Chiang Mai, Pai, Chiang Rai & Burma

Chiang Mai

We left Siem Reap, Cambodia on 18^th July, and after 22 hours on the road we arrived in Chiang Mai, a nice little place in Northern Thailand. Our sole reason for visiting Chiang Mai (we’d been there previously in 2008) was to catch up with the main branch of Child’s Dream and meet the Directors (more to come on this). While in Chiang Mai, we caught up on the latest movies, checked out the shopping spots, scrubbed up on our pool playing and seemed to have no trouble at all passing the time. We celebrated my 32^nd birthday, a great day of spoiling ourselves silly with yummy food (talked Brad into visiting a vegetarian restaurant), 2 massages, a spot of shopping, a nap, some pool (kicked Brad’s butt), and steaks beside the river by candlelight.

Pai, Chaing Rai, Burma & beyond

Just 3 hours from Chiang Mai, perched high up in Northern Thailand, Pai is a peaceful (some say Hippie town). We enjoyed its relaxed feel for a couple of days and soaked up cool live music in the evenings.

By the way ‘The Life of Pi’ is a great little book to read if you get the chance, you just have to push on through the first little bit, then it gets into the good stuff – it’s also got nothing to do with Thailand...

From Pai, we rushed to Chiang Rai solely as a stopover to renew our Thailand visa’s by popping into Burma. At the border we handed over our passports, crossed the river, wandered around the markets (same as in any other country), then entered back into Thailand with another 15 days of visa – ready to head down country to an island paradise.