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Little Wandering Dippy Wren

Hello, hello how are we all doing? All is good in my little world here in Thailand. I've just got back into my Bangkok nest from a wonderful trip to Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. 

Without the 40 million overseas visitors that were anticipated here in 2020, life is tough for those in the tourism industry. I am trying to do my bit and get out and about, to see more of the country whilst things are quiet.

It is an amazing time to travel, there are some incredible deals for locals, thankfully! It's a good job too as unfortunately, I did something a bit dim! 

Have you ever been on holiday without your purse? Yep, no money, no credit card, nothing! I don't recommend it unless you 

A. want to lose weight or 

B. want to update your LinkedIn profile with Born Survivor!

I'm on a quest to check out Thailand at the moment for the solo female traveller. We have a super safe country for female travel. I'm in the most popular demographic (over 50's) for solo travel. So I was all alone when I realised that my purse was in another handbag! Please tell me there are others out there who have done the same?! What did you do?

Here goes - time to pray to the travel gods!

I am probably not going to get any sympathy from those of you who are still in lockdown ... It's so harsh looking at all the differences across the world and yet we are freely able to travel here in Thailand. I am sending much love to those who are not able to travel. Hello to you in Melbourne!

Be like a butterfly and fly anyway!


What would you do?

1. Option One: Could I get home and return before departure?

I have been dropped off at the airport by our company driver, I call him back...

The sad thing is that I am normally Little Miss Completely Early for everything, three hours before an international flight and two hours before a domestic flight. However, we are now becoming spoilt with domestic travel here in Thailand. With no international flights (well, only the occasional repatriation flight or cargo plane), flying domestically here in Thailand at the moment is a breeze. Every flight so far has taken off on time, I just rock up 45 mins before departure.

I had no time to get home and get my wallet

The cheery bright lanterns of Wat Inthakhin Saduemuang


Option 2: With many flights to Chiang Mai, could I delay my flight to give me enough time to get home and get my wallet?

Answer: No. I have bought an Air Asia Unlimited Flight Pass which needs to be booked 3 weeks prior to take off. I am only allowed 3 no-shows before the pass becomes null and void. I am at one no-show already I couldn't risk another...

I have no option but to get on the flight and the clock is ticking!

Up, up and away with Air Asia


Option 3: Will the Bangkok Bank Airport branch let me withdraw money from our bank account using my passport as ID
?

No! It appears that as I am not the primary account holder they will not help. No time for a quick paddy, tantrum or sob, sob ... what to do, what to do?

It's only going to be window shopping for me in Chiang Mai

Option 4:  Can you speak to my husband and he will transfer some money to the Airport Bank and then you give it to me? Can you tell desperation is kicking in?! 

Answer: No! Sorry, our bank protocol prohibits this...


Option 5: Can Bangkok Bank help me at all?

Answer:  No!

My favourite temple in Chiang Mai - Wat Umong Matherachan


Option 6: I ask the driver who by has just returned if he has any money? 

I am sure this is breaking every company protocol myself, but luckily this is Thailand. Not only has he sweetly returned without a faff, he tells me he has the company parking kitty!

Answer: Yes! Bingo!

Having sweetly handed over all the dosh in his envelope and my purse now jangling with a whole load of coins. It feels like Christmas, and I set off for three days solo travel with a drum roll of 64 USD! 

Northern Thai Textiles as found in the Lanna Folklife Museum


Luckily if there is one country in the world where you can live quite cheaply it is Thailand! There are a whole load more tales to be told but luckily I survived (with the help of Mr Wren transferring the money directly to pay for the hotels!) 

It was like Christmas when I checked into the first hotel and there was a free mini-bar! With all the excitement of a kid on an Easter Egg hunt I opened the door of the fridge to find one can of Coke, and a can of Sprite. Normally I would no sooner drink rat's pee, than these two drinks, but beggars can't be choosers! 

I downed the lesser of the two evils, the Sprite which put me on such a sugar high that I decided that the can of Coke would have been a serious health risk...



















For my next trick and re-energised I set off in search of every backpacker's dream dinner. A cheese toastie from 7-11, cost 35 Baht ($1.50 AUS) Not bad!

Post-sprite and toastie, I lay awake all night worrying. What if anything at all happened to me, or I was run over by a 10-year-old on a moped, yes this in Thailand?  I would have no way to pay for any emergency. It was a sobering thought...


Coconut tree shadow on the road

But then this IS Thailand and after all, nothing did happen to me. I had the most magical time. Phew! 

I hope you have enjoyed some of the photos from my wanders! For more on my Thailand travels, please find me at littlewanderingwren.com



If you would like to keep up with my daily travels, do feel free to follow along on my Facebook page at LittleWanderingWren 

It's been lovely to see you all here! I will be popping over to visit you all soon, where ever you are reading this in the world.

Have a great week and bye for now. 


