Back to Bangkok

Last night we flagged down a tuk tuk and made our way to Chiang Mai train station for the 17:55 sleeper train to Bangkok, actually quite sad to be leaving Chiang Mai because it has so much to see/do and is so chilled out! It was early evening when we were at the station so light was amazing and meant I was able to get some quite cool photos...

Chiang Mai Train Station

Goodbye Chiang Mai

I didn't bother posting on here yesterday as we didn't do anything! We were both so tired out from our day with Mae Boutong that we spent most of the day chilling out in the sun at the hotel and looking at what to do next. So, the plan is tonight we get the sleep train back to Bangkok and spend one night in a hotel near the airport, and catch the 7:50am flight to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Last night we went to the night bazaar again as it's so close and bought a last couple of souvenirs. Izzy bought a little mini elephant and a gold bangle, while I bought a slightly larger elephant that had been hand-carved from wood. The shop that I got my elephant from was incredible! Everything in the shop was hand-carved, including one display which was as tall as the room and a couple of metres wide. I couldn't take any photos in there because there were signs saying not to, but it was lots of smaller carvings incorporated into one to make a massive underwater scene with turtles, fish and a mermaid.

Wooden Elephant from Night Bazaar, Chiang Mai

Then we went to a restaurant we only discovered two nights ago, Lemongrass. It has a really chilled out atmosphere and the food is excellent! It's only a couple of pounds for a really tasty curry or noodles. The walls are all covered with messages from various tourists who have eaten there. I think we're going to go there again for lunch today for our last meal in Chiang Mai.

If ever you come to Thailand make sure you visit Chiang Mai and stay at Riverside Guest House as they are both amazing! See you in Vietnam.

Mae Boutong the Asian Elephant, Chiang Mai

Today me and Isabella took a trip to visit Patara Elephant Farm. At Patara they rescue elephants from unsuitable living conditions and owners who mistreat them, and bring them back to full health. The local farmers grow crops and food, which is bought by Patara Farm using the money from tourists and is then fed to the elephants... they eat 10% of their body weight every day!

The program we took was called 'An Elephant Owner For They Day' where you learn everything about looking after an elephant. We learnt how to tell an elephants mood, learnt to wash and clean them and to feed them.

First of all we were given traditional clothing made by the wives and daughters of the farmers, so that all visitors approaching the elephants are always wearing the same clothing. At this point we were introduced to our elephants trainer Sawas and our elephant  for the day Mae Boutong. She was a 28 year old female asian elephant and 3 months pregnant! To make sure we would get on OK with Mae Boutong and that she would like us we had to go and feed her and se if she would accept taking food from us, which she did no problem. I was pretty nervous at first putting my hands near an elephants mouth, but you get used to it quite quickly and soon enough our hands were covered with elephant slobber!

Lazy Day, Chiang Mai

Literally have done nothing today apart from sleep and eat, this is what travelling is all about. Me and Izzy had a traditional Thai massage last night, we didn't quite realise what was involved when we asked for it... they pulled, twisted and massaged every muslce in my body. I didn't realise such small Thai women could have super human strength. At one point she was on her back with her knees up, and pulling my body backwards over them, so my back was completely arched over. It was definitely not a massge you could have slept through but I'm feeling good for it today.

View from the bridge outside our hotel, Chiang Mai

Wat Pra Singh, Chiang Mai

Spent most of the day doing what we had planned for everyday... relaxing! Early afternoon me and Izzy got a Tuk Tuk to the furthest part of the city that we hadn't really explored, which has the most poplar temple in Chiang Mai, Wat Phra Singh.

Wat Phra Singh, Chiang Mai

Riverside at Chaing Mai

We hadn't booked this long at Riverside House, so we had to move rooms this morning. They did us a deal on a slightly more expensive room though so now we have wi-fi in the room (for even more blogging), nicer bathroom, bigger room, and a TV (although I haven't missed that one bit so I doubt we'll even turn it on). Here is the view from our room.

Riverside House, Chiang Mai

Saturday Market at Chiang Mai

This trip seems to be getting better by the day, but I think yesterday will be hard to beat after meeting those tigers. We had the bike until 15:30 so thought we would make the most of it and travel a bit further out of town to San Kampaeng. It's meant to be full of handicraft things that Isabella was pretty keen to have a look at but when we got there it was dead... must have been the wrong day. After the bike went back we chilled by the pool until early evening, when we got a Tuk Tuk over to the Saturday Market which is similar to the night bazaar. The night bazaar had so much crap for tourists like fake football shirts and fake watches, probably because it had become so famous but the saturday market was so much better! It was a lot more of what I expected from the night bazaar with more hand made bits and food stalls.

Tuk Tuk ride to Saturday Market, Chiang Mai

Tiger Kingdom, Chiang Mai

Me and Isabella had a pretty chilled out start to the day today, I think we burned ourselves out a bit yesterday. So we lounged around the pool until about 2pm then we decided to go to Tiger Kingdom after reading some really good reviews and every Tuk Tuk in town having a sticker advertising it. Apparently the best way to get there is by hiring a scooter! Which costs about £5, or a return Red Truck Taxi, which is £14... Scooter it is!

Beast of a Scooter in Chiang Mai

Chiang Mai Zoo and Doi Suthep

Me and Izzy went to Chiang Mai Zoo today! It was great fun, you can get really close to most of the animals which made for some good photography... I got a bit itchy triggered with the camera! So we jumped in the back of a Songathaew (Red Taxi Truck) for the £1.50, 13km trip to the Zoo.

Chiang Mai Zoo

Chiang Mai Night Bazaar

Just got in, we went for a walk around the night bazaar. Some really cool hand made stuff there, like buddhas carved from wood or onyx (want one!) and pretty much anything you can think of as a fake... watches, T-Shirts, bags etc. Here are some photos...

Night Bazaar, Chiang Mai

Bangkok to Chiang Mai

Yesterday me and Isabella checked out of Sawasdee Smile Inn on Khao San Road, and planned to head up to Chiang Mai. We had quite a chilled out day and didn't really explore too far from the hotel.

Isabella, Khao San Road, Bangkok