaitourguide.Thetropicalwoodsthatwehikedthroughwereloudwiththeshriekingcacophonyofinsects,butitwastranquilallthesame.第二天早晨，旅游公司派出卡车到小镇上接我们，我们也见到了我们的旅伴：3个正在毕业旅行的澳大利亚人和一对来自比利时的退休夫妇。最后在美塘（MeaTang）山谷里，司机把我们丢在曲折的山路上，我们开始和我们的泰国向导上路。我们穿过的热带丛林里嗡嗡的昆虫声不绝于耳，但却一直感觉很静谧。Weplayedinwaterfalls,atefriedricepackagedupinbananaleaves,packedawayourwatchesbecausetherewasnoneedforthem.Ourguideknewthewoodslikesomeonewhohadbeeninthemhiswholelife,pickingherbs,spottingastickbugthatwasallbutinvisibletome,tryingtocoaxoutatarantulawhenheranacrossitshole.我们在瀑布里玩耍，吃包在香蕉叶子里的炒米。我们打包时没有带手表因为根本就没有必要。向导时不时地摘摘草药，指给我看我完全忽略掉的蝽甲，经过狼蛛洞穴时试图把它引出。他对这里熟悉到就像一生都在这里度过。DoiInthanon,ChiangMai,thehighestmountaininThailand. 因他农山国家公园，清迈，泰国最高的山Thateveningwestayedinaone-roomcabininahill-tribevillage,aplacewithatinyschoolandmaybeafewdozenhousesandnotmuchelse.那天晚上我们住在一个山村聚落的小屋里，只有一个房间。这里有一个很小的学校和十几户人家，然后别无它物。KidswearingshortsandT-shirtschasedeachotheraroundtheiryards,waterbuffalomeanderedonthesinglestreet,andintheevening,afterourguidecookeddinner,webuiltafireandsomeofthevillagersstoppedbytoseeussometosellhandmadebraceletsorbottledwaterandbeer,butsomejusttoseethefarangtheThaiwordforforeigner.孩子们穿着T恤和短裤在院子里相互追逐，水牛在唯一的街道上漫步。晚饭后，我们生起火，有当地的村民来看我们有的是为了卖掉手工的手镯或瓶装的水和啤酒，有的仅仅是为了来观看farang泰语里指外国人。Thebathroomwasanouthouse,whichIgotusedto,andbedwasablanketonawoodenfloor,whichmademybackache.Thenextmorning,ourguidecookedeggs,andwehikedagainandcooledoffinmorewaterfalls.Apick-uptrucktookustotheHuayPoengElephantCamp,wherewerodeelephantsandboughtthembananas,andthentoariverwhereguidesrowedusalongalazystreaminbamboorafts.厕所在屋外，这个我还能适应。但毯子加木板做成的简易床让我的背很疼。第二天，向导煮了鸡蛋，我们继续出发，对于沿途的瀑布也冷静了不少。后来一辆卡车接我们到华彭（HuayPoeng） 大象营。我们在那里骑象、给象买香蕉吃，然后去了一条河流。向导在缓缓的水流中为我们划竹筏。Imkeenlyawarethatgoingonatriplikethisrequiresyoutowrestlewiththeethicsofyourvisit.Theelephantswerodeseemedliketheyweretreatedfine,butthatdoesntmeanIdonthavedeeperquestionsaboutthemoralityofkeepingthemincaptivityjustfortouristslikemetoride.我很喜欢这种能够亲身体验当地生活的旅途。这里的大象似乎都是在不错的条件下驯养起来的，但我仍然质疑剥夺大象的自由、让它们一生为像我这样的游客服务是否合理。Takearivercruiseandvisitquaintvillages. 河上漫游和参观古雅的村庄Itbothersmewhenpeopleusewordslikeadorableorquainttodescribeavillageliketheonewevisited,whichmightseemlikepraisebutjustcomesoffascondescending.AndIdontpretendthatthiswasntatamewaytoroughit.Occasionallyyoufeellikeyoureinthemiddleofnowhere,andthenyouhappenuponaroadsidestandsellingpopsiclesandahousewithasatelliteTVdish.当别人使用迷人的、古雅的来形容我所去过的村庄，我总是会感到不安，因为它虽然听上是一句赞美，却让人感觉像是一种居高心下的施舍。我也不会假装过简单的生活没有它的乏味之处。有时候你感觉