PART 3 – FOG, TEMPLES & LOTS OF STEPS

Right on time at 7 a.m., the conductor woke carriage 8. I slept surprisingly well. The steady rocking of the train gently lulled me to sleep – and kept me there. The journey took almost exactly twelve hours. So train travel can actually be relaxing. Who would have thought?

Arriving in Chiang Mai, we set off for our accommodation. And because we're apparently incapable of learning, we go on foot. Surprisingly, it actually works this time. Nevertheless, I inwardly curse every single kilo of my backpack and seriously wonder if I really needed all of this. Spoiler alert: No.

Our accommodation is perfectly located in Chiang Mai's old town. We're allowed to drop off our backpacks right away – a moment of pure bliss. With considerably lighter shoulders, we set off on our first exploration. Chiang Mai has so many temples that you eventually lose count. We decide on Wat Chet Lin.

There, we strike a gong. It's supposed to drive away sorrow, illness, and danger, and bring good luck. I think to myself: It can't hurt. In the temple, a Thai man approaches us and tells us that he came here specifically to make a wish – because his last wish actually came true in this very spot. I nod reverently and briefly consider whether I shouldn't quickly make a wish myself. Better safe than sorry.

Later we end up at the See You Soon Café (highly recommended!) and plan the coming days over cocktails and delicious food. The Mai Tai is dangerously good. So good, in fact, that we head home feeling slightly lightheaded and a little unsteady. I guess that's what you call cultural integration.

The next day holds a big event: Doi Inthanon, the highest point in Thailand. We'd also visit the twin pagodas and a waterfall. We were told it might be a bit cooler up there – 13 degrees Celsius. Sounds doable.
Once you reach the top, however, those 13 degrees definitely feel like "Why didn't I pack anything warm?".

A thick mist hangs over everything. So thick that you can't even glimpse the famous view. Instead of a panorama, there's just a white wall. And yet: It's beautiful. Mystical. Still. As if someone had switched the forest to fantasy mode.

The twin pagodas, built in honor of King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit, are almost completely shrouded in mist. They are impressive nonetheless. We also learn that a third temple is planned. I briefly wonder if it would even be visible.

The trail continues along a very easy nature path to the Wachirathan Waterfall. The water plunges around 70 meters into the depths. Loud, powerful, yet incredibly meditative at the same time. I stand there, listen, and think to myself: This is exactly why I'm here.

The return journey to Chiang Mai is by minivan – and suddenly: sunshine. Warmth. No fog. As if the entire mystical mountain had simply never been there.

In the evening, the Chiang Mai night market awaits. It starts at Tha Phae Gate and ends at Wat Phra Singh Temple. And my goodness – it has everything. Street food in every imaginable variety, souvenirs I don't need, street performers, live music, and seemingly half the world's population. I love it. Sensory overload, Thai style.

The next day, I set off on a temple tour towards Chiang Rai. On the agenda: the White Temple, the Blue Temple, and the Red Temple. Almost a three-hour drive. Along the way, I at least learn something: Chiang means "city," Mai means "new," and Rai is the name of a king. An educational trip, then.

A stop at the hot springs. Here you can buy eggs cooked directly in the hot springs. Very convenient – the intense sulfur smell makes it immediately clear why eggs are available here. Appetizing… sort of.

Then came the first wow moment: the white temple, Wat Rong Khun. And yes – WOW. The temple isn't even finished yet. Construction began in 1997, and it's scheduled to be completed sometime around 2070. The artist Chalermchai Kositpipat has created his life's work here. It's not a traditional temple, but an art project. Inside, Buddhist motifs meet Marvel superheroes, Sailor Moon, and Michael Jackson. My brain needs a quick update – but it works surprisingly well.

The Blue Temple, Wat Rong Suea Ten, seems almost understated in comparison. Bright blue, with golden decorations and a large white Buddha. Also relatively new, but very impressive.

And then my personal favorite: the red temple. It's actually completely white, but with red roofs – lovely details. It's called Wat Huay Pla Kang and is built in the Chinese style. The enormous statue of the goddess Guan Yin towers above everything. The view from the very top is simply breathtaking. Add to that a nine-story pagoda – three structures that easily fill a whole day of marveling.

After another three hours of driving back, we are officially through.
Eat. Sleep. The end.