In the north of Thailand

Traveling by night train is surprisingly pleasant and much more comfortable than the Indian night bus. You can even sleep for a few hours at a time, which makes the time pass quickly. After everyone has slept or no longer wants to lie down, the beds are made up by the conductor and folded up. Comfortable seats appear. I also make myself comfortable here, as there are still about three hours of travel time. A deep green landscape with rice fields and impenetrable jungle flies by outside the window.

When I leave the train in Chiang Mai, I am relieved to find that the temperatures here are more pleasant. So you can enjoy a city stroll without sweating. The city has an old city center, which is still partially enclosed by the original city wall. The small and larger streets are incredibly peaceful and everywhere you can discover small sweet craft workshops and shops. During my stroll through the city, I am actually approached by three tourists who ask for information. It's also my first day here, but apparently I look knowledgeable ^^ In front of the city gate, a very talented street musician plays and many simply listen to the pleasant sounds, dance to them or chase away the countless pigeons and take photos.

I spent a restful night in my tiny hostel room. It is 2x1,50 meters but very pleasantly tempered and clean. Surprisingly, you can also organize yourself well in such a small space.

In the morning I look for and find a scooter rental. Since the traffic is very orderly, I dare to drive in this big city as well. Actually, the traffic is very similar to that in Berlin. Scooters squeeze past waiting cars and make a new lane on the shoulder. The only difference is driving on the left. There is hardly any honking, always blinking, and sometimes red lights are run over...the most important thing is to always follow the flow and merge. With this method and the driving training in Berlin, I reach the 'Grand Canyon' after half an hour. At first glance, it's not that grand. It's actually a huge pit with clear and refreshing rainwater at the edge. Tons of earth were excavated here for Chiang Mai Airport. Over time, the entire pit filled with water due to heavy monsoon rains. Now you can relax and spend a few hours at this place. Bamboo mats float in the water on which you can lie down. I lounge on the mat, half in the cool water, half in the sun, and observe the braver ones among us. There is a 15 meter high cliff from which, if you are suicidal, you can jump. As expected, the male sex has to prove how brave it is and shows quite daring jumps. I prefer to dabble in a rubber tube :)

In the late afternoon, I want to visit the actual landmark of the city. Wat phra that doi suthep is a Buddhist temple complex located in the national park just outside the city. The path there leads over small, well-asphalted roads with countless villages. With the establishment of the national park, it goes uphill on serpentine after serpentine. Particularly athletic people ride their bikes up here to race down the other side. I prefer my small agile scooter. With every meter, it gets noticeably cooler, so I dig out my sweater. There are small laybys from where you have a magnificent view of the city. Arriving at the top, a staircase with 200 steps and two dragons hanging along it leads to the temple. As is common here, remains of Buddha are also kept. Very clever of the man to let himself be divided among different countries and locations after his death. At least several people benefit from it ;) To celebrate the successful day, I treat myself to two servings of corn. The loose grains are sautéed in butter and mixed with sugar. Then you just have to spoon it into your mouth. I LOVE IT! At nightfall, I make my way back and enjoy the scooter ride on the winding road once again. As the crowning finale, I pick up three kilos of freshly washed laundry (no more hand washing) and enjoy this luxury, which costs only 1,50 euros here. A completely beautiful day comes to an end and I fall asleep knowing that the next day will be just as amazing.