Last week in Asia

I spent most of last week in Chiang Mai, in northern Thailand. In the first two days, which I spent with my group, we visited the old town, several temples, and great markets. But the highlight was the cooking class we attended. I can now authentically prepare several delicious Thai dishes and I am looking forward to trying out my skills at home.

After a final group lunch, I said goodbye to my dear friends and set off with Coree to Wat Umong. I spent three days in a meditation retreat at this temple located in the forest.

I had plenty of time to enjoy nature, reflect, and meditate. Although I would have liked more interaction with the monks, I learned a lot about myself during my time at the meditation center.

After the retreat, I had one last day in Chiang Mai before taking the overnight train to Bangkok.

The overnight train was not like what I was used to, with compartments. Instead, all the beds were arranged lengthwise in the train car. So there were about 40 sleeping people in the compartment.

After finding my way to the hostel in Bangkok, I freshened up briefly and then continued exploring the city on foot. In the evening, I met a friend from Bangkok whom I met in Oxford for dinner. It was great to see her again after such a long time. It is always wonderful to be guided by locals and enjoy local specialties.

On my last day, I visited the art gallery and then had to make my way to the airport after my last papaya salad. Goodbye Asia! 😧