I have mixed feelings about my time here in Chiang Mai. While we still had a good time, it was not really what I had expected. I am not honestly sure what I had expected, but I feel somehow a little disappointed by this city.
There are lots of great things to do in Chiang Mai. The night market was fun, and Doi Suthep was amazing. I loved the food and had some great massage, but somehow, the city wasn’t what I was looking for. As I mentioned in a previous post, part of the problem is that I think that Chiang Mai needs more time than we can give it.
So, I spent my last night here getting one last Thai massage and trying Khao Soi, an amazing Northern Thai delicacy made with noodles, chicken, curry broth and a host of condiments. I walked around the night market by myself (Aaron isn’t feeling well…he ate something that didn’t agree with him) and soaked up one last helping of the Chiang Mai Streets.
I got one last thrill (and a uniquely Thai experience) as I rode in the tuk tuk down the main street of the night market, flying past all of the stalls and people, then onto an empty road as my driver went full throttle, flying down the streets of Chiang Mai in the back of a somewhat rickety, open air vehicle.
Tommorow, we are booked for a cooking class at a Thai farm, then it is off to the airport and on our way towards our long journey home (perhaps with a brief stop in Tokyo on the way). I won’t miss the chaos and dirtiness of this place, but I will miss the people, the food and the massage. It has been an interesting trip.
I am sorry that this post was a little on the short side. If you are looking for more ideas about What to do in Chiang Mai, check out these other pieces from our Thailand adventure!
- Food and Travel: Overcoming a Fear of Spicy Food in Thailand
- Order out of Chaos in Chiang Mai Thailand
- Hiking in Thailand: Our Hike with the Chiang Mai Hiking Club
