Northern Thailand

 Now to get into the fun stuff, travel location suggestions! I really enjoyed Northern Thailand and felt like there were so many different hobbies, places to stay, and good food to eat! 

Chiang Rai

I began my trip in Chiang Rai! I searched for a hostel on HotelWorld, it was nice but obviously not too memorable because I can't remember the name! I was only in the area for a couple days so I made the most of it by seeing all of the different temples. The easiest way of doing this is by booking a tour. These tours take you to all of the main temples and include lunch. The temples that I saw were Wat Rong Khun, The Golden Palace, Wat Rong Suea Ten, and Baan Dam. My personal favorite was the Wat Rong Khun temple. Every aspect of the temple was incredibly detailed and the inside was far more different than I expected. I don't want to give away too much, in case you plan to visit someday. They were all very incredible in their own way! Fun Fact of the day: it is considered rude to point your feet at a temple because the feet are considered unclean. Pointing the dirtest part of your body at a temple would be an insult to their culture. It is important to wear clothes that cover your shoulders or you won't be allowed inside. Also, it's best to wear shoes that are easy to take on and off. You aren't allowed to wear shoes inside the temple so you take them off outside and put them back on when you leave.

Wat Rong Suea Ten

Wat Rong Khun

The next day I was there I just walked around, explored the area, and went to the night market. I had ramen with the locals, did a little shopping around, and saw a booth set up with animals for sale. There were cats, dogs, hamsters, and the most interesting of all.. flying squirrels! They were only $30 each for flying squirrels and were only a 10 days old.

Cat for Sale at the market

I took a bus from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai. The people working at the hostel helped me to book it. All of the basic bus tickets were gone so I was forced to buy the VIP ticket if I wanted to leave the next day. It was only $10 more. Initially, I was bummed because I'm not one of those people that care about the finer things in life. I'd rather save my money for adventures. For this instance, it paid off to take the VIP bus. I arrived at the bus area and the basic level busses were regular school buses that looked very beaten up. The VIP  busses had AC, comfy seats you could lean back in, and free water/snacks. So worth the extra money for the 3-hour bus drive!

Chiang Mai

I spent most of my time in Chiang Mai, Thailand. It's a super fun area with lots to do! I stayed in a few different places but my favorite was Bodega Hostel. Its a party hostel with comfortable beds, AC, amazing people, and a tour planned for each day. They had bar crawls each week also. You had to pay for it but it included a shirt, big fishbowl drink, and shuttles to each club. My favorite club was Zoe in Yellow. Its separated as if its two different bars with different music playing but close enough to walk between the two.

Bodega Hostel

One of the fun tours I did with the hostel was the Grand Canyon which was a water park. It was so much fun and hilarious to watch everyone slipping and sliding around! There was a blob there which was my first time trying one. I was always curious to try it but never had. Right at the end I wanted to get some serious air so I had three of the people working there send me flying.. safe to say I got lots of air! 

Grand Canyon

One of the days I was staying at the hostels, I made two friends, one from London and the other from Melbourne. We wanted to walk around and explore the nature side of Chiang Mai. We hiked to the Huay Kaew Waterfall and Doi Pui View Point. Along the way we saw these super cute puppies snuggled in these blankets with food and water. It was sad to know they were stray dogs someone abondanded but we gave them some love and continued on our journey. At the view point there was a Thai family hanging out eating. Although there was a communication barrier, they had us join on in to enjoy food with them. They had all the supplies to make papaya salad from scratch. They went out of their way to make us a less spicy version to enjoy. We also were sharing sea snails with them. They are such a kind culture, always willing to help when needed and include you in their festivities. 

