Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai

The north of Thailand is just as amazing as the centre, though the air quality is much worse. Chiang Mai is currently the most polluted city in the world. There's a dense cloud hanging over the town which obscures the view in the distance. I went on a trek with Ethnic Hilltribes and driving out of the town in the truck bed it was really difficult to breathe, especcially with the dust blowing up. The problem mostly comes from the burning of the forest for plantations, and though we expected it to get better as we left civilisation behind it didn't ever really let up.

The trek itself was gorgeous. Led by a local hilltribe guide he took us through his village and his local forests, all - believe it or not - on a hill. A very steep one! We stopped by a waterfall for lunch and received banana leaf parcels of pad thai tied with grass, and leafy bowls of spring rolls, pineapple and watermelon. Jungle luxury!

Chiang Mai itself is pretty cool. I spent a long time wandering the rambling streets of the old town, still mostly protected by the original city walls and moat. There's lots to see, treehouses to relax in and endless quirky little stalls, cafes and bars.

Chiang Rai is much smaller, and everything you want to see is out of town. So I joined a tour. A crazy, mega, ridiculously long and detailed tour that lasted over 100km and almost 11hours.

# 1 White Temple

# 2 Blue Temple

# 3 Baandam - Black House.

A bizarre house and art gallery full of animal horns, skins and bones. 

# 4 Long Neck Karen refugee village. 

I was quite dubious about this, didn't like the idea of going to gawp at people as if they were in a zoo, but I'm glad I went to this village. The Karen people are refugees from Myanmar and have been in Thailand for 30 years. King Bhumibol Adulyadej gave land to the Karen and several other tribes and they have been here ever since. There are other Karen people who are paraded in a tourist line up, but we went to the outback village. Here we could wander around, watch the women as they weaved beautiful scarves and talk with them as they did. They were happy to tell us about their culture and make us try wearing the heavy rings that push down the shoulders to make the neck appear longer and more beautiful.

# 5 Choui Fong Tea Plantation

# 6 Monkey cave and temple

# 7 Mai Sai border town between Thailand and Myanmar.

# 8 Golden Triangle where the river borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos all meet.

# 9 Chiang Saen, another temple that saw destruction at the hands of the Burmese.