We’ve enjoyed our time in Bangkok (and will be back towards the end of our trip), but now it’s a travel day! We’re flying to Chiang Mai! I was so excited about visiting Chiang Mai and it’s one of the reasons I wanted to travel to Thailand. My main concern was the burning season, which is when farmers slash and burn their leftover crops to prepare for the next planting season. This yearly event causes thick smog and, since it’s mainly scheduled around weather conditions and the plans of individual farmers, can be really hard to plan a trip around, especially several months in advance. Since burning season can last anytime from January to April, I was TERRIFIED that my February Chiang Mai visit would be ruined by smoke and poor air quality. Thankfully, the travel gods smiled upon us because the weather in Chiang Mai was perfect.
I’d weighed out my luggage and purchased extra weight before arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport – this saved us so much time and money, that we had a chance to pick up some yummy treats from Krispy Kreme. This unexpected taste of home was the perfect boost for our short 90-minute flight. Despite the short flight, we received a yummy meal. You could pick your meal online early, or choose from the on-flight options. I, of course, picked my meal online – Nasi Lemak – which is Malaysia’s national dish consisting of coconut rice, chicken, fish, eggs, and peanuts. It wasn’t bad and definitely more than any American airline would over for an hour and a half flight. Honestly, I’ve gotten so spoiled by flying Middle Eastern and Asian airlines, that whenever I fly domestic, it feels like I’m riding the bus.
About two kilometers from Old City Chiang Mai sits Pingnakorn Huaykaew, a gorgeous boutique hotel and our home for the next few days. We booked the two-bedroom suite, a lovely room with two bedrooms (duh), two bathrooms, a luxe living room (with a spare bed) and stunning views throughout. The location was perfect. It was far enough to hear the sounds of birds singing in the trees, but close enough to the action, including a fantastic massage parlor half a block from the hotel. I went there twice during our short time in Chiang Mai. Only fell asleep in the chair once, which I consider a win.
After getting settled, we realized that all we’d eaten was Krispy Kreme and airplane food. We hit up a local night market, sang SWV, ate delicious grilled meats, but needed to head to bed early. Tomorrow, we commune with the elephants.
