The Thailand Trip

A temple-guarding dragon we passed in Chiang Rai. 

Since Matt and I received orders to leave Okinawa in May, we knew we only had the time to go on one last trip. We wanted to go big, so we took three different plane rides to end up in Chiang Rai, a small town in northern Thailand. We wanted to see the White Temple (which will be the next blog post), and the cost of living in the rural part of the country was very low. As a result we were able to afford a very luxurious resort for our three night stay. Before I describe all of the luxury and fun we experienced, I want to remember that no matter where you stay travel always is accompanied by unexpected surprises. Matt and I had to sit in separate rows on the full flight to Thailand, my luggage reappeared wet and smelling of fish at our final destination, and though I packed for the appropriate number of days I had to find laundry services after I sweat through all of my outfits days early. After the heat and smells and strangers I was ready for our resort, and it was so worth the trip!

We stayed in a villa at The Legend in Chiang Rai. They greeted us with flower necklaces, a cold towel, and juice from an unknown fruit. Inside our room we had water and fruit and flowers everywhere. They even replaced the daily flowers in the soap dish. I didn't even know soap dishes required fresh flowers! Outside we had a PRIVATE POOL that we used every day due to the sticky heat. I think I'm forever spoiled now  - "What do you mean I don't have a private pool and soap dish flowers!?"- me at every other hotel I stay at from now on.

We did occasionally leave the resort. We went shopping and sight-seeing which was always interesting not speaking a lick of Thai. The hotel would book a taxi for us and tell the driver where we wanted to go. The taxi driver would show us where they parked at our destination so we could find them when we were done. We paid per hour for the taxi. I'm sure the driver would have preferred we sight-see longer, but after a few hours Matt and I would be red and sweaty and have to retreat back to the pool. The taxi was necessary for longer trips, but just going to the city center for dinner our favorite way to travel was by tuk-tuk. It's basically a motorbike with a covered two-person seat in the back. It roars and putters down the back streets, and the wind through my hair from the crazy driving was always refreshing.

The view from the back of the tuk-tuk. 

The walking street where I purchased floral Thai pants and an embroidered clutch.

The clock tower that performed a musical light show on the hour. 

Our favorite cafe on the Kok river. 

Our visit to the Choui Fong tea plantation on a hot, hazy day. 

Honey lemon iced oolong tea!

We loved our resort and all of our short trips in and around Chiang Rai!