Day 17-18 Chiangrai (Northern Thailand)

Our plans have got pretty confusing, with certain things being in certain places at certain times and other things having to fit around them.

The short end of this part, is that we're doing a 3 1/2 hour coach journey to Chiangrai (that we waited 3 hours for), then over a 6 hour journey afterwards - to get to our next place, which goes through Chiang Mai (where we've just come from)

......... for a bike ride.

We got to Chiangrai late-ish..

..after looking at our lovely little hostel (Chezmoi Handycrafts and Homestay)..

We went out for some food. Practically on our doorstep was a really busy local place. We were the only westerners there and clearly the only ones who didn't have a clue what they were doing!

It was a buffet, where you choose your bits (meat, veg, fish, unidentified objects etc..) then cook them on a hot plate type thing and cook your noodles around it.

It was definitely a unique dining experience to remember.

The next morning we were picked up at 8.30am and were off on Chiangrai Bicycle Tour..

We cycled past little villages and rice fields and were stopped to be shown how rice is made.. and how they keep cockroaches (that are dried and sold as street food) ..

We visited the White Temple, which was incredible!

It turns out,(which I'm sure you've already gathered), this wasn't just any old bike ride.... 

48 KILOMETRES LATER ... we made it!!

Okay, I stopped at about 41km and got the truck up but it was ridiculously hard and it turns out I'm not that ridiculously fit - but Marie and Jack were troopers :)!

To end a great day we went to this wonderful waterfall...

Next stop... Pai!