Day 12, 13 & 14 – Chiang Mai (Via Khon Kaen)

Day 12 – Travel to Khon Kaen 

 

Bus to Khon Kaen from Vientiane

Cross Roads

Day 12 & 13 were travel days. We started to make our way back into Thailand to head toward Chiang Mai in the north to catch our flight to the beaches in the south on the 25^th. There was no direct way to make the 585 mile trip so we decided to to go via Khon Kaen, in the Isan region of Thailand to check out a slice of life in an economically thriving city in the poorest region of Thailand. 

  Seven and Half Hours in Khon Kaen

Temple in Khon Kaen

We pulled into the Khon Kaen bus station at 12:30 PM after our 8 AM departure from Vientiane (4.5 hrs, $6) and noticed we were the only non-Thais around. Not a bad thing. For one, that meant cheaper prices for food and transportation. It also meant an opportunity to see how middle-class Thais live and and pass the time. We took in some temples and then headed to the center to check out Khon Kaen's shopping district and caught a bite before heading back to bus station for our last long distant bus journey – an overnight bus to Chiang Mai (12 hrs, $15). 

  

Ta-Da!, Cooking in Chiang Mai

Day 13 – Cooking Class

 Still recovering from excessive bus travel, we decided to pass on doing the classic overnight trek into the hill tribes (a bite touristy anyway) and slowed our pace. We picked an activity that required no moving – cooking! We signed up with a reputable outfit ($ 27, 5hrs) and learned about key ingredients of Thai cooking and the techniques to make a killer green curry, stir fry chicken with cashews, pad Thai with an egg twist and other delicious creations. The best part of the course – you eat what you make!

Day 14 – Temples and a Chat with Some Monks

Chiang Mai is loaded with of temples. We strolled the streets to check them out and even chatted with some monks. Apparently, the secret to a happy life is “living in the moment.” 

Learning the Secret of Life

 Day 15 – Travel to the Beaches!

Time to leave the dusty roads of the north and head the beaches of Thailand. With bus travel behind us, we caught a flight ($ 70, 1.5 hrs) to Phuket to begin our beach hopping in the Andamen Sea.