After the massage we had a quick shower and then got a tuk tuk ride to the night market. Along the way we went past some dodgy looking massage parlours and bars. The market wasn't yet in full swing as it wasn't quite dark, we strolled around for a while looking at the various stalls, the vendors don't really hassle you here as they do elsewhere, all very relaxed. Fiona bought a cheap watch as we hadn't had time to get the battery in her watch replaced before we left, we should have brought it with us and got a battery here. In the event the watch here was cheaper than a battery at home, she also bought some small items. We then decided to have a drink at the Hard Rock Cafe but the prices were outrageous! Over £4 for a small beer, eleswhere its half that for a large beer so we changed our minds. We got another tuk tuk back and went to the Writers Club near the hotel for pre dinner drinks then ate at the hotel restaurant which came highly recommened. It was good but at twice the price of the previous night it wasn't twice as good.
This morning we had to have breakfast at 07.00 and were picked up at 08.00. Today is a special Buddhist holy day (and of course St David's day) and a public holiday so the roads were quiet except around the temples which would have lots of visitors. We made very good progress out of the city and then turned off to go through the national park which has Thailands highest mountain, Doi Inthanon, which is 2565m high. We stopped briefly at a waterfall and then continued up the mountain through a couple of police checkpoints.
After a while the road became quite winding and it was to stay that way for a good while. We had to make a comfort stop as we couldn't wait until our lunch stop so we went to the next police checkpoint which appeared unmanned but in fact they were all inside watching football on TV and not that bothered about checking traffic nor in us using their facilities. Not a good decision to stop, but as Fiona said we have been to worse.
Another 30 minutes brought us to our lunch stop after which it was a quick visit to the Thai Japanese Friendship Museum, not really our thing, celebrating Thailand cooperation with Japan in the war, no one else there.
Then it was another hour to Mai Hong Son where we visited a Burmese style temple on the top of the hill before heading to our hotel for the night, Fern Resort, an eco tourist lodge.
As we were checking in we noticed a sign saying NO ALCOHOL today because of the holy day! There goes the plan for a sundowner on the balcony, also no TV, lucky that Fiona got that Kindle back.
It was a long journey today, about 350km taking over 6 hours and most of it on very windy roads, in fact there are 1864 curves on the road and you can buy t-shirts with that on or even go and get a certificate to say you've driven the route. Not a journey I would want to repeat even though we were in an air conditioned mini bus.
2025-02-09