Bangkok - Chiang Mai - Pai

Thomas left the hospital after a week. He was still feeling a bit weak so we stayed another three days in Bangkok so that he could get back on his feet. 

We then made the 11-hour journey by bus to Chiang Mai. I was a little worried because it's been a while now since we've taken a bus on such a long distance, but in fact it was very comfortable and the road was fine all the way through. We even got some great american action movies in Thai. Chiang Mai is a pretty little town. Here we decided to take some classes. We took three half day massage courses (feet, back and head). It was just the two of us with our instructor so we could really go at our own pace. We now have a little booklet for each type of massage so we can keep on practising, which we do diligently. It's great to get a massage every day! We also did a one day cooking course. It was really interesting to have a better idea of what ingredients are used in Thai cuisine. We learned how to make curry paste and 5 different dishes, well 10 actually because Thomas and I learned different dishes in order to get a bigger variety ;)

Next on the map was Pai, further up north. Pai is a small village (pop 2000). It is true that it is very catered for tourists, but it remains very peaceful none the less. Especially because we are in the height of the low season (so few tourists) and with the elections coming up in just two weeks and a new local sheriff freshly appointed, the police is pretty strict in applying regulations so all bars are shut by midnight. Very peaceful indeed. We are staying in a little bamboo bungalow by the riverside. We rented a motorcycle the other day and went for a little drive around the waterfall and the hot springs (the water comes out of the ground at a whopping 80 degrees!).

We met a girl who decided to get a tatoo done here, with a bamboo stick instead of with the machine. It was pretty impressive to see the guy tatooing her with that stick!

We are not yet tired of the rice and coconut curry, the fruit shakes and the kilos of passion fruit.

Comments

[vero]

c'est bien d'avoir des nouvelles, surtout si tout va bien.
tes commentaires me rappellent ceux de Camille et ses amis qui étaient en Thailande en janvier dernier...mêmes lieux et activités (cuisine!!!),
bonne poursuite de voyage.

[Nadine]

So happy to know Thomas is back on his feet after what must have been an awful bout of dengue. I am glad you are enjoying your trip, what's next?