Thailand - with mixed feelings

Thailand, January 9, 2026 - what can I say? I haven't written since Christmas. And I still don’t really know how to express my thoughts or our impressions into words. We were uncertain beforehand whether to stay longer in Thailand or just travel through the country quickly on our way to Malaysia. In fact, it seems that it took me 14 days to develop a good feeling for the country and feel capable of writing again. But I’ll start from the very beginning.

The arrival in Thailand, actually a booking mistake, turned out to be a blessing. Anja had booked a place to stay in Chiang Rai for initially three nights, just one and a half kilometers from the city center. We thought. The province of Chiang Rai is large. The place that is located 20 kilometers south of Chiang Rai and where 'Angel's Chambres D'hôtes' is situated: Huai Sak? I suspect, but I'm not sure. It’s about a fifteen-minute walk to the town center, which seems right.

What I do know for sure is that Gaetano and Saao, the French-Thai owners of the guesthouse, are extraordinarily friendly and helpful and have created a little paradise in the middle of the rice fields. I feel more like I'm in a small Bali retreat than in Thailand. And since it has turned out this way, we’re taking the time to relax for two full days after two and a half packed months in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. Pedro and Iris, whom we meet here, have even settled in for two weeks.

On December 29, we continue to Chiang Rai and into the city. This time, it works out; the Hotel Selene, very modern and very clean, is indeed one and a half kilometers from the city center. Finally arrived in Chiang Rai, we end the day with a meeting with Arne and Anne, Norwegians who traveled with us on the boat from Luang Prabang to Ban Houayxai along the Mekong. The evening - or better: the night - ends with a memorable ride for four in the tuk-tuk.