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With Emma’s foot still to sore for much in the way of moving around, we decided to continue as planned and head by bus to Chiang Rai as this would give her a reasonably stationary day. It means we have left Chiang Mai behind without actually visiting the city but we plan to go back later on….

We caught the VIP bus for the trip. This more than halves the trip time, down to only three hours. It was also very comfortable and we were given green cake to eat. No idea what flavour it was meant to be but some of us liked it!

We found our hotel in Chiang Rai easily, specially chosen because it has baths not just showers, much easier for keeping one foot dry! Fortunately it seems nice enough as well and they have upgraded us from one standard room and one delux (with the required bath tub) to two delux rooms in order to be able to place us together. Lovely.

Having ditched our luggage we set out to find a few essentials, including cash, and some tea. For some reason today our credit card has been refused at all ATMs. We were quite calm about it for the first five hours and phone call to the uk, less so over the next couple of hours and second phone call. Fortunately the second call did the trick and we now have access to funds again 🙂

We wandered further loking for tea and Phil spotted a row of stalls up a side road. We went up and stumbled into the midle of a huge music / food festival and dance competition. Lots of things going on and hundreds of food stalls. No information in English at all :-). Phil and I set out separately to find dishes for us to share. I found spicy, peanutty fried noodles with banana flower (strangely like a cross between banana and cabbage!) and fried rice with sausage of some sort. Phil came back with barbequed chicken, satay and some beef liver soup with a frighteningly jelly-like consistency. I think it’s fair to say my finds won the popularity contest ;-).

We then chose chocolate coated banana slices, candy floss and mini coconut ice cream cones for desert. Yum!

I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to try out a Thai massage, less than £1.50 for 30 minutes. Oh my goodness! I got cramp in my foot and it was nothing like as painful as what she was doing to me. I’m sure I will be black and blue tomorrow….. I can’t imagine that you could make it more painful if that was your sole purpose. I’ve never been so glad for 30 minutes to be over. Of course I went with the English approach and when asked if I enjoyed it said “oh yes, lovely thank you!”. Madness.

We topped off the evening by watching a few acts in the local Thai equivalent if x-factor by which point we had completely lost touch with the children in the hoards of screaming school girls so it seemed sensible to recover them and head back to the hotel. We will all sleep well tonight I think!

We arrived off the overnight train from Bangkok tired and hungry. The train was due in at 8am so we had rashly decided against ordering breakfast on the train the night before thinking that we would purchase some once we arrived. Unfortunately the train was delayed by 2 hours, as it is every day we are now told!

We finally got some breakfast, and given it was of the rice and curry persuasion perhaps it was just as well that it was nearly lunchtime :-). We were met at the station by Hans our Dutch host for the next few days. He drove us 20kms or so out of the city to his beautiful hotel. We have a delightful Traditional Thai bungalow (on stilts) with gorgeous furnishings and a beautiful pool. Its a very easy place to get lost doing nothing!

Yesterday we dragged ourselves out, borrowing some of the onsite bikes. They are very high quality dutch bikes including a tag along for Susie this time. We did a 15km circuit including a visit to “the Thai Grand Canyon” otherwise known as an old quarry pit. We also stopped by an equestrian centre and, after considerable shouting through the gate to get anyone’s attention, we were allowed in the meet the horses, ponies, birds and dogs. Quite an amazing facility with a competition size dressage area and some beautiful horses. They wouldn’t allow us to ride due to the surface being waterlogged but suggested that if we come back next week it may be possible to have some lessons.

After a good session in the pool we headed out to the Chiang Mai night safari. Not an authentic Thai experience but hand feedng the giraffes will, nonetheless be one of my favourite memories. Less so the performing elephants and the staggeringly awful cabaret / magic show afterwards! Seemed designed to scare the already tired kids… Almost forgot that we saw the very rare Kangaloo from Austrarira!

This morning we planned to head into Chiang Mai itself but Emma scuppered our plans by dropping a jar, onto her glass, which smashed and dropped onto her foot creating a rather large and deep hole. I have never seen so much blood so quickly! Fortunately Phil was quick with the first aid kit and Hans drove us immediately to the local clinic. Emma was immediately put onto a trolley, wheeled inside and seen by a nurse. The nurse set up to suture, but having anethetised decided that afterall the surgeon was needed. My heart sank. Thankfully the surgeon was happy and simply put in the three stitches needed. A quick stop on the way back for some new flip flops which don’t touch the wound and nearly as good as new. The whoe thing including antibiotics, painkillers and wound dressing kits fir the next 10 days came to less than £10! The only pain is that Emma must keep it dry for 10 days until the stitches come out so no swimming or bathing elephants.

So instead of our day sightseeing the kids are sat around the bar watching childrens films and Phil has headed out to look for replacement items for our first aid kit! We are reviewing whether this will change our plans dor the last 10 days of our trip.