We booked a sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and it was great. Our carriage was packed with backpackers, felt like we were in a mobile hostel dorm. I slept comfortably for most of the journey, from 11pm until 10am, then had a bite of my not-so-tasty breakfast and then continued sleeping til 12.50pm. I amaze myself with the amount I can actually sleep!

According to Ro the view was amazing...something something jungle and forest... I wasn't really paying attention, sleep was far more important.

On arrival we were ambushed with the usual tuk tuk and taxi drivers offering us ridiculous rates for a mere 15 minute ride. I fell ill (typical achy body, headache and fever) over night, so all I wanted to do was get to our hostel at a reasonable rate with minimal fuss. I also wanted a good cuppa, a dozen rich tea finger biscuits and my memory foam king size bed. Dream on Charan!

There are no limitations to what you can see and do in this city. During our 4 night stay here we visited temples, including one on the top of a mountain (Doi Suthep) and enrolled in a spectacular Thai cookery class.

We rented a scooter for our trip to Doi Suthep. My scooter riding skills didn't pass the Ro test - apparently I was too fast, so I was appointed the passenger seat. I on the other hand had full trust in my partner to get me up the mountain and back down in one piece. Trust is important! As we drove up towards the temple there were mini waterfalls and various view points, from where you can see the entire city. I'm not usually keen on scooters however now that I've experienced it I must admit that although I was scared for my life, it was good fun, like scary fun. The most challenging bit came when Ro had to drive downhill on the steep mountain only to be faced by rush hour traffic. We weaved our way through the densely packed cars, only JUST avoiding the wing mirrors jutting out inconveniently in our path. After about 4 hours on the road we made it back in one piece. The only casualty were my sunglasses. They broke as Ro braked heavily to avoid a tuk tuk which resulted in me head butting the back of his helmet.

I strongly believe that one of the best ways to understand a culture is through it's cuisine. There are various cookery classes across Thailand but the one on an organic farm excited us the most. The company grows a lot of their herbs and vegetables on the farm and they use natural alternatives to pesticides which makes them organic. Voila!

Our guide/teacher, MB brought a whole new meaning to fun cooking. She was bouncing off the walls, laughing at her own jokes and most importantly is a brilliant teacher. We cooked and ate 6 delicious dishes, which I aim to recreate once I'm back home. Wow home feels like it's such a long way away.. We've only been travelling for 2 weeks but it feels like 2 months and we're yet to explore so much MORE of this part of the world.