The Real Housewife of Chiang Mai

Since blogging is the closest thing I have to a job right now and Sandeep is still working, I’m a housewife. The only brush I’ve had with being one before was maternity leave. I didn’t like it. Being without adult company for hours on end and not having professional goals drove me nuts. However, after almost two weeks as a Chiang Mai housewife, I’ve realized I am getting used to quite the luxurious life.

Here is my typical housewife day.

The morning starts at around 8 with the kids bouncing into bed. Be this time, Sandeep has already put in a couple of hours of work, is in a zone, and doesn’t want to be bothered.

The housekeeping crew comes in, does our dishes and cleans our apartment. At 9 our babysitter, Pang, arrives to give me a hand. We then call our driver and tuk tuk to take us for our morning excursion.

While we’re out, Pang occasionly takes care of the kids while I go shopping or get a massage. We eat lunch out and then come home in time for our private afternoon swimming class, which Sandeep joins.  Pang leaves in the afternoon, so I get the kids bathed and into bed for their naps. I then stroll to the neighborhood salon to get my hair blown out.

The kids wake up and the family goes for our evening outing, to a market, a temple, a restaurant or just a random walk. Tonight, Sandeep and I are going on our first date in Chiang Mai. I even went to the mall and got a dress for the event.

And this weekend, somehow we feel we need a getaway from this luxurious life  (Hamptons style?) and are heading north of Chiang Mai to Chiang Dao.

This all sounds quite obnoxious, so I am going to clarify now that part of the reason we chose Chiang Mai as our first base was to be pampered by low prices and ease of living. The large expatriate community here has equipped the city well for foreigners while still avoiding the chaos of Bangkok.

Here is what the goods and services I described above cost.

Housekeeping – included in our monthly rent
Babysitting – $3 an hour
Tuk tuk to city – $6 roundtrip
Massage – $5 an hour
Lunch out – $3
Private family swimming lesson – $12 an hour
Shampoo and blowdry – $2
Dress at the mall – $5
Weekend away – $25 per night at Chiang Dao Nest Resort

Anyway, this is a deviation form my real world and my days as a housewife are numbered. I may as well live it up.

19 Comments

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19 Responses to The Real Housewife of Chiang Mai

  1. Raman

    Hi Diya, have been enjoying your posts, looks and sounds like you are all having a wonderful time. lots of love, Suj & Raman

  2. Larry

    Hey there! Mum & I are thinking of retiring in Chiang Mai!! Any dog quarantine so we can take Marcus? Or do we have to pick up a pedigree off the street?

  3. Larry

    Mum says you look stunning in the $5 dress – so do I

  4. Jordana

    Oh the ladies at Wisteria Lane would have been so jealous! You are looking so beautiful! PS: Is Kayan learning to swim as well? xoxo

    • Diya

      Kayan is the best student of us all. I was restraining him from jumping into the pool with one hand while taking this picture with the other.

  5. Aruna

    D- You look gorgeous!! Thailand suits you but NYC still misses you! xoxoxo

  6. Sonal

    Hi Diya! Oh your post makes me jealous! I am so glad things are going well and you are having a great time in Thailand. the $5 massages sound incredible…I thought we had struck gold with those $30 massages in Mexico last year!

  7. The $5 massage put me over the top, Diya. Just paid $120 last week and thought I was getting a “deal” for a full 60 minutes … enjoy every blissful minute!

    MCJ

    • Diya

      Haha, yeah. It’s quite the luxury! The traditional Thai massage doesn’t have oil, but for $10 I can splurge for a more Swedish style massage.

  8. Aye

    Diya,
    You are looking great!!! You have that pure happiness glow….love reading about your life in Chaing Mai…living vicariously through you!!! Will you be making your way to Chiang Rai?

    • Diya

      We just got back from Chiang Dao and now we are looking for recommendations for a two day hike and hill tribe visit. Do you have any recommendations?

  9. wai mei

    love your posts! i’m still hoping i can meet you guys somewhere…

  10. Pingback: Family Travel: Around the World with Diya Luke | Desi Globetrotter

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