©
Sébastien Cuzol
Thailand Travel Guide
©
Sébastien Cuzol
What is a guide if it's not someone genuinely proud and enthusiastic about their own country – positively biased even – who has decided to turn their passion into a career? A true son or daughter of the region? An altruistic native? Yes, these things too; because you have to have these qualities in order to want to share the treasures of your lands with others. Let me introduce you to some of the people who served as my guides.
Like many of us, I had something of an aversion towards guides. Firstly, I thought they would be after my money – I come from Auvergne in France, where the people are famous for being somewhat reluctant to part with their money! Secondly, I thought I could avoid employing the services of one by instead using a good guide … of the paper kind I mean. And finally, I tried to convince myself I'd be a lot better on my own, especially where the solitary side of my personality was concerned. But guess what? I was mistaken. In fact I was wrong on all counts. The first time I used a guide was in Bolivia. And it has to be said that if I had actually spent a week alone in the rainforest, I definitely wouldn't be sitting here now tapping away on this keyboard: I want to offer my thanks to him here again for bringing me out of there! I've now come to realise that guides are people who share the same passions I have: travelling and discovering new things.
Although there are maps covering the territories of northern Thailand available, the area's plants and wildlife have been extensively documented, and the people who live there have been much studied and written about, all this is no substitute for an experienced and knowledgeable guide. If you have a question, your guide will be able to answer it. It's a bit like having an offline Wikipedia with you. The guide I had when I was visiting the Chiang Mai region was simply brilliant! It's thanks to him that I had the opportunity to spend several days exploring the mountains, forests and valleys of the area, accompanied by the calls and songs of birds whose names I've now forgotten. As we passed through villages along the way, I got the chance to stock up on supplies and discretely participate in the everyday life of the indigenous people; and having a guide with me also meant I was able to learn some of the basic but nevertheless essential things to know if you want to gain a proper understanding of the local way of life. My guide also took me to see wonderful wild bays, showed me ancient river beds, and shed light on the habits and customs particular to the culture of Thailand. And something else he did was act as my translator/interpreter. With the ways and manners of the Thai people being somewhat … difficult, this last point is a particularly important one!
Additionally, and this is not something to be dismissed lightly, if you want to have someone with you to speak on your behalf and at least have some kind of planned structure for your trip to Thailand, the services of a guide can be of invaluable help in this respect: you won't end up wasting any of your time; you won't encounter any hassles; you'll have someone to whom you can explain your expectations and what you hope to see and do, and you'll have the reassurance of having his/her number with you in case you experience any mishaps. In many respects, and for anyone who wants to get the absolute most out of their trip to Thailand, enjoying the opportunity to visit places off the beaten track and travelling around with complete peace of mind, employing the services of a local guide who speaks your language represents an excellent option. It will mean you'll be able to enjoy a trip designed specifically for you, have access to the best tips and advice, and benefit from the skills of an expert haggler! Discovering Thailand is enjoyable, but discovering a whole other side to Thailand is even better!!
