We knew that it will take a long time by train to get to the north of Thailand, yo Chiang Mai, but we preferred to travel that way instead of flying or taking a more expensive bus.
At the train station a Thai guy helped us buying a ticket for the train, we did not go to the central train station so no one else was around speaking English and we both did not learn Thai. Now we left Bangkok after spending some great days here with good company.
After spending the night in a train we had to rest before we could get into town and take a look around. Well this time it was me who was so tired, Bernd slept good in the train and was not willing to give me a break, so he forced me to go into town with him.
First we went to a temple and heard some noises like someone is playing ping pong. And not the way they do it in the shows in Bangkok. When we got closer we saw monks playing ping pong, very surprising.
We did not manage to take a good picture of them so we took a closer look to the temple and kept on walking.
In a garden we saw many sculptures staying around, it seemed to be some kind of open air warehouse or a stone carvers workshop.
Next place we went to was the park. There we relaxed for a long time and also could watch some artists practising. In Chiang Mai I had one déjà vu after another, remembering going through the park with my friends and a lot of other things and places.
Later that evening we decided to rent some motorbikes and make a round trip more to the north. The next day are started early in the morning and left to get to Chiang Dao, a town not to far away in the north.
After finding a great place to stay for the night we went to Tham Chiang Dao and inside the caves.
We had to take a guide to go to through the caves, first it was not so satisfying having a guide but it really felt that you may easily get lost here.
When it was already dark we went to the hit springs not that far away and took a relaxing bath, this time was no one around charging money for the entrance making it even better. After taking a bath we went to a restaurant located next to a rice field with life music. A lovely place. Too bad that the pics are so dark.
The next day we got into the higher mountains and got a very good view above the jungle and the valleys, some places there especially the camp side on top of a mountain invited to stay there and see the sunset and sunrise, but we had to keep on going.
On our way we stopped after one of the many check points around here at a small cafe to refill our energy and get a break. surprisingly no one wanted to see our ids or even stopped us there. Bernd saw there a bicycle and was thinking of taking it for the rest of the day, but seeing that it will be going up the hill soon again made him go back yo his motorised vehicle.
At about noon we arrived in Arunothai, realising that we had a stowaway on our bike, Bernd wanted to get the butterfly on his hand like I did it month ago in the metro in Rome, but he flew away when he got closer.
In Arunothai first we strengthened our self with good and spicy food before exploring the market. At the market we tried several different fruits and nuts, all tasting great.
On our way back to Chiang Dao we wanted to stop at a national park to see a waterfall and again go to some hot springs, but we did not get in, because we are not Thai they charged there ten times as much for the entrance fee, so we headed to the entrance for the hot springs only. Disappointingly they wanted the same amount of money. After a few minutes of talking with them they let us in with the same price Thais get. Sometimes asking and being friendly helps.
Our second day on the road trip ended again in Chiang Dao, the next morning we left and got on the long way to Pai, a town known for parties, festivals and being some kind of hippie area.
For us it was not a long stay in Pai, but we really enjoyed it and had a good time at the street market, the bars and the other travelers we met there.
Next time we have to stay longer in Pai and then there should be a festival, we just came there between two festivals. Rather early we started again our trip this morning. It was a long way back to Chiang Mai to go. Especially because we did not want to go on the easier way back.
Again through the mountains, up and down the curvy roads.
Late in the evening we arrived back in Chiang Mai at our guesthouse, Bernd was so hungry that he was close to eat a chair.
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