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I am James Geier, the intrepid pilgrim. Intrepid means being characterized by resolute fearlessness, fortitude, and endurance. I’m not sure I have resolute fearlessness; I do have fortitude and endurance. Pilgrim because I journey to foreign lands in seek of wisdom and enlightenment. This blog is a record of my travels over the past decade: yoga-focused winters in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and pilgrimage walks in Spain to Santiago de Compostela.

My winters in Chiang Mai are about daily yoga, meditation, and enjoying living for a short time in a very different culture with a different history.

My pilgrimage walks in Spain are on routes of the Camino de Santiago to the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain where the remains of Saint James are said to be interred. In spring of 2016 and autumn of 2017 I walked 500 miles from Saint Jean Pied de Port in southwestern France to Santiago de Compostela. In spring of 2023 I walked 440 miles from Seville in the south of Spain to Granja de Moreruela where I had to stop due to an injury. In spring 2024 I completed the walk I started in 2023, 260 miles from Zamora to Santiago de Compostela.

I am a former computer system administrator in the healthcare sector in San Diego and Los Angeles. I am a road cyclist and former racer for more 50 years, and have been an avid yoga student for the past 16 years.

My Latest Posts

  • Railway Station Walk 4 – Back to Chiang Mai
    by James Geier
    Sunday 4 January 2026 Back to the main part of Chiang Mai after seeing the Railway Station After walking from central Chiang Mai to the Railway Station, then along the railway yards, and finally crossing the railway, I am now headed back towards central Chiang Mai. I am walking west along a local road, Rat… Read more: Railway Station Walk 4 – Back to Chiang Mai
  • Railway Station Walk 3 – Approach Yards
    by James Geier
    Sunday 4 January 2026 Walking by the Chiang Mai Railway Station approach yards I left the Chiang Mai Railway Station and east a short distance on Charoen Muang Road to the next intersection. This road is called “Road Along the Railway” on Google Maps, and is indeed a road along the railway. I highly suspect… Read more: Railway Station Walk 3 – Approach Yards
  • Railway Station Walk 2 – The Railway Station
    by James Geier
    Sunday 4 January 2026 Revisiting the Chiang Mai Railway Station I continued walking along Charoen Muang Road focusing on the uneven and sometimes non-existant sidewalk and suddenly – not really suddenly, but sooner than I expected, I was at the Chiang Mai Railway Station. The original station opened in 1922. In 1943, while the Japanese… Read more: Railway Station Walk 2 – The Railway Station
  • Railkway Station Walk 1 – Before the Station
    by James Geier
    Sunday 4 January 2026 Returning to the Railway Station Walk It is Sunday and I have no yoga, no strength training, and no hikes on my schedule. I decided to take a long walk to the railway station, revisiting the same walk I made the last two winters. I’ll break this into three or four… Read more: Railkway Station Walk 1 – Before the Station
  • Food in Chiang Mai 2
    by James Geier
    Thursday 01 January 2026 Happy New Year! Let’s eat dinner! [This is the second of two food-related blog posts.] As I said, I eat food every day…every day. And while I am here in Thailand, I eat Thai food most days. A question I was often asked after my first few winters in Chiang Mai… Read more: Food in Chiang Mai 2
  • Food in Chiang Mai 1
    by James Geier
    Thursday 01 January 2026 Happy New Year! Let’s eat! [I’m spitting this blog post into two, because there is so much food to show.] I eat food every day…every day. And while I am here in Thailand, I eat Thai food most days. A question I was often asked after my first few winters in… Read more: Food in Chiang Mai 1
  • A Day in the Life
    by James Geier
    Monday 29 December 2025 A Day in the Life … Me in Chiang Mai … there are many days. Reflecting on my life here in Chiang Mai, a recurring question that surfaced during my early winters—when I spent a month or more here—still echoes: “you were there for a month; what did you do every day?”… Read more: A Day in the Life
  • Countdown 2026 Preparation & Decorations
    by James Geier
    Late December 2025 Observing preparations and decorations for the Chiang Mai Countdown 2026 Celebrations Thailand’s Queen Mother Sirikit passed away on 24 October 2025 at the age of 93. Her death marked the end of a life dedicated to public service, cultural preservation, and humanitarian efforts. Sirikit was Queen of Thailand from 28 April 1950… Read more: Countdown 2026 Preparation & Decorations
  • Klong Mae Kha North
    by James Geier
    Saturday 20 December 2025 Walking along the Klong Mae Kha north of Tha Phae Road I go out walking in Chiang Mai every day, some short walks, some longer. I enjoy the walk, seeing whatever I see along the way, and seeing what has changed from previous winters in Chiang Mai. Some of my walks… Read more: Klong Mae Kha North
  • Wat Phra Singh
    by James Geier
    Monday 15 December 2025 Return to an important Chiang Mai temple, Wat Phra Singh A note: I am much delayed in this blog post. While my life in Chiang Mai seem simple, I have gotten very busy lately. I practice yoga at Wild Rose Yoga at least three times weekly, there is strength training at… Read more: Wat Phra Singh
  • Wat Suan Dok 2: The Temple
    by James Geier
    Monday 15 December 2025 Returning to an important historic temple Continuing my walk west on Suthep Road, eventually I came to the historic Wat Suan Dok. The temple campus is also the home of a university. Several of the more significant and large temples also have a four-year, accredited university on their campus. So, while… Read more: Wat Suan Dok 2: The Temple
  • Wat Suan Dok 1: Along the Way
    by James Geier
    Monday 15 December 2025 Sights along the way walking to an historic temple, Wat Suan Dok Feeling the need for a little adventure before diving back into frequent yoga practice and strength training, I decided to take a walk out to see Wat Suan Dok again. Along the way there are also a couple of… Read more: Wat Suan Dok 1: Along the Way