Northern Thailand

My first few days in Thailand, I rested. Continuous travel can be exhausting at times, so I was grateful for these few days to recoup. I did however wander around Bangkok and found some cool architecture, markets and a cute breakfast spot. 


After meeting my new group, we travelled north to Sukhothai. This was an absolutely gorgeous area that we explored by bike. Sukhothai was actually the old capital of Thailand, so it was interesting to see the history there - so many temples! As luck would have it, the lantern festival was also on when we were there. It was one of the coolest things I have experienced. The lanterns, the elephants, the food, the music and the dancing was absolutely incredible. If you ever have a chance to go, I would highly recommend it.

 


From Sukhothai, we drove to Thailand’s first elephant hospital. Here they work to rehabilitate the elephants who have suffered serious injuries. They are currently working on developing a prosthetic leg for one of their patients. It was a neat experience.

Our next stop was a home stay with a local family. We were taught how to make a delicious chilli dish, were treated to traditional music and dancing as well as given a tour of the area on bike. During our tour we stopped at a mushroom farm and picked the produce we needed for lunch. It was so cool to see so many mushrooms ready to be picked. 


While at the homestay we also got the opportunity to visit the local school. This was special because I chatted with some of the grade fours. We gave them small gifts and it was heartwarming to see the smiles on their faces. 

Chang Mai was the final destination of our trek north before heading back to Bangkok. While there, we got the chance to experience so much. My highlights were definitely making friends with elephants, learning to meditate from a monk and visiting the Art in Paradise museum. This city is chaulk full of things to do, that you could easily spend a week there. It’s without a doubt another must-see when exploring Thailand. 
 

  

Today I spent the day in Bangkok visiting some more temples and riding through the canals. There is definitely no shortage of Buddha statues around here. I learned that there is a different Buddha for each day of the week you were born. Mine is the meditation Buddha and my lucky colour is orange. Look at the photo below to find out yours. 


  
 

Currently I’m on an overnight train, on route to Khao Sok national park. We’ll get there in the morning and spend the day exploring. Not entirely sure what the plan is, but that’s part of the excitement I guess. Every day is a new adventure. Looking forward to seeing what this one holds.

~Ms. C 

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