Chiang Mai

The main aim of my journey to Chiang Mai was to travel North, see the countryside by train, visit some famous temples and a trip to see some mighty elephants (so mighty they will have their own page on here)

After a sad goodbye to Dan and Tash and Bangkok I headed to Bangkok Station with plenty of time to spare until my sleeper train to Chiang Mai. I assumed there was just one train station in Bangkok, just like most major cities in the world, not !! Yes, I had gone to the wrong station! So a very quick turnaround to find the new station and got there just in time!

Sleeper trains are definitely the way forward, for someone my size anyway, I relaxed and when the time came, slept like a dream! Arrived in Chiang Mai relatively refreshed and ready to explore.

Chiang Mai is considered the second capital city of Thailand. It covers a big area but the interesting part for me and most tourists is the old city. Very walkable and interesting. I took myself off for a quick wander to find my feet, do some tour investigations and just generally get a feel for the place, as usual. First day was very hot and it all felt a bit unbearable in a city I was unfamiliar with.

The following day I joined a walking tour of the city and learnt the history of Chiang Mai from our wonderful guide, Pailin. We learnt that there are 32 temples in Chiang Mai and visited 4 of them on our walk, so very beautiful and all very different. She taught us a lot about Buddhism (I think it's my favourite religion!), we learnt how to pay respect to Lord Buddha and how to sit and pray correctly. A very interesting lady even if she did ask me if I was retired like her 😂. The tour finished at 1 which was good as its so hot here. Thailand is in the hottest season and I've been told that it's especially hot this year! Lucky I've got a little pool where I'm staying. So time to chill and change my normal timetable, go out in the evening rather than all day!

Chiang Mai has a sense of Europe about it, so many tourists and some familiar shops, I may have cheered a little when I could go into Boots and get a familiar moisturiser! But it is mixed with Thai cultures, religion and great traditional food and even a Michelin starred restaurant where I ate the most amazing Tom Yum for 50 Thai bhat.

Chiang Mai is a hub for shopping, street food and culture. It has 2 weekend walking streets, one being right outside my door which was fun. Hustling and bustling but not suffocating with street traders hassling you, very calm, chilled, great music and a really nice experience but unfortunately with one back pack and a years worth of clothing, I've no space for anything! Another reason to come back to Thailand.

After 5 days here, in the end I decided I would like to come back. There are a few key places I would like to visit at a less hot time time of the year, like the Monks trail to the Doi Suthep temple and the national park Doi Inthanon but you can only do so much! I'm just lucky to be here.

Seperate posts in coming for the elephants and the fabulous temples of Chiang Rai.Read more