An uneventful flight to Chiang Mai International (!) Airport of just under 90 minutes, our bags were amongst the first off the plane as somewhere along the line they acquired a priority luggage tag. A very quick baggage check through a scanner and we were out of the airport within 15 minutes of landing. Our guide was there to meet us, Mr Yo - very formal, only a 15 minute drive to the Tamarind Village hotel on a busyish road but down a bamboo lined alley way (D and J - similar to Satri House), very peaceful and quiet inside, only 40 rooms. A cooling drink and a refreshing cool flannel whilst we completed the check in formalities and it was then onto our room. By this time it was about 17.00 and all we wanted to do was have a shower and change out of our dirty clothes. Fiona was actually looking and I think feeling better than on previous similar journeys, I felt OK and after a shower felt even better. Fiona had used Trip Advisor to read up about the hotel restaurant which had been recommended to us but we decided to eat there tomorrow night and for tonight we decided to go with another recommendation to The Writers Club about 200 metres down the road.
We had a very good meal of tempura shrimp, Pad Thai and Chicken with Cashews in noodles, together with a large beer and a couple of glasses of wine for 500 baht which is about £12.
By the time we had finished it was 19.30 and even though we were both tired we decided to walk to the Night Bazaar which we had been told was just 10 minutes down the road. After 15 minutes we still hadn't reached it and there appeared to be no sign of anything remotely like it so we turned back to the hotel. Turns out it is about 20 minutes to walk and there is a right turn we should have taken although our instructions were it was a straight road. Of course I could have used my phone map if my brain had been in gear.
We both slept quite well but we did wake about 03.00. Up at 07.00, breakfast at 08.00 and we were picked up at 09.00 for our morning tour. First up was the local market to buy some food offerings and a walk around. Then it was a ricksaw ride from the market to the first temple, I tried to choose the sturdiest of the 2 drivers who both looked old and smaller than Fiona. At one point up a slight incline I thought I was going to have to take over but he stuck at it and we got there in the end, I think they must struggle with some of the larger American or German tourists!
We did our food offerings to a monk and got a blessing in return. Then it was a sequence of ABT's (another bloody temple), actually interesting, the temple complexes are quite peaceful relaxed areas. Then it was lunch in a local restuarant and back to the hotel by noon so we could have the afternoon to relax. By this time it was 36C so it was a quick change and out to the pool to relax for a couple of hours. Our guide had said there was a good massage place just opposite the side entrance to the hotel so I convinced Fiona we should go after I had checked it on on Trip Advisor. I went for the traditional Thai full body massage whilst Fiona had one that was just back, neck and shoulders. Mine was 200 baht and Fiona's for some reason more expensive at 300 baht which came to a total of about £12.50, at the hotel it was 6 times higher. There are cheaper places but the Chana is a respectable place and very clean. I have had massages before, some very good and some not so good, this was very good. The lady had hands which could crush bricks, she struggled to get the knots out of some muscles but she kept at it. Fiona found hers painful but said she was too British to shout, it would probably only encourage them anyway.
2025-02-10