Staycation Summer

One week in, and the summer holiday already feels like a lifetime ago. I've settled quickly into new routine and am finding lots to feel positive about at the start of a new academic year.

Moving house this summer, time and money were not on our side but the move was an adventure itself and kept us plenty busy. Instead of going away this year, we found entertainment in the Great British sunshine (and rain), and I, of course, went on lots of exploratory wanders.

Several of my days were spent wandering the Thames Path both alone, and in a more sociable manner. I found lovely pubs, walked along the shore, admired many a bridge and garden, and discovered the London Heliport (great excitement) as well as a few quieter spots for sitting and reading.

After all the glorious sunshine at the start of the holidays, of course the heavens opened as we made our way home for a long weekend. Still we managed to enjoy a day of board games and endless cups of tea, a coastal walk and picnic on the beach just before the rain came again, and a game or two of Boule in the garden before we were off to Norwich where the sun returned in all its glory. In Norwich, we spent an evening with Lorna and James enjoying good food and good drink, then headed to the Norfolk Broads for an afternoon revelling in nostalgia and the slowest pace of life as we pootled along on a day boat.

After our Kent Coast experiences, we thought we'd try Dorset for a beach day instead and had a magical day in Tyneham Valley where we wandered around a village abandoned in World War II, and walked down to a relatively hidden, and totally beautiful bay where we then spent the day snoozing, reading, picnic-ing, and splashing in the sea.

I last (and first) visited Kew Gardens for my birthday a couple of years ago. That was in the Spring, and I always said I'd like to go back for a different season. Admittedly the best of the summer had passed by the time Jess and I arrived this time, but it was great to see the Temperate House now it's reopened, and I absolutely loved the sense of escapism in the Kitchen Garden.

With the final week of the holidays upon us, Steven and I decided to spend a couple of days away in Rye. Like with Kew, I visited a couple of years ago so it was nice to return with a slightly different agenda. The sun shone for us this time, and we had a lovely walk through fields of sheep to Camber Castle before enjoying an evening of beer and burgers. The next morning we awoke to torrential rain, but decided not to let it deter and made for Hastings where, by the time we arrived, the rain had subdued, and we had fun exploring the Old Town and the castle there.

Last weekend I headed to Bath for the first time in far too long where myself, Nic, Jess and Sam ventured to Cheddar Gorge for walking and catching up (between gasps for breath as we heaved our way up sheer hillside).

When September comes, it's always a time for new beginnings, and so far I'm really enjoying a new home, new routine, and meeting lots of new people. Bring on the PSLs, falling leaves and cosy, candle-lit evenings. A jam packed summer has definitely left me very ready to embrace the Autumn!

Drawn to the water

Yesterday we officially made the move South of the river. Despite my protestations and love for the North, a new job calls for a new location.

The last two days have been spent ferrying a surprising number of boxes back and forth between Seven Sisters and Southfields and today I found myself in a pre-pay day lull so decided to do some exploring of the local area.

When I met Steven, Southfields was his stomping ground, and his family are still here, so the area's (especially the dog friendly parts) not all that unfamiliar but I don't need an excuse for a wander, and I wanted to familiarise myself as a local!

Productivity consisted of a drop-in at the gym to enquire about membership, and cashing a couple of cheques that have been knocking about in my purse since my birthday (yippee for summer holidays and my bank a mere 13 minute walk away) then I deviated when I saw signs for 'Riverside Walk'..

Before I knew it, the River Wandle met The Thames and I was wandering along the Thames Path. I'm so excited to be so close to water and birdlife, and a small escape from the hustle and bustle that London can otherwise bring. Once on the path, my headphones were off and I appreciated the peace and quiet, and occasional honk from a Canada Goose. Despite persistent cloud cover and fairly strong winds, I followed the path all the way up (or maybe down?) to Putney, resting occasionally along the way to look over the water.

Back home, I popped into the yoga studio that I'd spotted earlier from my bedroom window (so much excitement!) to grab a class schedule, then made my way back to the sofa with a cup of tea where I sit now to write.

There are many things to do and places to see that have been on my South London list for a while. I can't wait to get ticking them off!

