Wednesday 5 February 2014

A desert stopover in Abu Dhabi

After four weeks in Thailand, it was time to fly home again. But as I had a layover time of 20 hours in Abu Dhabi, I decided to actually leave the airport and have a look at this part of the UAE. The stopover visa was free, and I paid for the one night hotel stay with vouchers I had won in a photography competition (finally found a use for them). Instead of walking through the city, I decided to experiende the Arabian desert with an evening safari.



Monday 3 February 2014

Top 3 Cheap Thai massages in Thailand (Bangkok and Chiang Mai)

During my four weeks in Thailand, I enjoyed several Thai massages - at 150 Baht each, there was never any doubt about the necessity of it (funny how every time I pass a massage parlour, some part of my body cries out in pain). The following three are my absolute favourites - they have in common their cheap price, privacy curtains around the beds, a change of loose clothes, a painful but replacing massage and a generally nice atmosphere.

1. Samsen 4 Thai Massage, Bangkok
Five minutes walk from backpacker street Khao San Road,  this little massage salon is tucked away in Samsen Soi 4. From the outside,  it looks a little seedy,  but I was desperate for one last cheap massage on my last day of my Thailand trip. But once inside, several women fussed over me, washing away Bangkok's dirt and dust from my feet and offering me some truly delicious green tea. The massage took place on the second floor in a nice cool room with curtains around every bed. My masseuse was young but her grip was one of the strongest I have experienced.  She actually stood and walked on my thighs and managed to give me the best ever Thai massage.

2. Nanthana Massage, Moon Muang Soi 6, Chiang Mai
This is the only place I've had both a one hour and a two hour Thai massage. There's always a great atmosphere here, lots of laughing and making jokes. A footbath is included.

3. Ampai Beauty Salon, Moon Muang Soi 6, Chiang Mai
Just opposite of 2), this little salon looks very similar to its neighbour. I didn't get my feet washed here, but was offered some water.  The massage was just as good as the others.

For more about pampering in Chiang Mai, see this blog entry.