Northern Thailand April 2012

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With Mark feeling a little better we leave Hua Hin and fly to Chiang Mai. The Imperial Mae ping hotel is great, cheap price with 2 swimming pools. Weather getting hot averaging 37c and no signs of rain. This placed is chilled out, night markets and fresh seafood to keep you eating for weeks. Would recommend Riverside Restaurant on a weekend when they bring in bands to play all night. Real popular with the locals singing Coldplay like I have never heard before! Weekend walking streets are fun too, with so much to buy your spoilt for choice, shame our backpacks couldn't take the purchases :-( We didn't venture too far with mark feeling up and down but on a good day we tried Johns Place. A sports bar just inside the city walls. Too much to drink and a long walk home followed with mark insisting the reason he could not walk in a straight line was due to his bad back. He even insisted telling the security guards this ridiculous story. The next day complete memory loss!

After a few days we decided to head north to Pai, hearing so much about this hippie village gave me high expectations. Pai Iyara was our resort and I could not recommend it enough. £11 a night for a bungalow overlooking the mountains with an infinity pool which for a few days we had to ourself. The staff are attentive and when Mark went down with yet another illness!!!!! They could not have done anymore for us. So mark gets BPPV an inner ear problem like vertigo. Drunk without the fun. Doc says could take up to 8 weeks to clear! So Pai becomes our home. During our time here this places just grows and grows on you. Some great people show up and the town learns our drink order! To start with I did not see the fascination people had with this place but after a few days we were so relaxed we did not want to leave. If u ever get the chance you must give it a try. Although there were more people with dreadlocks than i have ever seen before it was not complusory nor was hanging out in coffee bars all day. The town comes alive after 5pm when the walking street turns into lots of mini eateries. Pai fries in banana leaf cones and spicey chicken nuggets are a must try. As is the homemade rum and raisin ice cream.

Pai canyons are a nice escape but very high with sheer drops each side of the path making me even get a touch of dizziness. Mark with his fear of heights did very well, but at times I thought we might be stranded up there. Take a look at the pics and you will see why. A big hello to Angoon for making our time here so pleasant. We will be back very soon.

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