2000 Trees

'You headed to 12 trees?', asks our cab driver who's picking us up from Cheltenham Station. 'Apparently there are 2000. But I don't think we'll count.', we reply. Yesterday was our first time at 2000 Trees, and we loved every minute of it!

Jess and I last attended a festival together in 2013 when we went with Olive to Latitude. So this summer, we decided it was about time we did another festival, and when a few of our favourite bands and artists appeared on the lineup for 2000 Trees, we decided it was the one for us.

Next to no queue as we arrived, we were armed with our wristbands and straight through. The festival site was fairly small, which was nice as it meant that we easily found our way around, and headed straight to see The Xcerts who were performing a forest session.

If we do go back (which I hope we will), we'll definitely go better prepared. Although one benefit of going to a festival for just a day is that you can pack light, we did agree that we could have done with something to sit on. Sitting on the forest floor, we did suffer from numb bums, and camping chair envy, but the set from Murray and Jordan got us off to a good start. It all felt particularly forest-camping-esque when Murray unplugged his guitar and came out to the centre of the crowd to play the last song.

Lunch excites me at the best of times, but having seen what was on offer as we'd entered, we were especially excited for this lunch. I opted for a 'hot and crispy' scotch egg on sweet potato fries, and Jess found some gluten free pasta with a smoky cheese sauce. We sat by the Neu Stage to eat, where Asylums were playing a set. Enjoyed our food, and a spot of people watching (always good value at a music festival) before moving on to the Main Stage for Beans on Toast (the artist, not more food.)

His music was great, messages powerful, and he had the crowd laughing which is always fun. After the set, we made our way to The Axiom tent for Bloody Knees. A first for both of us, we loved their energy and found ourselves singing along despite having only discovered them the night before on a Spotify playlist.

Another forest session from Enter Shikari followed, but with The Xcerts playing the main stage only 5 minutes after the forest set ended, we had to dash. After what felt like endless tuning in the forest, we only managed to catch a couple of songs from Rou before heading back to the main stage. It's been really interesting to see The Xcerts play so many different venues. For me, a stage at a festival was the biggest, and their set did not disappoint. I think Murray's dance moves may have just tipped it for my favourite moment of the day.

Our first clash of the day struck, as back in the forest, Séan McGowan was playing. Not wanting to miss his only set of the day, we didn't stay for all of The Xcerts, and headed back to the trees.

Half our day came around all too quickly, and it was time again for some food. Back at the Main Stage via gluten free mini pancakes for Jess, we enjoyed most of Basement's set, some of it from the queue for Pad Thai (my first since Thailand, and it did not disappoint). Navigating crowds on our way then to The Cave stage where Skinny Lister were already in full swing was a little hairy, but we made it to a spot right outside the tent in the evening sun with all food in tact. Just enough time for digestion, we were back up and dancing again, trying to avoid the bare-chested man flailing around next to us in the stream of Coca Cola, beer, and goodness knows what else that his friends were spraying him with.. sticky.

Our final set of the day was quite the contrast to the madness of Skinny Lister. We were back in the forest where we'd begun our day for Ben Marwood's acoustic set. Another artist with an excellent sense of humour (it really does go a long way), we ended the day with plenty of laughs.

I didn't think I'd ever find a festival in the UK that suited me so well, but we really did have the most amazing day at 2000 Trees. The lineup was incredible, the sets were fantastic, the site is so convenient, the food was delicious, and everyone (and I really do mean everyone) was so so  friendly which made for the best atmosphere. It was a Saturday so well spent, and I definitely hope that we'll return!

A Concrete Beach

Almost 30ºC and the celebration of our four years; obviously we had to borrow a Pepper and head to the coast. Botany Bay at Broadstairs has been on my list for a while, but at this time of the year there are no dogs allowed on the beach, so I scoured the Internet for dog friendly beaches in Kent, and landed on Folkestone.

As we made our way out of London, we both laughed at the memory of our Dungeness experience. So driving into Folkestone itself, we were at least relieved to be met by civilisation, although we'd stopped at a services on the way for picnic supplies just in case. 

