Chiang Mai

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Our border crossing from Cambodia is notoriously the most grueling route in SE Asia. The “road” from Siem Reap turns to dirt, dust and bunkers, almost as if bombed in a recent air strike. The car attacked the road at 80km/h for just over 3 hours to get us into Thailand. I would have shares in suspension and tyres if I drove that road daily!

Once at the border we managed to get onward tickets to Bangkok, but bartered with the driver to drop us at the airport en route. We spent our time in the nations most expensive restaurant repacking our bags to loop hole the 15kg baggage allowance that we were most certainly over!

The flight was good and we were in Eagle House Guesthouse in Chiang Mai before we knew it. The next day we wandered around the town, taking in the certainly more relaxed Thai lifestyle.

Day two we woke early to get in the back of a pick-up truck and be relocated to go on our trek. We started on an elephant, marching in line through a deep mud track through jungle and up worryingly steep hills to great sights of the surrounding area.

We took in the hill tribe villages, silk-weaving women advertising and selling their 3 day work craft for 100 BAHT (1.40GBP).

On home to our pick up we climbed onto bamboo rafts and floating downstream assisted only by one Thai guy punting us, and Alex on the back holding a bamboo pole, but not really understanding the dynamics, ended up falling off the back due to reckless driving!

The torrential downpour overhead didn't kill the enjoyment, as the raft floated partially submerged anyway!

On our last day before heading South, we signed up for Thai cookery lessons, starting with a trip to the local food market to sample and purchase the needed ingredients for the day. We got to cook 5 dishes each and successfully added a new style of cuisine to our kitchen repertoire, under the influence of a very charismatic head chef “SPRING ROLL!!” (you probably had to be there..!)

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