Chiang Mai + Pai: 28th Jan - 7th Feb 2019

Time flies faster than you think! It's been almost 4 weeks since I published the last blog post (ooops). It takes discipline and, above all, motivation to stay on track, but I will still try to report continuously about my journey. By the way, I'm very grateful for feedback - positive or negative!

So, where did I leave off... Oh yes, in Chiang Mai! A really cool, albeit very touristy city. We stayed at the Box Hostel, where we extended our stay several times because we liked it so much. Besides, Chiang Mai is an optimal starting point for various trips, and conveniently, we were allowed to leave our big backpack at the hostel.

We were particularly looking forward to our first trip to an elephant camp, and in advance, I extensively informed myself about it because we definitely didn't want to support animal cruelty. The choice ultimately fell on the Ethical Elephant Karen Tribe, and when we arrived there after a 2-hour drive, we knew it was the right decision! The elephants there are not ridden and can move freely. The daily program includes feeding (mainly with grass, sugarcane, and fruit), spa treatments in the mud pit, and bathing in the river. Such greedy but incredibly fascinating and intelligent animals! Did you know that an elephant's pregnancy can last up to 2 years?! I was mega surprised!

Josephine and I were the only ones who booked the overnight program. The drive from the elephant camp to our accommodation took about an hour, and since we were sitting in the back of a pickup truck and mostly driving on hilly dirt roads, it was quite bumpy. When we arrived there, I felt uncomfortable at first because we were alone with two Thai people in the middle of nowhere. But when I saw the beautiful view from the hill and a Thai woman who was preparing dinner for us, I forgot all my doubts and also felt guilty. Well, you learn from it...

We will always remember this evening in the mountains of Thailand with beautiful memories. The starry sky without any light pollution looked simply magical! Random Fact: Somehow it became a rule that every time Josephine and I look at the night sky together, she sees one or more shooting stars and I DON'T see a single one. HOW CAN THAT BE?!

After a chilly night in the small wooden hut, we got up early in the morning to drive back to the elephant camp and spend exclusive time with the elephants before the next group of tourists arrived. Then the same program as the day before took place. We made friends with the hobby photographer named Tony, who actually works as a tour guide in Chiang Mai.

Together with Tony the Monkey (that's at least his tour guide name) and Natascha, a young Englishwoman, we visited the Jai Thep Festival in Chiang Mai. The entertainment program and the live music at the festival weren't really to our liking, but I found the overall concept very nice, and I liked the environmentally friendly aspect.

Our last trip in Thailand was to Pai, a small hippie town located further north in the valley. On the 3-hour drive from Chiang Mai to Pai, you count a staggering 762 curves! That was pretty stomach-churning...

When we arrived there, I felt similar vibes to Koh Phangan (maybe also because of the many Israelis), but in any case, you automatically felt comfortable here, and the hype around Pai was absolutely understandable. Of course, we rented a scooter again, so we could explore the town and the beautiful surrounding landscape on our own. One day, we visited the Sai Ngam Hot Springs and stayed there in the water for a total of 2 hours until we were as wrinkled as grandmas. Pure bliss. In the evening, we had a delicious dinner and then strolled through the night market.

After three way too short days in Pai, we returned to Chiang Mai to be able to take the bus to Mae Sot the next day. There we crossed the border to Myanmar - a completely different world than Thailand. This is where authentic travel began. Stay tuned!