Puppies Along the Way

 Huay Kaew Waterfall 

Doi Pui View Point

Before meeting those friends, I went to on my own. The first stop was to the Araksa Tea Plantation which was incredible to see all the beautiful green fields and to learn about the process to create tea. The next stop of the tour was the Long Neck Karen Tribe. They survive off of the tourist who visit and it felt that way so that took away from the ethiticity a bit but it was still very fascinating to learn about their tribe and traditions. The reason that the women wear all of the rings is because back in the day they used to have tigers and other dangerous animals visit their homes and those rings would prevent them from bleeding out if attacked. The women were considered more precious to the tribe because they were the ones continuing on the tribe's genetics. I ended the tour at this place that had a whole bunch of monkeys, cool sculptures, and a cave but I couldn't figure out what the place was called. I was looking at this big monkey, admiring how cool it looked and one of the people working there said, "Dont look into their eyes, they feel like you're challenging them." Of course he mentioned this after I was already looking into its soul.. good thing it didn't attack me! 

Tea Plantation

Long Neck Karen Tribe

Monkeys

I cannot stress this enough, if you are in Thailand, especially Chiang Mai then you have to check out the street markets. I remember the best ones being at night. There is so much to see, buy, and eat. I was curious to try the different bugs during my trip and must say that they weren't as bad as I imagined! When you go up to a stand you pick a bag of bugs and they wont tell you this but there's a spray bottle sitting on the table, that's soy sauce. You spray the bugs for better flavor. My personal favorite was the grasshoppers! They have really sticky legs that can get caught in your throat so you have to remember to rip the legs off before eating. My favorite food of all in Northern Thailand (and Northern Thailand only, you won't find it in Southern Thailand) is Khao Soi. It is a delicious, creamy curry that is to die for! The best post drinking meal you can have is what people call "toasties" at 7- Eleven. They have different sandwich choices to choose from. The person at the front will turn it into a melty, crunchy grilled cheese for you. 

Street Market Find (Ostrich and Crocadile Skewers, I didn't try it)

Grasshopper eating

I planned to get a sak yant tattoo while in Thailand. A sak yant is a geometric design that include script, animals, or both. Each of these designs symbolizes different qualities. When the buddist or ajarn does a bamboo tattoo on you it is a blessing for what you are wanting out of life. I went into the shop I picked, Sak Yant Chiang Mai to ask them a few questions. The tattoo for me was more about the experience and meaning than showing it off so I asked them if I could shave the side of my head and put it there. They responded back with, "how good is your pain tolerance?" I have always been told I had a high pain tolerance and I told them that. They said that the side of the head works for getting tattooed but they might just have to modify the design to fit to the space. Off I went to get my head shaved! I found a shop that would do it for $10 and the lady was absolutely incredible. I wish I remembered the name of the place. It felt so nice to have the side shaved with how hot it was in Thailand. I went to the shop on my tattoo day and they were surprised to see that I actually shaved my head and am going ahead with it. They mentioned that they've only ever had monks heads tattooed, no foreigner has ever done it before. The ajarn that I was going to be tattooing me had been doing sak yants for 10 years and he was only 24 years old!! He free handed the three elephant heads with a marker and all the rest was done as he was tattooing. He didn't speak English so there was a Thai girl present to translate. The tattoo only took 45 minutes which was quick. It was pretty painful and gross sounding. The front and back felt like someone with claw nails was scratching a sunburn and the middle of the side of my head was gross because I could hear it puncturing my skin. There was an after tattoo ritual where he blesses you and the tattoo. My sak yant was Yant Chang Sam Sian Aok Suek which means 3 Headed Erawan Elephant Going to War. The meaning of it is kindness, compassion, protection, success, and great luck fulfilling dreams and wishes. Once you are done with the blessing then you head to a temple to pray and envision yourself fulfilling what the tattoo design stands for. I went to the temple Wat Phra Signh Woramahawihan which was a simple temple close enough to walk to. It was an incredible experience that will last a lifetime.

