Arrived at Chang Mai quite late and was a bit worried about the accom issue. All guesthouses we had dealt with would close at 10pm and it was already gone midnight, so we checked in at a proper hotel instead (Top North Hotel, near the Tha Pae gate) with porter service and pool and TV in the room! Although it was more expensive than we were used to paying at 650 Baht a night (instead of our usual 200-300 baht), it still works out than less than a tenner a night so...

Mae Hong Son is the Thai provincial centre for a large region on the Burmese border. It is a charming little town that we spent several days exploring by motorbike. there is a temple on the mountain overlooking the city and at night it is all lit up and it looks like a giant star hovering for everyone to see. There is also a wonderful lake that acts as a focal point for the night market and even tai ch'i exercise classes which we joined in with (Cheryl was re...

We arrived at a very civilised 9.20am in Chang Mai having caught the sleeper train from Ayuthaya the previous evening. I was particulalry excited as I had never been on a train like that before and couldn't resist waking up early so as to watch the sun rise as the train steamed ever notheward. Just as the sun had risen I was rewarded by the sight of about a dozen farm workers in their conical hats walkign in line, tending he ricefields with a slight mist ...

Today we got up early (5.30), packed our bags and headed to Ayuthaya the old capital city of thailand (Siam as it was known then). We had a very exciting journey. We got a tuk tuk to the main train staition in Bangkok and then got on a 1 and a half hour train journey. The train was exceptional good value for money - at 20 baht (30 pence)  it was the best value for money we have had yet. That it was 3rd class with hard seats and no air-con save for a lit...

It was a sad day when we had to say goodbye to Ko Chang and travel back to Bangkok. The journey was amazing. It took us 8 hours. 3 Hours longer than it should have done. On the mainland, after crossing on the ferry there was floods.Very entertaining to look out of the window and see people swimming down the road, in boats and even fishing of all things!!Dan was a bit hung over as the owner of our guest house, Net had taken us to a thai pub for a goodbye...