No matter where we travel, we usually wind up doing some driving. Heidi and I have the whole driving thing down to a science. I’m usually the driver, and she’s the navigator. We rarely get lost, and when we do, it’s more of a “controlled lost“. And even when we get really lost, it’s not all that stressful. Unless it’s late. Or we’re all hungry. Or tired.
After the super touristy island of Koh Tao, we stayed on the more relaxed island of Koh Phangan. We were about a 5 minute walk from Haad Yao Beach, and I must say the beach is nice. Fine white sands, great water; basically everything you would want in an island beach. Today is going to be a fun day for us because it’s a Scooter Day! I love these. Any chance to get on two wheels and zip around is A-OK with me. Check out our scooter day in Laos, at the Blue Lagoon.
We are going to mix things up a bit this time and share our Laos and Thailand trip costs with you in a different way. We usually go by calendar month, so I will share that info with you. I also think there is some use to viewing the expenses within one country as well, so I will add that too.
When researching our options to travel from Chiang Mai to northern Laos, there were a few options to choose from, including a two day slow boat. We could take the 22+ hour bus journey (14 hour bus to Vientiane, Laos, transfer and then hop on another bus for 8 hours to Luang Prabang). We could fly or we could do the bus and boat combo. Each option came with its pros and cons, but much thought went into what was best for our family. Oh and don’t forget, for this portion of our journey, my 72-year-old mom is moving along with us. 
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When we did the Monk Chat, we found out that they provide a Chiang Mai Meditation Retreat Workshop. It sounded interesting, so it was decided that Lars and I would the ones who would be learning to meditate.
Nestled in the lush jungle, just 50 meters across a suspended bridge from the road, you will find an oasis like no other. Only one hour out of Chiang Mai, you will find the affordable family friendly Eco Resort, Chia Lai Orchid. But this is far more than just a resort, there is a story that needs to be told as well. After the review, we will share the story. We can all help make a difference.
It was time for our border run and we decided to go North of Chiang Mai to the Mae Sai (Thai/Myanmar) border. This is a well-traveled border run route and there are plenty of tour agencies that provide same day, round trip transportation for about $22 per person. Knowing this was about a 4-5 hour drive each way, that option didn’t sound appealing to our family of 4. After loads of research, we opted to rent a car from Avis Thailand and made a week-long road trip out of our border run.
When visiting Chiang Mai, it just would be complete without checking out one of the many markets offered around town. We really enjoy walking around the Saturday night market, so we thought we would take you on a bit of a photo walk. So come along with us and you can see the Silver Temple too!
We just had a fantastic day! What made it so great? I got to meet some elephants.
For my 45th birthday, Heidi and the kids decided to do something pretty unique. It checks all the boxes for coolness, awe, and fun. We went to the Elephant Nature Park, part of Save Elephant Foundation.
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