Haircut

Sak Yant Meaning (Original Design but I only got the 3 heads and chant for mine)

The next day after getting my tattoo I headed off to the Elephant Sancuary to volunteer. They picked me up at my hostel and drove me there. During the time I was staying there I was in a cute little hut. There were showers/bathrooms everyone on the property shared. The showers didn't heat up so they were always freezing. I heavily suggest doing volunteer work instead of a day trip because you get so much more out of it. You don't only get to help the staff with the elephants but you get to truly delve into their culture. It was not cheap, the 4 days, 3 nights cost me $300 but it was worth it. The first day I was at the rescue there were no tours because it was supposed to rain so I had the whole day to hang out with the elephants and the crew with no other tourists around. They all lived on the property full time and only the one guy who owned the place and guided the tours spoke English. It didn't matter though because I always felt very included and he would translate conversations. They took me into town for dinner where this super sweet lady would teach me to make Thai meals. For breakfast and lunch they would give me food that they would eat and also the food the tourist would eat. I always loved the meals they made for themselves to eat but usually my mouth would be dying from spicyness. Since I was volunteering there I was able to get experiences that other people doing tours didn't get experience. Such as meeting the 2 new elephants they recently rescued that were only 2 years old. They called them the "naughty elephants." They were rescued from people who abused them and were trying to train them for the circus so they were still warming up to humans. They were still young which made them clumbsy.. you had to watch out because they would accidentally step on you or bump you over. I also got to go to the waterfall with one of the elephants. The elephant guide kept cutting down bamboo along the way and looking in it. I didn't understand why at first but then him and his daughter started shoving bamboo warms they found inside of the bamboo inside an empty water bottle. Later in the day when we made it back the ladies cooked them up and seasoned them. SO YUMMY! They tasted like cripsy chips. Elephants are incredibly smart, kind, and empathetic animals. It was an amazing experience working with them. I have so many stories that I could tell about my 4 days there. If there's any reason alone to visit Thailand, it's to volunteer with the elephant rescue. 

Cooking lessons with a local

Bamboo Worms

Hanging with Elephants

Pai

Pai is a great place if you are wanting to be surrounded by nature and looking for adventure! I didn't stay here for too long but made the most of everyday that I was there. A lot of people would drive a scooter from Chiang Mai to Pai. I personally wouldn't suggest it! Almost everyone I knew that did that, ended up crashing for different reasons. My dad took a bike and ended up skidding out on the sand around a turn. A few friends of mine that I met in Chiang Mai ended up in the hospital and got wrapped up so much they looked like mummies. They hit pot holes along the way and crashed. One person I met even crashed after hitting a stray dog that ran out in the road. Also, my best advice if you are planning to ride scooters is to get an international drivers license ahead of time. Thailand Police love ripping off tourists for small things like that so they will threaten sending you to jail if you don't pay them out with a bribe. I recommend wearing a shirt when you go to get you license done, I did it spur of the moment in a strapless romper and looked naked in my photo.. awkwarddd! I stayed at a few different places but my favorite hostels were Purple Monkey Backpackers and Deejai Pai Backpackers. They both had amazing people and each had their own unique perks. At Purple Monkey, I stayed in my own little hut which was really cool. At Deejai Pai, I stayed in a 12 person room but the view at the place was incredible.

Purple Monkey Backpackers

Deejai Pai Backpackers

Right Across from Deejai Pai Backpackers there was a really good local eatery. They had such good food for cheap and it was always big portions so you could turn it into two meals. There was another really good spot that had lots of delicious food named Bom Bowls. It was a bit more expensive but the presentation was incredible and the food was all vegan/vegetarian. 

Bom Bowls

Now to get into the fun activities in Pai! My favorite place of all was the Most Boon Kho So because it was so beautiful! It was a pretty place to walk around and admire nature. It was full of lush green grass and bright flowers. We went off exploring to see the pond that was over to the side. There was a local standing nearby, I believe he worked there. He handed each of us a fruit, it was the size of a tangerine but green in color. We all peeled it open and it was the same color and taste of a tangerine, even sweeter actually. There were all these vibrant pink dragonflies flying around which was amazing because I've never seen one that color before. I would suggest wearing pants when you go to prevent getting attacked by the chigger bugs (I was and it was no fun). 

Most Boon Kho So

Pai Caynon is another cool place to visit for good views and good hiking! There are many different trails you can take. Keep in mind that this place is very touristy so there will be many others also hiking around. I suggest coming at sunrise to beat the crowd. I personally went during sunset and there was a big crowd there. Funny enough, my shirt was actually a gift I got from my dad when he visited Pai a few years earlier but I thought it was ironic that I got to wear my Pai shirt in Pai. 

