Nov 18, 2009 - Singapore - Changi Airport

On my way home now.at Changi Airport - had a chance to say goodbye to Jit (my friend the taxi-driver in Chiang Mai) as he drove me to the airport. ... Very sad to leave.On my way home now.at Changi Airport - had a chance to say goodbye to Jit (my friend the taxi-driver in Chiang Mai) as he drove me to the airport. ... Very sad to leave....

Nov 17, 2009 - Tomorrow is my return travel start

I have had the most amazing trip this time. I have been walking and walking around the east side of Chiang Mai old town, and checking in to the ENP office a couple of times I have twice had 'dinner' with Michelle (and friends). ... I had dinner with Lek and her friends at her restaurant last night.I have had the most amazing trip this time. I have been walking and walking around the east side of Chiang Mai old town, and checking in to the ENP office a couple of times I have twice had 'dinner' with Michelle (and friends). ... I had dinner with Lek and her friends at her restaurant last night....

Nov 15, 2009 - ENP visit is done and back in Chiang Mai

Hello! I am sorry to not be posting as I go along.I am sorry, but I will make it worth your while :-) only two more days in Chiang Mai. ...

Nov 4, 2009 - Chiang Mai

Hello Everyone! So I am in Chiang Mai right now, and having a blast. ... Anyways, I'll move on to Chiang Mai! I was helped my many people on my way here, the most helpful was definitely a couple who helped me get to my hotel on the way to theirs and even payed for my cab fare! The past few days I have literally just been wandering around the city, making friends with street vendors and tuk-tuk drivers. ... Chiang Mai is great! Just walking across a bridge the other night, as the festival was in full swing, these 3 people ran up to me and handed me a bunch of fireworks and sparklers, for the hell of it, and they didn't want any money for them. ...

Oct 29, 2009 - Chiang Mai, Thailand

Hi everyone, Well it has been quite a few days since my last blog, but we have been so busy here in Chiang Mai that I haven't had the time. ... We took a cab twice and it took about 1 hour to get to somewhere like 15km away! Our second day in Bangkok was a bit of a loss, we didn't do very much and went to the airport pretty early to catch our flight to Chiang Mai. ... Chiang Mai has been great! Our hosts, David and Jo (friends of our cousin Rene), were absolutely fantastic. ... I can't wait to show you all the pics! Yesterday, we had a full day around Chiang Mai with our host David and his mother-in-law from Scotland. ...

Sep 23, 2009 - Scuba diving in Ko Tao

That's right, Lindsey, Jeff and I are officially scuba certified! We spent 3 days learning how to scuba in the beautiful waters of Thailand and had a great time (despite my massive head cold.That's right, Lindsey, Jeff and I are officially scuba certified! We spent 3 days learning how to scuba in the beautiful waters of Thailand and had a great time (despite my massive head cold....

Sep 22, 2009 - Meeting Lindsey in Chiang Mai!

I was so happy to meet Lindsey in Chiang Mai, Thailand's cultural capital. ... We went to the biggest night market I've ever seen with TONS of food and souvenir stalls taking up over half of old town Chiang Mai. ... We went to the largest temple in Chiang Mai and also came across an amazing waterfall that we hiked up for a bit. ... Another day in Chiang Mai was devoted to a trek that consisted of riding elephants, a hike to a waterfall and a trip down the river on a bamboo raft. ...

Sep 22, 2009 - Chiang Mai

Annie and I arrived in Chiang Mai on Friday the 18th from Laos. ... After finding a guest house to stay in for the night in the old town (the center of Chiang Mai is surrounded by a massive old brick wall and moat), we walked around and visited several temples, or Wats. ... Chiang Mai is in the north of Thailand and surrounded by lush jungle, numerous waterways and waterfalls, and indigenous hill tribes, all of which you can visit on a 1-7 day trek. ... My stomach was unhappy the next day so I unfortunately missed out on the cooking class, another traditional tourist activity in Chiang Mai, that Lindsey had booked for us that day. ... We visited Wat Doi Suthep, Chiang Mai’s most important and spectacular temple, located about 15 km away from town. ...

Sep 14, 2009 - Mahout for a day

Many people come to Chiang Mai for the cultural experience. ... What is a Mahout, you are wondering?? A Mahout is an elephant keeper! We travelled to a farm about an hour out of Chiang Mai, stopping on the way to buy ‘elephant food’; bananas and sugar cane and to pick up our Mahout clothes as you get filthy plus since everyone wears these clothes every day so the elephants recognise them also. ... When we arrived we were introduced to the elephants which ages ranged from 3 to 60 and made ‘friends’ with them by feeding them the bananas and sugar cane and then got down to business of learning the commands to control our elephants.Many people come to Chiang Mai for the cultural experience. ... What is a Mahout, you are wondering?? A Mahout is an elephant keeper! We travelled to a farm about an hour out of Chiang Mai, stopping on the way to buy ‘elephant food’; bananas and sugar cane and to pick up our Mahout clothes as you get filthy plus since everyone wears these clothes every day so the elephants recognise them also. ... When we arrived we were introduced to the elephants which ages ranged from 3 to 60 and made ‘friends’ with them by feeding them the bananas and sugar cane and then got down to business of learning the commands to control our elephants....

Sep 13, 2009 - Chiang Mai - up and down to Doi Suthep.. life in the fast lane..

I ran the Chiang Mai (CM) moat early this morning - actually not bad as a running venue. ... It's about 7.I ran the Chiang Mai (CM) moat early this morning - actually not bad as a running venue. ... It's about 7....

Sep 12, 2009 - Chiang Mai - moat and mozzies

Chiang Mai was originally built as a walled city about 700 years ago to keep out marauding Burmese invaders coming from the North. ... Chiang Mai actually means 'New City' but it could easily be renamed as the Capital of Thai Massage. ... The Night Bazaar is probably Chiang Mai's biggest attraction. ... In Chiang Mai I had my first real Mozzie Encounter - see photo of where the Evil Mozzie got me. ...

Sep 12, 2009 - Chiang Mai

During our many visits to Thailand we have never actually travelled north, so this time we decided we must and headed north to the mountain city of Chiang Mai. ... I had forgotten how painful the overnight bus trips were, uncomfortable and managing to get a couple of hours sleep if any at all, but it helps the budget! We arrived into Chiang Mai at 7. ... 00am, did the usual scouting out a decent guesthouse and write the rest of the day off trying to recover from the bus ride! We are stayed in the old city area of Chiang Mai, a maze of streets and lanes filled with guesthouses, cooking schools, yoga classes and trekking companies, enclosed by a crumbling city wall and moat. ... So note to others visiting Chiang Mai, don’t do a cooking class on a Sunday! For the next 3 days we did an Intro to Yoga course, yes Willy too! (it helps with the rock climbing ) and oh my goodness!! You do not realise how hard yoga is until you are taught how to do it properly! I have never been so sore in my life and I was so exhausted by the third day I was nearly in tears! And I still don’t feel like I know how to do it all. ...