The main road leading down to the Harbour was reminiscent of Hunstanton seafront, with cars parked all the way along for beach-goers. Arriving in the afternoon meant that spaces were already taken, so we drove back on ourselves to find a quieter spot. Following signs for a footpath, we headed towards Warren Country Park and the beach that lay below the East Cliff.

We both agreed that in the heat, we could have been walking through Spanish hills and were glad of a bit of wall to sit on by the time we got down to the sea. I don't think either of us was quite expecting what we were greeted by. Where the footpath opened out onto the 'beach', there were families dotted between groynes on pebbles leading down to the sea to our right, and fishermen on concrete to the left. I'm not quite sure how I'd describe the concrete. It was like a promenade as the sea came right up and was immediately deep, but it was much wider and more vast. 

We opted for concrete as it was emptier. We wanted to eat, and weren't sure how Pepper would feel about sitting by us to wait if temptation was all around. Our spot on a wall gave optimum opportunities for people and seagull watching. We weren't keen on joining the masses back the way we'd come, so we resolved to venture further after eating to see if we could find a quieter patch of beach beyond the concrete.

I'm not sure if it was the heat combined with a fairly insistent sea breeze, or our not really knowing where we were going, but the walk seemed endless. There were pretty white cliffs to enjoy on one side, a surprisingly blue sea on the other, and Pepper was clearly in her element, so it wasn't all bad. After a while, we spied what we thought was more pebbles (it's amazing how much like sand concrete looks from afar. Disappointingly deceiving.), so we decided that we'd found where we were heading.

Passing signs to the 'nudist beach', Steven suddenly seemed to be flagging, but I valiantly strode on, convinced that because they were written in chalk, they could hardly be official. Eventually we passed what felt like a warning sign informing us that the 'clothed' or 'textile' beach was very much back the way we had come. By this point, though, I could definitely tell that we were in fact heading away from concrete and onto a natural beach, so I really wasn't keen to go back. Met, however, with fully bronzed bods, I reluctantly agreed to turn around. We then spent much of our return walk feeling sheepish as we passed people who we now realised would think that the nudist beach had been our plan all along.

We took a couple more sitting stops to rest a while in the heat, and by the time we reached the car were both completely zonked. Sea air really does take it out of you! The drive back to London was a sleepy one for Pepper and me in the back. I might be biased, but I still think Norfolk beaches trump Kent's offerings. We'll see if a different one can change my mind one day.

My railcard's last hurrah

By some form of miracle, the weather this May bank holiday has not been at all bad. Floaty skirts have been a theme as I've enjoyed an afternoon tea, brunch, a picnic, and an impromptu trip to the seaside.

Whitstable's been on my list for a while; although after our Dungeness experience, I was a little hesitant. However, following recommendations from friends and family, I booked two tickets for myself and Emily to head down to the coast for an afternoon of sun, sea, and sand (somewhere beneath the pebbles).

Only around an hour and a quarter out of St Pancras, it wasn't long until we spied the sea from the train window. Wishful thinking led us to hope that most fellow passengers would be going on to Margate, but in fact plenty alighted with us and together we trooped towards Whitstable Harbour.

The Great British Seaside revival is real. The harbour and seafront were bustling, so valiantly we walked on with the intention of getting away from the crowds. It took a while, but the beach did eventually quieten down. The only downside to this was that it also ran out of food and drink options. Not wanting to appear too defeatist, we looped back, walking this time along the quiet backstreets as opposed to along the seafront.

Queues wherever we went, we decided that we would have to stop being so stubborn, and joined one to order chips (and a crab sandwich for me, whitebait for Emily) and beer; all local, of course.

We perched on a wall by the quay, thoroughly enjoying our food, drink, and people watching. Suitably stuffed, we took our drinks for a walk back to the quieter end of the beach.

Here we sat for the rest of the afternoon, basking in the sun. We got as far as a toe dip in the sea, but my gosh was it a cold shock! So, despite thinking that we would be bold and go for a full dip.. we didn't.

Early evening came and a short walk took us back to the station. This time the platform was even busier than before and the train that pulled up was already rammed with people who had been further afield to find their patch of seaside.

