Happy Chinese New Year!

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It's Chinese New Year today and we were woken in our guesthouse to the sound of (loud) firecrakers. Chang Mai is in Northern Thailand and near the Chinese border. We went to Chinatown last night as an extremely friendly man in the street told us there would be a parade and dragon dancing. Turns out, that is happening tonight, but there were many street stalls selling yummy food. We have become connoisseurs of chicken and pork skewers over here.

Thailand is a fantastic country to visit. The people are warm and crazily chatty, the food delicious, the infrastructure all works and the prices are cheap! As such we have got a lot from our Baht and enjoyed Bangkok, Khao Yai National Park, Sukothai and now Chang Mai. We don't have time for the beaches in the south on this trip - we'll have to come back! Bangkok is a fantastic city and we are both pleased we have the chance to return for a few days before flying on to Mumbai. We had a week to wait for our Indian visa (a hassle-free process compared to 8 hours of waiting in line in London!) so saw all the sights, including the awesome Grand Palace, Wat Pho, where the reclining Buddha er.... reclines, Jim Thompson's house (he's the guy who imported all the silk and started the trading route to the US in the 1940's). We also saw a kick-boxing night where the atmosphere was incredible and of course, checked out the infamous night markets, resisting the cheap plastic Gucci handbags!

In the National Park, we spent two days watching gibbons frolick, bats fly from their cave in their millions to find food, and elephants block the traffic on the road. We then bussed it to Sukothai, the ancient capital of Thailand and spent a lazy day cycling around the ruins. The old walled city is a very tranquil place, though we also enjoyed the hoards of Thai children on school trips keen to try out their English!

We have now been in Chang Mai for 3 days and fly out to Luang Prabang in Laos this afternoon. Chang Mai is the most touristy, traveller-full place we have been in a while. The highlight was a cooking course where we went to a local farm to learn how to cook spring rolls, green curry, tom yum gai and other Thai staples. Who knew?! I CAN cook!!

Must rush for flight now... hope all is well with all back home. More to follow from Vietnam........

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Photos

The Grand Palace, Bangkok
Warriors defend one of the palaces in the huge complex

Bats in the Belfry
Millions fly out for dinner in Khao Yai Park

Elephant crossing
In Khao Yai National Park

Chang Mai
In 'monk school'

Sukothai
The very anciet ruins of Thailand's first capital