We purchase a taxi chit, grab our bags and head out into the big wide world of Chiang Mai airport to find the taxi stand - not the largest airport in the world but definitely not the smallest!
It's nice and toastie out here, but come on taxis where are you I ask?! At last number 8 is called, off we go. It's a short ride to the Hotel (U Chiang Mai), stepping off the street I feel like I've arrived in tranquillity, our home for the next 4 nights.
We enjoy relaxing on a sun lounger after checking in, there is something so nice and peaceful hearing water around you.
Hunger comes, time to head outside of tranquillity. I'd found a vegetarian restaurant to go too so off we go. We get around the corner from the hotel and come across Wat Phant ao so decide to take a look around.
At the back of the Wat is a number of monks in their brightly coloured robes so we go to check out what's going on. Some are sitting eating, others standing around chatting, and a few are putting up lights to light the lanterns in the tree.
I'm on directions this trip, which will be interesting! Thankfully the restaurant is fairly close to the hotel and only involves 3 roads.
Dinner doesn't disappoint - spring rolls and green curry. Both super tasty!!
Sunday (27 December) it's a wee sleep in to 7am, given it was an early night that's not too bad!!
I head outside for a run; now we all know I'm not the best with directions (which is a tad worrying given the comment above that I’m on directions this trip) so am hoping I don't get lost! I'm taking a map just in case. The first thing I notice leaving the hotel is
the nip in the air, perfect for running.
We meet back at the gym in the hotel then head to breakfast. A great start to the day!
While the temperature is still cool we decide to head out for a walk before returning back to the pool; within a few meters from the hotel (in the opposite direction of last night) we come across Wat Chai Phra Kiat. The gold on the outside looks amazing with the blue sky in the background.
Back onto the street we go continuing our walking until we come to Wat Phra Singha.
As we will be returning back to the hotel shortly for some pool action we decide to walk around the block; I remembered on a map there was another Wat very close to the hotel so am hoping the road we are on would take us there, and bingo I was right! Hello Wat Chedi Luang.
The heat is now out in full force, so the walking speeds up. Time to return to the hotel, which is a step hop and a jump from where we are currently.
Wow the water is chill-ie!! Not what I had expected at all. Once I finally get in it’s definitely refreshing.
Resuming yesterday's position isn't difficult - this really is the life!
We get a tad peckish around 1pm, after reviewing the hotels menu it's off outside we head for a quick bite then back to our positions.
Early evening we head outside to the Sunday street market, when we checked into the hotel they had told us all about it. On leaving the hotel I was surprised at the size of it as well as how many people were around. Certainly won't be relaxed wandering that's for sure!
The food stalls are definitely more interesting than everything else, although not as exotic as what I saw in Beijing a couple of weeks ago. We try some donuts and Susan tries some sweet corn, time now to get out of here.
We had walked by a restaurant last night so decide to head back there. On a normal day it would take no more than 3 minutes to walk there.....not true for tonight!!
Monday, 28 December we wake early but today that's ok as we have a half day tour we are doing.
Our driver collects us just before 8am, time to get our tour on! We have 3 things to see today, our driver gets a little confused on what is first so we end up driving around the block once. Fun and games.
Wat Phra That Doi Suthep is our first port of call. It's a 45 minute drive from Chiang Mai city, with the majority of it being uphill via a windy road. Let's hope there isn't too much traffic as me and windy roads don't mix too well.
We get dropped at the door, buy our tickets then join a line to take the cable car up. Thankfully it’s not too long a wait to it’s our turn. We are definitely not the only ones that have come here.
The views would be amazing if the fog wasn’t around. We enjoy just wandering around, trying to stay out of the other tourist’s photos!
We take the 309 stairs down. Our guide meets us when we come down, thank goodness for that as I would have NO idea how to recognize her. She advises immediately she can't find her keys, great. No worries we say, they will be somewhere. After going through her bag and pockets a few times we head to the car to see if it's unlocked. Alas no. Looking in the Windows doesn't bring us any luck that they are inside. Ok lady time for a plan of action of what's next.