First impressions of Whitstable were good. If I can handle the full fare, I'm sure I'll return one day in the middle of the summer holidays when hopefully it won't be quite so teeming with tourists..

Thailand: Ko Lanta, Phuket & back to Bangkok

It wasn't strictly half-way through, but I'm going to call the islands the second part of our adventure, because they were so different to where we began. After visiting Chiang Mai, we made our way to Ko Lanta for some sun, sea, and sand.

Our taxi arrived at 5am to take us to Chiang Mai airport. A packed breakfast from the hotel of bread and butter, croissants, a boiled egg (as you do), green fluffy cakes, and a carton of orange juice perked us up a little (even if we did then have to abandon some of it in a moment of panic when met with airport security much sooner than expected). Yet again, Air Asia was quick and easy, and we were soon at Krabi airport.

I know I'm very easily amused, but I don't think I'll ever tire of being met at airports by men holding signs with my name on them.. In the comfort of yet another wonderfully air conditioned taxi, we made our way to Ko Lanta. On the drive we passed innumerable 'palm farms', as I decided they must be, not so dissimilar to the tree-lined roads of Norfolk (only perhaps a little more exotic).

A short ferry crossing took us onto the island and in no time we had arrived to another welcome fruit juice, accompanied this time with a cold flannel to combat the heat. Truly not backpacking, our hotel, Crown Lanta Resort & Spa was in the most beautiful setting; up in the hills with panoramic views of the sea, and its own private beaches. We'd booked ourselves into a pool access room which meant just that; straight out of bed and into the pool with but a few steps. Not even unpacked yet, as we waited for our bags to be brought to the room, we sat on the edge for a little taster dip.

Our room was actually at the bottom of the hill, so getting anywhere meant climbing a long series of steps, or if well timed, hopping on a glorified golf buggy to save our legs. What felt in the heat like hours later, we made it to the beach-side terrace where I indulged in a club sandwich (holiday classic, thanks Sam) and we shared a jug of beer. It wasn't long before I was racing down the steps to actually walk on sand and wade out to sea. We whiled away the rest of the day on the beach, before moving to the hotel's Reggae Bar for a fire show, and sunset over the water, and then into town for food.

After the best breakfast yet (the selection was huge), we were ready for another day of beach. This time we ventured beyond the hotel and settled on Long Beach (which, it turned out, really was very long) on the West coast of the island for a spot of sunbathing, swimming, and more indulgence. 

A spot of Google-ing had told us that there was an animal welfare centre nearby, and as soon as Steven heard that they were on the look-out for dog walkers, it was happening. We'd read that the dog walking took place between specific hours when the heat wasn't so intense, so we made our way in time for the afternoon slot. We began our visit in Kitty City, where I got swarmed by kittens intrigued by my beach bag and flip flops, before heading into the kennels where we got the chance to walk a puppy, Olive, on an integration walk with a group of other dogs and walkers.

Having taken a tuk tuk to the centre, the driver had decided to stick around ready to take us to our next destination. We refused at first, but giving in relatively quickly, we were glad that we had when we realised how far we would have actually had to walk (darn our British stubbornness). He dropped us further along Long Beach, at Phra Ae Beach where we enjoyed another sunset; this time with added bonfires, and a small naked boy who wanted to play.. 

As we left the beach to head back to the hotel, low and behold, 'our' tuk tuk driver was still hanging around, so we took full advantage and hopped in in search of food. We ate at Fat Monkey, or Ling Uan where I enjoyed a slightly festive tasting cocktail, and we received a complimentary bamboo straw. Our final stop before the return to our hotel was Dive Bar, which turned out to be an excellent spot for people and dog watching.

Our final day in Lanta was spent exploring further afield. We booked a driver through the hotel and he took us around for the day. Clearly embracing the tuk tuk life, we requested an open-back vehicle instead of air conditioning, which turned out to be a great choice for being able to see what was around us.

