Back to Chiang Mai....

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Kris
After our stay in Pattaya we wanted to revisit the north - as it's about a year since we were there. There were places we wanted to see that we missed last time and places we wanted to revisit before we leave the country. So hopped on an overnight train and headed for Chiang Mai.

As I'm generally rubbish at sleeping on sleeper trains and as Kate can generally sleep anywhere, we decided on getting standard seating for the night. That way I could read if I wanted and Kate could snore and drool with her face pressed against the train window. Plus, from previous experience we know that if you get a seating carriage and not a sleeper you get free food and drink! It's very much like being on an aeroplane.

Anyway, there was initially little to note about the journey until we spotted some of our co-passengers bizarre luggage. An hour or so into the trip a woman a little further up the carriage appeared carrying a live crab by the leg. She was grinning and passing it to a friend who quickly slipped it into an old beer crate. I thought this was quite odd and wondered if I was seeing things. Then, from the overhead luggage store I saw another crab appear and then fall directly into someone's lap. I'm pleased it wasn't mine. I think I'd have been freaked out to be sat dozing on a train and have a live crab suddenly land on my lap from above. It's just not something you come to expect. Anyway, it seemed that the group of people sitting in front of us were transporting crabs in several old cardboard boxes that once held Chang beer. Seeing their chance when safely placed on the overhead luggage storage shelf the crabs had clearly made a bid for freedom. We're actually not sure if any of them made it. The rack was fully laden with people's bags so it wasn't impossible one could have stowed away. Luckily ours were on the other side.

Chiang Mai and Scarbrough

There's nothing that amazing to pass on about this visit to Chiang Mai - so I'll keep it brief. We went to the giant Night Bizaar to Christmas shop and see Thai dancing....we went to Doi Sutthep - a beautiful temple on a hill up lots and lots of steps and almost had a heart attack during the climb. Oh, we also met up with one of Kate's friends from Brewood who's working in CHiang Mai. That was an interesting night. We met some Thai blokes - one of which had been to England and liked drinking in Wetherspoons. He'd stayed in Scarbrough and told us all about it.
Hmm.
That's about it really.
Then we got a bus to Mae Sareing...

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Photos

Thai dancing
some story about a hunter and a deer (the deer is the guy with the silver head-dress.

Khao Soy
Northern Thai food, its basically noodles in chicken curry soup. Its yummy.

White elephant monument
apparently the King wanted a site to bury some Buddha remains. He sent an elephant up the hill, where it collapsed and died. He took that as a sign that this was the location for the temple and thus, built Doi Suthep there. Bad luck for the elephant, but at least it got a memorial statue.

Golden Buddha statues
in Doi Suthep temple

Lots of gold statues
at Doi Suthep temple

Scenes from Buddha's life
were all around the temple at Doi Suthep

quizzical gold tortoise
by the temple.

Bells around the temple
people were walking the surrounds of the temple ringing all of the bells.

With Sian in Chiang Mai
(Kate's friend from Brewood) and some Thai blokes. There was a discussion about Dracula going on when this photo was taken, so I think Kate is being a bat, Kris is being Winona Ryder and Sian is being Dracula. Although I could be totally wrong.