#17: The first steps on two wheels

01/02/2020

Today it's getting exciting again, as we venture into the hustle and bustle of Thai traffic with a freshly rented scooter. We have rented a 125cc Honda scooter for three days at a good price, with which we want to explore the streets. Our first destination is the ten-tier Mae Sa Waterfall, located about 25 km north of Chiang Mai City. On the way back, we plan to visit the Huai Tueng Thao Lake.

After breakfast, we head to the rental shop. We sign the rental agreement, inspect the scooter for damages, and begin our wild ride. Although a driver's license is required in Thailand, we are only given the basics of "how to accelerate" and "how to brake". We don't want to leave our passport as a deposit, so we have to give 3,000 ฿ (around 87 €) and a copy of the passport.

With a lot of respect and a little nervousness, we set off: Martin drives, Vanessa rides along. After a short period of getting used to the scooter, conveniently right through the city center, we slowly get a feel for the left-hand traffic and the somewhat "chaotic" driving behavior of the locals. However, our journey is quickly interrupted when we get stopped at a police checkpoint after just ten minutes. Here, motorcyclists are being pulled over and checked for the necessary motorcycle license. After showing the appropriate international driver's license, we can continue our journey after 2 minutes.

We reach our first destination at the foot of Doi Suthep National Park. The ten waterfalls are located in the jungle over a distance of about 1.5 km and can be seen from the paths on both sides as well as from several bridges. The higher waterfalls in particular are very impressive. After three hours and hundreds of photos, we have visited and documented every detail of the waterfalls. After a short break, we continue on our road trip. Along the way, we have to avoid a 1.5-meter long cobra trying to cross the road from the left.

So far, we can check off the following exotic animals: iguana, macaque, elephant, cobra.

In the late afternoon, we finally reach Huai Tueng Thao Lake. The lake is located on the edge of Doi Suthep National Park and is equipped with a circular path. At the other end of the lake, there is an exhibition of large straw animals. But what is particularly beautiful are the lush green rice fields behind this exhibition. We complete the circuit around the lake and choose the most beautiful spot for our dinner. We eat in small bamboo huts that are set up on the lakeshore. The atmosphere in these huts is really nice, as you can enjoy a fantastic view of the forest and the mountains while having (delicious & affordable) food, dip your feet in the water, and enjoy a very private experience due to the individual huts.

In the early evening, after a quick stop at a supermarket, we head home. Glad to be back home after a tiring day, nothing else happens today. Tomorrow, we'll continue our adventure.