I hadn't realised that many of Thailand's islands have their own mangrove forests, but they do. So our first stop was to one of these. We were offered, but declined, a boat tour, and instead took to the boardwalk for a while before feeling slightly uneasy about monkeys (we saw one and he moved fast), and buzzy, bitey things (we'd forgotten our bug spray on this particular occasion), turning back. 

The next stop was Lanta Old Town. Seemingly a small strip of quaint shops and restaurants on the East Coast of the island, we stopped for lunch with a view that took my breath away. The haze of heat over the most still, turquoise water was truly something special. I could have quite happily spent the rest of the day just admiring it. We walked a little way after food, along the pier, and back again, but it was the heat of the day at this point, so we were soon ready to move on.

The final stop was another beach; this one on the Southern coast of the island. Bamboo Beach was another quiet spot as Phra Ae had been, and the sea, clear of rocks, was very pleasant for a dip in the late afternoon.

After several ridiculously early mornings for flights, we decided to take our journey to Phuket at a more leisurely pace. Check-out was at noon, so I took full advantage of our pool, and the sunshine, before we finally headed off to catch the ferry at Saladan Pier.

A super simple journey brought us right to our next hotel, and to a waiting Clair, also now on her holidays. Already moving into the evening by the time we'd got our bearings (it really does get light far too early in Thailand), we walked along from the hotel to find food (of course). Re-energised, we made our way to the beach where we could at least hear the sea, waves crashing, even if we couldn't quite see it in the darkness. From a safe distance, we browsed the market stalls lining the seafront. 

Back at the hotel, we were treated to our night's entertainment by a one-man band and his slightly glitchy laptop. Maps and leaflets laid out on the table, we made a plan of action for the next few days.

Had an unexpected additional guest in our room...

When on the coast, go to the beach. After a Thai version of an English fry-up which came in a frying pan with hot dog sausages and some mystery green leaves (it was not Spinach), our first full day was a beach day. The heat was intense, so most of the day was spent in the fetal position trying to keep all limbs in the shade and if not in the shade, we were making mad dashes down to the sea across the burning sand. By the evening, sunset from the water was pretty special.

Our second day was spent on a speedboat exploring islands around Phuket. An early taxi pick-up meant that there was no time for breakfast. Clair and I definitely got to the verge of hangry, but were incredibly happy to discover that there was a complimentary breakfast buffet at the marina. Our plates were filled.

Once on the boat, our first stop was Khai Island which was a surreal experience, almost scarily busy with tourists. I assume that in the past, Khai Island was uninhabited. Now it's home to a daily influx of tourist boats and covered in huts selling food, drink, and souvenirs. Having walked most of the way around , we found a patch of sand near the water, and spent our time there just taking it all in.

At this point we were feeling rather guilty for adding to the tourist footprint, so some solace came in the fact that we didn't actually stop at the famous Monkey Beach, but just sailed by on our way to Phi Phi Don where we stopped for another buffet lunch, and a dip in the sea away from the crowds.

The boat continued on to a bay where Clair and Steven partook in some snorkelling for a while, and I acted as camera-woman. Our final stop then was Maya Bay, due to close in a matter of weeks to give the sea-life some rest from tourist abuse. The sand here was the most gorgeous sand we experienced in Thailand; so soft and light. We bathed in sun, and sea, before it was time to head back to the boat for the choppy ride back to Phuket.

After a full day of sun exposure, we thought we'd treat ourselves to a late night aloe vera full body massage. Full of sea air, and that floating feeling, we definitely slept well.

With an evening flight back to Bangkok, we still had a whole day left. We'd considered following the pattern of our previous destinations, and exploring the wider vicinity, but upon the realisation that this was the last of our sea and beach time, we abandoned all urges for exploration and headed back to the beach. Not before, of course, another big breakfast. This time, we indulged in a 'Viking Breakfast' which offered the usual eggs and bacon, with additional ham, and cheese. It was too good. 

This time, in a bid to keep cool while at the same time making the most of the Vitamin D before our impending return to cold and grey, I wandered along the shoreline; people watching, rescuing flip flops, and admiring a quieter beach on a Tuesday as opposed to the Sunday before.

