North to Chiang Mai

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We enjoyed our time in Krabi Province but it was draining time and money. Our plan is to eventually find the Laos border crossing at Chiang Khong far to the North, so to get us back on schedule we set our sights on Chiang Mai.
We catch a local bus from Krabi town to the main bus station and then a coach to Surat Thani. From there we catch another local bus to Tha Kham and board a night train to Bangkok. We spend a day exploring what we can of this huge city before boarding another night train to Chiang Mai arriving at 10am the following morning.

We stay in a cosy guest house within the old town walls where for breakfast and dinner the host serves us home cooked massaman curry which is absolutely delicious!
There is a wealth of temples, markets, waterfalls and natural beauty to be found in and around Chiang Mai which we explore on what has become our obligatory hired motorbike.


Journal excerpts:

Tom: "...Chiang Mai is a melting pot of cultural influences full of Universities, trendy student bars and coffee shops. We seem to fit right in here amongst the worldly Thai students which often have dreadlocks of their own or follow other alternative fashions. Tonight we are hailed by a group of young Thais occupying a street corner with huge mohawks, tarten, safety pins and a ghetto blaster. Who said punk was dead!..."

Ness: "...Surrounding the ruined walls of the old quarter motorbikes swarm like insects round a light. A teeming urgency with seemingly no particular organisation or individual destination as motorists absently pull out in to traffic with complete lack of awareness or self preservation. I hold on with white knuckles as Tom attempts to negotiate a way through the chaos while getting used to a larger bike with gears...."

Tom: "...20km north of the city up winding mountain roads we visit the the famous temple of Wat Suthep. From here you can see the whole of Chiang Mai sprawled out below and makes a wondrous place to sit and watch the sun set as monks go about their daily chores amidst golden statues, tree lined courtyards and evocative Lanna architecture...."

Ness: "...We climb down the steep crude steps in to the untamed jungle, life is thick around us. The tree canopy high overhead almost obscures the sky. A high pitched squawk accompanies a chorus of different alien sounds. A deep penetrating buzz with varying tones seems to come from the air itself, swamping the senses and making the jungle seem close and claustrophobic. We notice a bamboo and cloth structure set ominously below the cliff edge and hold back to watch for any activity. We walk over wooden planks that span a fatal drop and continue along the narrow path. We suddenly stumble across a group of silent orange clad Buddhist monks who have made a large shrine in the caves under the rock face and apparently live in this remote spot. They seem as surprised as we are to see us and feeling slightly awkward we bow and take our leave...."

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Comments

[Jo Wrigley]

Happy Belated Birthday !!!
Hi Ness Hope you are keeping well, happy birthday for the other day. Glad you are having a fab time - I'm showing the kids and Dad where you are, keep safe hun. All our love Jo, Ren,Kids and Dad xxxxxxx