Location

Thailand
  [ ] Bangkok
  [ ] Chiang Mai

Travel Dates

2018.12.23 - 2019.01.03

Camera

Leica M6

Film Stocks

FUJI 200, FUJI FILM PRO 400H, KODAK EKTACHROME 100, KODAK PRO IMAGE 100

Travel Notes

I booked my flight to Thailand on a whim, hearing friends were hanging out in Chiang Mai. After a month in Sri Lanka I has gotten bit hard by the travel bug and wanted to go anywhere but home.

I could also use a short stop in Bangkok to develop film at the infamous PHOTOCITY. I had first heard about this lab from a post on the Film Based Traveler site. It would be my first time using this shlabp and even though the prices were the cheapest I had ever paid to develop film, I'm not sure the low quality is worth the cheep savings. The people were kind and developed a lot of film in a fast amount of time, but the lab technician effed up on the lab chemicals/timings and ruined a number of the BW rolls of film. Not cool! 😱  

It was this trip I decided on a dress code I would wear everyday. As a huge fan of ACDC I went with the local schoolboy outfit ala Angus Young. I found a cheap setup at a stall in the local market and I was set. It was a wild hit with everyone I would meet. I would walk down the street and get honked at, local people erupting in laughter after catching sight of me. It shows innocence and willingnes to play and helped break down the invisible wall, just a little, between traveler and local. I thought it a huge success.

Once in Chiang Mai I found myself floating on a hotel in the middle of a large national park lake surrounded by yogis and playing lots of chess. The food and freshness of fruits was amazing. Om Waters will always have a special place in my heart.

Back in town from the lake we took day trips to small villages, shopped in art markets, ate the best Khao Soi noodles at Aroon Rai, and lit floating lanterns on New Years Eve.

My Leica stayed with me throughout the trip and at this point was slowly become my go-to travel equipment. There's no other camera I would prefer to bring with me while backpacking. It lets me be in the moment and stays in the background when asked. Most importantly, it takes amazing photos.