It was good to be back in Bangkok without jet lag. Our hotel, Mövenpick Hotel, was beautifully elegant, and felt a real treat for our final few days. Again, there was welcome juice (the tastiest yet and I'm not even sure what it was.. I got 'Thai herbs' from the receptionist), and after spending a couple of nights above Phuket's night fish market, it was incredibly peaceful, too, despite being in the city.

Another lovely breakfast at Roast set us up well for the day. Felt very at home as we popped into H&M for some sunglasses and 'appropriate footwear' before heading on the Sky Train to another pier to catch a river boat. Hop on, hop off, has never felt more accurate. At each 'stop' it really was a race against time to make the jetty before the boat went on its merry way. 

We began and ended our day at Wat Arun; a beautiful ceramic-covered temple on the riverside. Later, we over-looked it from a restaurant on the other side as the sun set. A special beginning and ending to the day. Other stops included The Grand Palace which was teeming with umbrella-wielding, shouty tourists, and another temple, Wat Pho, which was much more calm and peaceful.

Sadness all round as we reached our final day in Bangkok, and waved goodbye to Thailand. Having been so busy almost every day of our stay, we were ready to flop by this point, so we didn't go too far. After a final breakfast (another excellent one. The sausage was a highlight, this time) at Chu Chocolate Bar and Cafe, we headed to The Golden Mount for a view over the city.

The rest of the day was spent by the hotel's rooftop pool from which we eventually tore ourselves away for a final dinner together at Cabbages and Condoms, a restaurant supporting social development programmes. Back at the room, we shared a few more beers, and said our goodbyes (not before Clair raided our hotel freebies). It was another early night in preparation for another early morning and a full day of flying back home. 

It's interesting that Thailand has never really appealed to me over other places, because I'm really glad we went. We had the most fantastic two weeks, full of new experiences and adventure, and it really is a lovely place to be. One day, I'm sure I'll go back, and I'll definitely be back in another part of Asia in the near future I hope, now I've had a taster..

Thailand: Bangkok, Ayutthaya & Chiang Mai

Having averted a Bridget-Jones style prison sentence upon our arrival into Thailand, our first evening in Bangkok was spent consuming copius amounts of wine (or beer in Steven's case) and cuddling cats in Clair's apartment to recover before settling down for the night ready for a day trip to the city of Ayutthaya (apparently pronounced Ah-you-tee-ah) in celebration of my birthday.

What a view to wake up to..

We took an early train from Bangkok to make the most of the day, and opted for Third Class tickets which effectively cost us less than 50p for an hour and a half long journey. Having been kicked out of several people's seats (it was all very unclear), a combination of jet lag, a lack of food, heat of ridiculous proportions, a probable hangover, and the mere thought of having to stand for an hour and a half on a bustling train resulted in my rather nonchalantly being on the brink of fainting. The majority of the journey was therefore spent sitting in the aisle with my head between my legs, much to the displeasure of the many salespeople making their way up and down the train carriages.

Arriving into Ayutthaya (where we had to walk across the tracks to exit the station), we made straight for sustenance. After sitting in the stream of several fans to eat my first Pad Thai of the holiday, and drink a bottle of Coke, I felt much better. We decided to take a tuk tuk tour around the city, which would take us to several of the main temples for a reasonable price between three of us.

Home now, I'd like to find out more about the history of Ayutthaya. It was fascinating to imagine what the city was once like. Even the ruins of temples were impressive, and it was good to see that they are now well preserved, possibly in part thanks to the small entrance fee for each one (only the equivalent of £1 or so which felt very fair in contrast to London attractions). In the stifling heat, we were grateful to our tuk tuk driver for providing fans, and for giving us plenty of time to wander at each stop, all keen to take the day as slowly as possible.

Having learned our lesson from the outward journey, we decided to book seats for the return, and then waited for the arrival of our train in the same place that we'd begun our day, this time with a few cold beers. Back in Bangkok, we headed to W District where my birthday twin was already out celebrating with friends. Effectively an outdoor food-court and bar, there was plenty to choose from. We went for 'traditional' Thai grilled cheese sandwiches and more Singha.