Linking with thanks to Angie at Mosaic Monday and all the hosts at Our World Tuesday 







Comments

eileeninmd said…
Hello,

Oh wow, what a story. I would have been a nervous wreck. I am glad your driver was able to give you the cash. That was awesome.. Love the beautiful flower and the temple. Lovely sights. Take care, enjoy your day!
Sami said…
I would certainly panic if I found I had no wallet with me. So glad the taxi driver was able to help out.
Lovely photos of your trip Wren. We are lucky in Western Australia because we are Covid free and our borders have been closed to all other States, so we can only travel within our State.
Terra said…
I admire you for keeping on with your travels, even when at first you found no help from the bank. You were creative in surviving. I would have been tempted to not get on that plane, to return to get my wallet and take a later flight, but it all turned out well. The temple you show is beautiful.
Crimson Kettle said…
What a nice taxi driver coming to your rescue. Your trips are certainly packed with surprises! x
Margaret D said…
Goodness that wasn't the best thing to do as you realized.
Your phone, pay with your phone and in tap and go...didn't think of that!
Your journey was interesting along with the photos.
Take care and it's good you can travel and see things without the tourists butting in..
Maggie said…
Wren, I am in awe. I just couldn't have done what you did at all. I would have jumped back in that car and gone home. You are so brave, well done. Amazing photos, love armchair travelling with you.
Cynthia said…
I was on the edge of my seat until the driver came through with cash. I knew with $64 you would manage to make an adventure, not a disaster! I must say, I so envy even your budget travels. We are still holed up at our home address, hiding from Covid.
Jeanie said…
Wow -- what a great driver. I thought you might have the wallet, etc. fedxed or whatever they do there like that to your destination. I never thought of Thailand as all that safe so you are doing them a great service!
Nancy Chan said…
Wow! You are a brave girl! I would have panicked and abandoned the flight. So wonderful of the driver to be able to hand over some cash to you. You went ahead and have a great time.
Anita said…
Wow what an experience!I never have lost/forgot my wallet

Must had been an terrible situation.Glad it worked out

Beautiful photoes You are soo lucky travelling there!
Wish you a great weekend in the sun..Here the rain has started heavy, heavy like a wall of rain
'See you beautiful
So pleased that the taxi driver was able to help you out.
Take care.

All the best Jan
Hi friend... I´m glad for you... In Spain the situation is not good again.. :-(
Enjoy your week and stay safe... Cheers
Lady Fi said…
What a story - glad it worked out. Am jealous of your travels!
Tom said…
...beautiful, colorful and exotic!!!
Oh my! I was hanging on every word! How worrisome to START a trip that way! Maybe we need to tuck something in another place when we travel. I've heard of purses being stolen....eeeee! But you did great and had a nice time. My blog readers don't even like that I hike by myself...you are brave to travel by yourself! Glad it was a good trip! Hugs!
Angie said…
Well, Dippy Wren, your picture is now in Wikipedia under "Intrepid Traveler". You are impressive. Love the shot with the lanterns and the mosaic with the moth and flower. What type of flower is that? Thanks for sharing your adventure with everyone at Mosaic Monday!
Fun60 said…
Love the photos. What an adventure. I prob would have gone back. It has happened to me once, many, many years ago returning home from Ireland. It was a long trip home by boat, train and then a bus journey. I had no food or money but the boat and train were paid for. It is the only time in my life I had to ask strangers for their small change to get enough money for the bus. Never again I vowed! Well done you.
This is certainly a story for the record books! I'm sure it's an adventure you won't be anxious to repeat but it just proves that ingenuity will get you through.
Linda said…
Wow! I cannot imagine. In the old days, I would have gone to the American Express office for help, but I don't have their card anymore.
Wow, what a way to make travel more interesting! If there is someone who can survive it with grace, it would be you, I would probably have gone back home.
Amalia
xo
DeniseinVA said…
Sorry to hear you forgot your purse but that is truly something I can see myself doing. It was sweet of your driver to give you his money and I’m happy that it all worked out. Super to be in a place where you feel comfortable traveling alone and so freely, and we get the benefit of seeing these wonderful photos. Thank you for sharing them, I enjoyed my armchair traveling :)
Tom said…
...a colorful destination!
Birgitta said…
Cool post and beautiful photos!
Gattina said…
I would have loved to have the same adventures as you ! Instead of travelling in my armchair and digging out old photos ! I never travelled without my bank card, but once I crossed to border (when there were still one ) from Belgium to France ! Of course they stopped me and put me in a cell while calling the German Embassy in Brussels. It was a nice cell without any criminal ! After a while they released me because they had realized that it was Sunday and the embassy closed ! I had to sign a paper that I would show my passport next day in Brussels ! At least these are adventures you never forget, when everyting goes smooth you forget.
What a worrisome beginning to your trip! I'm glad it all worked out in the end. I am a little OCD compulsive worrier so I would have checked my wallet a million times before leaving home but I do admit to leaving an important medication at home on a domestic trip and them spending the first day of my trip calling my doctor to get a new temporary prescription and then filling it at a pharmacy. That experience made me even more OCD...lol
MICHAEL JAY said…
I saw a comment here a few weeks ago about Dr Akhere and i decided to contact him as instructed, thanks to this man for bringing joy to me as wished for. i followed instructions which he gave in other to get my lover back who left me and the kids for 3years now, but thanks to Dr Akhere because they are back to me now for good and we are happy together. please do contact him for help too if in relationship problem via email at: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com or call/whatsapp:+2349057261346 . And testify for yourself.



























































I saw a comment here a few weeks ago about Dr Akhere and i decided to contact him as instructed, thanks to this man for bringing joy to me as wished for. i followed instructions which he gave in other to get my lover back who left me and the kids for 3years now, but thanks to Dr Akhere because they are back to me now for good and we are happy together. please do contact him for help too if in relationship problem via email at: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com or call/whatsapp:+2349057261346 . And testify for yourself.

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