Pai Caynon

There are a few cool waterfalls in Pai, I saw two of them in the same day! The first was Pambok Waterfall. It is a really tall waterfall that you hike to. I don't remember it being a beginner hike so keep that in mind. There were many slippery spots along the way but it was worth it when you made it to the end. This one wasn't very busy which was nice! The waterfall is in the shade so the water was very chilly but it was still nice to hop in! 

Pombok Waterfall

The next waterfall that we went to was Mo Paeng Falls. This one was an easier hike to get to but a bit more touristy. It had amazing views and multiple waterfalls and swimming holes. I had done research ahead of time on the waterfalls and saw that you can slide down one of them. I figured I'd give it a shot! I went for it and it was so much fun! Rather than sliding feet first, I lifted my legs and plopped in. I was thankful I did because it was shallow and my butt hit the bottom (very lightly so it wasn't painful). At that point everyone was super shocked and only the brave attempted it. After about 5 people had gone, a line started and everyone was wanting to try it. I started a trend for the day and it was fun to watch! 

Mo Paeng Falls

A small group of us did a day trip to the Lod Cave. I had never driven a scooter before so I was nervous to do it on my own. It's a one and a half hour scooter ride there and it's known to be very windy. I didn't want to sit it out so I decided to go for it. I was surprised to find that it wasn't that hard and it was a lot of fun. The drive there was absolutely gorgeous! It started as a sunny blue sky day surrounded by the jungle. There's a look out view along the way to check out. I had low expectations for the cave but I was pleasantly surprised by how cool the cave was. On the drive back it was pouring rain with thunder and lighting. It was nerve wrecking because we wanted to get back before dark but taking those turns while wet was sketchy. We waited a bit to see if the rain would stop but it didn't. We chose to go ahead and continue the trek. There was one really steep and hard turn. By this point there was half an inch of water rushing down the road with us. I grew up in Norcal and one thing you learn about driving in the snow is you arent supposed to break on turns because your tires with lose traction and you will lose control of the vehicle. Keeping this in mind, I took a deep breath, braked hard while going straight, and let go of the breaks hoping I would make it around the turn safely. I did it! As I hit the straight stretch I glanced in my mirror to check the person behind me and they did end up skidding out and crashing. We all parked the bikes off the side of the road. We ran up to help him get up and get the bike off to the side before a car rounds the turn without seeing us. Thankfully he was fully covered in clothes and didn't have any injuries. We went slow the rest of the way back and made it back okay. Safe to say, we needed a drink after that! 

Scooter views

Caves

Last but not least, tubing down the river! This was done through my hostel. I was contemplating going but am so glad that I chose to join. Along the way we stopped for snacks and drinks then headed to the river. Everyone jumped in together.. some making it onto the tube successfully and some falling off to start. It was hilarious to watch. We all started floating down together. There were fast, strong rapids and slow, relaxing currents. We stopped at the end where we all could have lunch. I forgot to bring money so I just hung out and chatted. The water felt so nice and refreshing also! A bunch of people forgot to apply sunscreen before the excursion so there plenty of crispy critters by the end of the day. 

River Rapid Day

To end the Thailand blog I will add one last funny story. To begin with, I will give a bit of a information on the area. Pai is known to be more of a hippy, nature oriented area. One of the appeals to the area is what they call "shroom shakes," which essentially is a drink that has mushrooms in it. People love being out in nature while hallucinating on mushrooms. I didn't personally partake in this activity because I've never done it before and am not going to try it for the first time in a foreign country. I was with people who had taken the shroom shake and they were describing to me what the sky, trees, and ground looked like which was interesting. Anyway, to get to my story! I was at my hostel and there was this super unique looking moth on the outside of the bathroom stall. I was fascinated by it and was looking closely at it. This guy headed into the bathroom thought I was tripping balls and staring at nothing. He asked "how I was doing" and I mentioned that I wasn't tripping but was staring at this cool moth. We both stood there, memorized by the moth! 

The Memorizing Moth

A common spider in Asia

Playing with kittens while my friends had shroom shakes