Hey readers! This week found me continuing my exploration of Northern Thailand and having lots of touristy fun along the way. I’ve been traveling with someone I met in Hawaii, and it has definitely inversed my typical work/travel balance (which typically leans much more heavily on work!) Having a travel buddy has a lot of benefits and I’m having a lot of fun with it at the moment, but as you may have noticed from a lighter-than-usual posting schedule this week, I’m totally behind on work!
The week kicked off in Pai, from where we took a two day rafting trip to Mae Hong Son. It was, among other things, the first time I can recall sleeping in the jungle under nothing more than a mosquito net and the longest I’ve been away from Internet since November of 2011!
Unfortunately Mae Hong Son met us with a nasty bout of food poisoning, but we were able to soak up a bit of the city’s bucolic atmosphere and Burmese-style temples first. For the weekend, we booked it back to Chiang Mai to hang out with friends and take a Thai cooking class. As always, I can’t wait to share all of this with you in more in-depth posts later!
I’m traveling at a slightly more rapid pace than I typically prefer, all in order to get to the Philippines before my Thai visa runs out. I’m going to miss Northern Thailand though — I found a lot of happiness here.
Onto the photos!
Photo A
This tea on my last morning in Pai was most certainly the prettiest I’ve ever had.
Photo B
The camp in the middle of the jungle on my rafting trip through the Thai jungle.
Photo C
Stunning hillside temple in Mae Hong Son. I was fascinated by the Burmese influence on the temples in this border city.
Photo D
These temples on the lake were the reason Mae Hong Son had been on my travel to-do list for so long.
Photo E
I loved my Chiang Mai cooking class! In the morning we went to the very colorful market.
Photo F
I managed not to burn the place down!
Which photo is your favorite? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
I love photo F! You’re already quite a good food photographer I must say š
Which is funny, because I’m one of the world’s worst cooks š
Photo F — classic still life with all new ingredients.
Thank you Judy! They were definitely all new ingredients for me š
Photo A – Not only is it pretty but it just evokes a comforting feeling, just like a good cup of hot tea.
Thanks Rochelle! I think that’s a feeling we’d all love to have š
beautiful, beautiful D
Thanks Gram! Miss and love you, hope I see you at Liv’s graduation! š
I missed Mae Hong Son the last time I was in, well, Mae Hong Son province. I got too caught up in a place called Pang Mapha (an hour outside of Pai). Looks lovely!
On to more pressing matters. The Philippines, you say? When and whereabouts you traveling here? š
I’ll be arriving in 5 or 6 days! I think I’ll be there for around 5 weeks… can’t wait! I’m starting in Luzon then Puerto Galera, then it’s all up in the air from there!
C!!! The temple with the bouganvillia is just such a gorgeous shot. Glad you are enjoying the North, Mae Hong Son looks stunning š
Thanks Sarah! It was a beautiful little town… if only I didn’t get food poisoning there to taint the memory! Ugh.
Photo C! You are almost convincing me to put Thailand on my travel list
Thailand belongs on EVERYONE’S travel list, Breanna! You will love it if you make it here š
Photo A !! prety and cool.
Thank you Sameer!
A
I always love the weeks when you chime in š
B, because I want to go to there! But I almost picked E because I ate at that market nearly every day I was in Chiang Mai–Somphet, right?
Heather, I can’t be sure… I was a *little* sleepy on that first stop š
Haha, fair enough š Those classes start early!
F and well done for not making the place go up in flames lol! I really like C too – looks like it should be 2 photos, cool effect.
Thanks Cat! With Photo C I was trying to replicate a tilt-shift lens… which I really wish I had!
I need to learn more about this tilt-shift stuff. I keep hearing about it and can sometimes identify a photo with the effect but have no idea what it is or how you do it. I’m intrigued!
Ha, um, Cat, I feel the same way! I actually really don’t understand what it is — so I probably shouldn’t be throwing the term around so loosely! š
Although I love the colorful displays in the SE Asian markets, I am also a sucker for night skyline shots. D does it for me.
I almost didn’t put Photo D in here this week…. clearly I almost made a big mistake š Definitely this week’s most popular photo!
I almost picked C, but I’d have to go with D! As a lover of lights, reflections, and nighttime skyline views… I think D’s an awesome shot.
Thank you Kristen! That view made the whole journey there worth it!