We head to the Jade factory, where she has already been a couple of times. They have a driver who will drop us at the bottom of the hill to meet up with another tour guide. Things are working out for us.
All three of us get in with Chai, our new guide. We drop our first guide at her house then head to Tiger Kingdom. I'd had friends who had visited Chiang Mai a few years ago and loved their time at Tiger Kingdom, hence the reason we are going.
On arrival Chai gave us the low down on what we needed to do and told us he would wait for us at the entrance. Sure thing Chai, see you later.
The Tiger kingdom allows visitors to interact with young and adult cats in trainer-supervised enclosures. We both wanted to see the new born tiger's but with a 2 hour wait that just wasn't going to work for us. Major buggar. So instead we went with the smallest tigers, these are around 4 months old.
Bags locked up, shoes replaced with the provided slip-on’s (looking awesome with the socks I must say), hands washed and camera at the ready we enter. Wow! We are inches from these amazing creatures.
Our guide advises what we can and cannot do, then advises one of us to sit behind the first tiger. Thanks very much that can be Susan. My heart is racing, but I know there is very little chance of anything happening to us given the guide with his stick is right there.
The little tigers are super cute!! I want one to take home :) When it's my turn to sit next to the first tiger he decides to stretch and move positions. Wowzers, talk about giving me a fright.
We have time with two other tiger's. The fur on one is soooo soft, I could spend all day rubbing it. Our guide suggests I hold up his tail as he is fast asleep.....Eeks alive. I need a few moments before doing that.
Our time is up unfortunately - it's been an awesome experience to be so close to these amazing creatures. I now want to go and see them in the wild.
We wander around the rest of the park seeing the other tigers. The big ones are BIG, definitely no way I would have got into an area with them.
On leaving Tiger Village Chai tells us our first guide had found her keys, great news. He then giggles and wants us to guess where they were. Neither of us were right - she had put the key down her top for safe keeping.
We literally drive up the road for a few minutes to the Karan Long Neck Village, where the tradition is for ladies to wear heavy brass rings around their necks, forearms and shins which elongate them. The Karen is a tribal group who historically lived in the hills in Myanmar, but due to political unrest had to flee Myanmar.
Wandering around the tribe we see lots of women, from the young to the old. The older the lady the more rings they had. I was surprised with how heavy they were, 30 seconds was more than enough with the rings around my neck thanks very much.
We have Chai drop us at a restaurant, lunch is needed and fast!! His recommendation isn't quite our cup of tea so we move on.
Feeling satisfied its back to the hotel we go for some pool action. Aah this is the life!!
We had booked a French restaurant, super close to the hotel, for dinner. It didn't disappoint.
Tuesday, 29 December it's another early wake up but then a nice chilled start to the day.
We head out for a walk after breakfast. The Three Kings Monument is situated roughly in the middle of the walled city, a step hop and jump from the hotel. Apparently the 3 worked together to lay out the city of Chiang Mai.
Wat Chiang Mun was built in 1297 as the first temple of Chiang Mai so we thought we would check it out. Wandering around is nice and peaceful.
Late morning it's straight to the pool we head and within minutes I'm in the water, well trying to get in. The water hadn't warmed up at all since yesterday - it's still cold!!
For lunch we head across the road, no need to go further afield when there are so many options on our front door!! Then back to the pool we head.
A break from Thai food was needed so I researched some restaurant options for us. The first one I found was fully booked, major buggar. Next on the list was a pizza place with no phone number....this means we'll wing it and hopefully get in. It's close to Wat Chiang Mun so there are no issues trying to locate it!
Tuesday, 30 December after an early wake up it's time to pack up. Never a fun job for me! We enjoy a chilled breakfast before walking around the road for massages.
I choose a one hour body massage followed by a half hour head massage. Praying that it won't be too painful!! I survive :) only a couple of times where I nearly screamed out in pain.
The taxi is waiting for us at 12.45pm, the time we had ordered it for (I'm a tad surprised...). Our wee break in Chiang Mai has come to an end.
We depart the gate 6 minutes early. Bye bye Chiang Mai, it's been fun. Back to Bangkok we head.
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