Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand

Chiang Mai is located in Northern Thailand and was one of my favorite places next to Southern Thailand. We took a Thai cooking class, went to a local night market, and finished our visit with a trek to a local hill tribe that included an elephant ride! It was amazing! Some of the things I loved the most were the interactions we had with those we met as we traveled. It is always a great experience to be able to talk to people from all over the world and find out what is important to them. I loved talking to people wherever we went.

We signed up for a half-day Thai cooking class that included 5 dishes! This is me pounding out some green curry paste.

The finished product of Green Curry

A Thai stirfry

Gay- our Thai cooking instructor

Our two day trek began with an elephant ride! I loved every minute of it! The hairs on the elephant are so course and thick that they stuck right through my jeans...he also kept flapping his ears against my legs!

Elephants are the BEST...although they may not be the most comfortable mode of transportation... just picture a small, hairy, swaying ship...or something like that.

This is a baby elephant I followed- and when I reached out my hand he wrapped his trunk around my fingers and yanked me forward playfully! It was pretty cute!

Did I mention that I LOVE elephants!

First waterfall on the trek up to the local hill tribe

Second waterfall on the trek down

Taking a short break during the trek...

Coming up through the long grass as we approached the hill tribe

This is the first view I had of the Lahu hill tribe

We collapsed once we were inside our bamboo hut we stayed in with the hill tribe.

Needless to say I was exhausted after what felt like steep hiking all the way up! We had mats and tiny pillows with 3 woolen blankets...mosquito net included!

This is our bamboo hut...and yes it is on stilts...and yes some dogs got in a fight under it a few times...and no there was no indoor plumbing. We all slept on the right side.

The moment we were in our hut, the tribal women came selling their goods...but the only one I wanted was the message...and yes I giggled at this point in the message!

On the second day we hiked back down from the hill tribe, went white water rafting, and finished off the day with bamboo rafting...not bad for a grand total of $40 US Dollars!

This is a video of me on the elephant!