The next morning was another early one, as we flew to Chiang Mai. Arriving early meant that we were able to make the most of our first day in the city, and our first impressions were pretty excellent. Having unpacked, we were quickly out to explore. A few doors along from our hotel we found a little cafe serving traditional Thai sausage fried rice, which we tried for less than £1 each. Tummies satisfied, we explored several of the city's own active Buddhist temples, enjoying a bottle (or three) of Singha at each pit-stop. 

As the evening approached, we realised that we'd arrived just in time for the Sunday walking market, which had almost a Camden Market feel about it as we walked along for a browse of the many stalls. With the crowds increasing, we were glad to find somewhere to hide out, and happened upon a hotel bar with live jazz and blues entertainment. We stayed a while, enjoying the music, food, drink, and people watching.

Grape juice, noodles and pastries for breakfast (it was all a very healthy affair), we were ready for another day of exploring. Having covered most of what lay inside the city walls on our first day, we ventured further afield to Wat Phra Doi Suthep and the Phuping (or Bhubing) Palace in the mountains just outside of the city.

Not quite brave enough to rent mopeds for windy up-hill driving, we opted for our own taxi driver who took us from one place to the next, waiting at each while we had time to explore. Benefits came in the form of air conditioning, questionable music choices, and conversation between.

Doi Suthep was very much like the temples in the city, although much busier, and with a view back over Chiang Mai making the walk up 309 steps totally worthwhile. Having not had any trouble in temples (aside from my being assaulted by a helpful ticket lady in Ayutthaya who felt my shorts could be worn a little longer...), we were surprised when Steven was denied entry to the Palace due to his shorts (we decided that perhaps they just couldn't handle his 'glow'). Once he was donning a pair of highly fetching floaty elephant trousers, however, we were ready to go. Here was much more peaceful, as the steps and pathways around the grounds led us past colourful borders, into tropical forest, and through glasshouses.

Back in Chiang Mai, we headed out for a late lunch and our first beer of the day. Having had our fill of food, beer, and people watching, we treated ourselves to our first Thai massage. After lots of walking over the past few days, we chose foot massages with two lovely ladies, Poo and Bum (pronounced Boom.. if that makes it any better) which left us feeling relaxed and ready for another evening of jazz; this time at the North Gate Jazz Co-Op. Who knew Chiang Mai would have such a good jazz scene?

Our third and final day in Chiang Mai was spent with elephants, and it was the best. Our day began in the back of a van loaded with other tourists from around the world (we represented America, Canada, Ireland, France, and England; a very newsworthy, international event in the case of tragedy, we all agreed as we hurled around blind corners on our way up to the jungle). 

Red ants averted (for me, at least; Steven and others got a few nasty nips up the legs), we trekked downhill into the sanctuary. The first sight of elephants as we rounded the final corner filled us all with great excitement. Bug spray and sun cream liberally applied, tribal tunics on, and armed with a handful or two of sugar cane, it was time to meet the herd. As we held out each piece of sugar cane, an inquisitive trunk would approach, and more often than not, take a piece simply to hold onto whilst chewing one from earlier. I was mesmerised.

Sugar cane soon gone, we moved on to a second herd for a while where two babies (the youngest 10 months) lived. By this point we all (humans and elephants) were glad of shade, and even more glad when lunch was announced. On a terrace over-looking where the first herd of elephants grazed, we enjoyed a buffet of traditional Thai dishes, and plenty of water, before dozing off for a while on floor cushions in the shade. 

The afternoon was wet, muddy, and a lot of fun. First we gave the elephants (and each other) a mud bath, then we all walked down to the river to rinse off. Lots of rain in previous days meant the water was incredibly brown, but it was still cool and did the job. It was clear that the elephants absolutely loved the river, as several of them completely submerged themselves in the water (one who was then not at all keen to leave) and had great fun rolling around together.

Dried off but still fairly mud-splattered, it was time to go. The journey back was a hot one, so we were glad to be back for a shower and air conditioning. With a super early flight the next morning, we made time for a final meal out with the added bonus of an unexpected parade passing while we ate (I'm still not entirely sure what it was for), before heading back to pack and get an early night before heading South for a few days...