Thailand tour begins


I have moved to Thailand, in fact Chiang Mai and it is a very different scene. A brief stop in Bangkok and some earlier chat from my Dad and the people there meant I merely passed through the flooded city. Interestingly enough the taxi driver that took me to my hostel here in Chiang Mai called Bangkok a swimming pool!!!
I am now staying in a hostel for something like £2-6 a night. The first two night in a dorm room with 6 of us- its pretty small- then I have upgraded o £6 single room- getting posh in my old age!!

What struck me straight away was that people can drive here and I have been  brave  and hired a scooter. I was amazed how all I needed was my passport and to say yes I can drive a scooter- Having never actually ridden one by  myself- my first fail was not being able to start it!!!

the narrow roads with signs encouraging you to peep your horn 
 But it wasn't long before I was zipping along albiet at driving Miss Daisy speed beeping my horn so people knew I was coming down some very small roads.



The destination was a hill tribe village and a coffee plantation
I am not a coffee drinking but this freshly brewed coffee was amazing!
coffee plantation
Most famous Wat in Chiang Mai region


 I was fairly nervous when I got back on the plane to travel somewhere new as I had found a reasonably comfortable groove in Ubud in Bali (I know shut up stop moaning you’re in an amazing place!). However the hostel I am staying in is very much geared towards backpackers and reminds me of some of the cool places I stayed in china. I am pretty sure I will have plenty of people to speak to, though I also suspect I will have lost a certain ability to speak proper English by the time I see Lindsey and Zoe. A day on the scooter and getting lost on the way home - I have now driven down every road in the centre of Chiang Mai has definitely meant I have found my groove here.

I can organise everything from the hostel with top on my list being a thai cookery course (I am going to get fat out here), the elephant volunteering and now the Flight of the Gibbon (totally a touristy thing to do!!!) Might even try and fit in some jewellery making

There are many things I saw today from Wat to waterfalls to stunning scenery but I won't bore you any longer - cooking tomorrow!!!



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