And so back to Chiang Mai - and to our trusty guesthouse (Namkhong, Soi 4) - to finish what we started.

Our first stop was the Sunday walking market.  Although starts during the day, doesn't really come to life until the evening.  Absolutely packed in fact, like walking in a river of people.  A wider range of gifts and souvenirs than the other markets - plus the trusty street vendors selling ridiculously cheap, yet tasty food.  Having restrained ourselves for long enough we spent some well saved money!

Our first tour was to the elephant park with a very excitable Thai guide by the name of Art who informed us that this would be a fun packed and very exciting program!!  This began with a show including the elephants playing games, painting, lifting their mahouts (owners) and demonstrating how they were used for logging.  Followed by a ride through the jungle and local hilltribe village.  We were then greeted by an ox cart ride - very bumpy and slightly one-sided as only one ox wanted to move!!!  After lunch we had a rather long and not that exciting bamboo raft - made slightly more amusing by the raftman shouting random dangerous animal names in an attempt to scare us!  Our program continued to an orchid and butterfly farm.  Interesting fact of the day - orchids do not need to grow in the ground like other flowers!!!  Also got to see butterfly cocoons (a first for Hayley at least!).  We were then informed our trip could potential divert to a snake and monkey farm - no thank you we said!!!   The night was spent with more shopping at the night bazaar and then dinner at the Best Taste Kitchen in the food court.  Although an amusing name, great food at silly prices.

Day 2, our Pad Thai cooking course with Nokky (not Nookie as she informed us with a dirty cackle!).   We started with a tour of the morning market to see the different ingredients and learn about their many uses.   We then spent the day learning how to make the most popular Northern Thai dishes, these included Pad Thai, spring rolls, Tom Yum Kong, green curry and chicken and cashew nuts (not for me Mum!).   The day had very strong links to blue peter with everything already weighed and prepared on trays for us.  Good fun though.  Definitely no dinner for us that night as we got to eat everything we made!!!!

Day 3, Doi Inthanon National Park.  We started out with a tamer guide than day 1 (thank goodness!).  Our first stop was the Nam Tok Mae Klang waterfall.  As it was quite breezy the spray from the drop made it more like a shower than a Kodak moment!  Still we persisted to get the faithful holiday snap - us standing in front of it!!!   A quick toilet break (as insisted on by our guide!) and back to the bus.  A stopoff at yet another hilltribe village, then on to waterfall no 2 with the Royal gardens surrounding it.  Very picturesque.  Toilet break no 2 (felt like being back at school!!) and on to the Royal Pagondas.  These were built for the King and Queen respectively on their 60th birthdays as a gift from the Thai people.  After climbing the 115 steps to the Queen's we were greeted by an impressive white buddha and very ornate mosiacs on the ceiling and stone carvings in the walls.  Rich's finest moment was finding a VW symbol in one of the carvings!!!!!!!!!  Back down the steps, and up the other side to the King's.  Not quite so impressive for once, but much better views of the surrounding mountains.  And then on to the Doi Inthanon summit with the Stupa (grave) of the late King Inthanon.  This is also the highest point in Thailand - unfortunately our guide was very concerned about us as we were in shorts and t-shirts and it was a very cold 12 degrees!!!!  No amount of convincing would have her believe this was still a nice summer's day in England.  A few more toilet breaks and we were allowed back on the bus back!  Our last night in Chiang Mai was spent at the Best Taste Kitchen once more for a seafood feast!!!

Next stop Chiang Rai.....