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We're posting this from the train on the way back down South to Bangkok (via the magic of cheap internet access on the mobile phone network here in Thailand). We've really enjoyed spending some time around Chiang Mai, and are hoping that we're not going to find it unbearably hot and humid as we get back to the capital, and later onwards toward our next project further South still.

In the last week or so we discovered the joys of Thai massage - we both had a half hour traditional Thai massage in a small place based in the grounds of a wat (temple). We had very experienced masseurs, who chatted away amongst themselves while giving us a thorough pummeling. This was definitely a mixture of pain and pleasure. At one point, Heather realised that her lady was standing on either ankle and walking up and down her calves, digging her toes into the muscles. She was glad she resisted the urge to cry peanuts, as it felt very good when she got off. They certainly know what they're doing though, and we felt very relaxed and loosened up afterwards.

We've also been enjoying watching quite a lot of the tennis from the Australian Open (on a South African TV channel which seems to be ubiquitous in Thai guest houses and hotels, strangely enough). This is once again reminding us of our mums who are no doubt watching as much of it as they can; strange to think when we started our trip off in Nepal we were listening to Wimbledon after dinner on the short wave radio.

We finished off our time up North with a really enjoyable weekend break to Chiang Dao. This was about an hour and half away on the bus - which was busy but comfortable. We had booked ourselves into a place called Yang Tone Farm Stay, which as the name suggests offers accommodation on a farm. We had a simple but beautifully appointed thatched A-frame bungalow, with a small bathroom out the back which was open from around head-height. The farm has orchards of mango and other fruit trees, and sits very close to the largest mountain in the area, which towers above the surrounding plains. The two owners are fairly well advanced in years, and were thoroughly charming and generous hosts. Even though we asked for the 'small breakfast' option both mornings, we were given extra plates of fruits from the farm and sticky rice with homemade jams, and almost had to go back to bed for snooze afterwards.

On the Saturday we borrowed mountain bikes from the farm and set off for an adventure. Heather couldn't resist the lure of the limestone mountain on our doorstep, although it looked very steep to be riding up on a bike with only 5 gears! The roads were quiet and the slopes gentle, and after less than 10k we found ourselves at Pha Plong temple. Nestled in the mountainside, this is a renowned place for quiet meditation and there was a very relaxing and contemplative atmosphere. There are quite a few steps up to the temple from the road head, and along the sides of the path are signs with little nougats of Bhuddist philosophy (all of which we seem to have promptly forgotten!).

Having had a wander around the temple, we decided to follow a small sign saying Nature Trail near the entrance. A few of the tourist attractions we've visited reflect the fact that Thai people seldom seem to choose to walk a long way if there's any alternative, and we were expecting a pretty modest little path. However, the path took us a long way into the forest and we were walking for well over an hour before it spat us back onto the road a few kilometres away from where we'd left our bikes. It was a lovely trail though - through a forest boasting a mixture of huge bamboos (note to Drew's dad - these things really do get quite large!), banana palms, teak trees and tarzan-style creepers wrapping themselves around everything in sight. Once Heather got over her nervousness of the creepy crawlies that might be in there with us, we had a very pleasant stroll.

After a refreshing lunch complete with fruit and coffee shakes (the latter of which are a recent discovery which we are rapidly developing an addiction to), we cycled back round to the other side of the mountain where our hosts had told us were some hot springs you could bathe in. We were perhaps a little under-whelmed on arrival at the appearance of the springs which consisted of a few sections of concrete pipe plumbed together with plastic tubing, and giving off a sulphurous odour. These sat at the side of a small stream, which was being used as a cold plunge by the young lads (including a few novice monks) who had beaten us to it. They seemed to be enjoying themselves, so we decided to give it a go. The water in the tubs was pretty warm, if a little murky. Drew's substitute wedding ring, which is supposedly silver but was very cheap, turned blue on immersion. We weren't sure if this was a good or a bad sign. The cold plunge in the stream after was very refreshing and all-in-all the experience left us feeling refreshed after quite a sweaty cycle ride in the sunshine. Thankfully the ride back to the farm was all downhill and we had a bit of time to enjoy the peace and watch the sunset over the farm and the mountains.

Sunday was our last day there, and we decided to try out a moped for the day. We've been told this is the recommended mode of transport down on the coast where we're headed next, but neither of us have ridden one for years, so some practice seemed like a good idea. The girls who rented it to us seemed more nervous than us when they realised what novices we were, but they're pretty simple things to get the hang of, with automatic clutches and the like. We made sure we both had our helmets on nice and tight, and tried to pull away as smoothly as possible with a small crowd watching. Drew drove / rode for the first stretch.

There are so many scooters / mopeds / motorbikes of various sizes on the road here that other traffic are very careful and considerate, and it's fairly easy getting the hang of it all (it helps that Thailand drives on the left, like most civilised countries ;-) This was our first time in charge of a motorised vehicle since we left the UK, and we enjoyed pootling around for a few hours. We visited a National Park near the border with Burma / Myanmar (interestingly refered to as the Burma Union on maps), and some more hot springs which were a bit more picturesque and natural-looking this time. Heather had a go at driving, but found it tricky to change down gears resulting in a couple of stalls on steep hills. Drew probably trumped this by really embarrassing himself at the petrol station just before we dropped the scooter back; after several futile attempts to kick start the engine, the garage attendant helpfully pointed out that it works better if you turn the key in the ignition first.

On our way back we stopped at a temple atop a hill which had a sweeping view across the countryside. As we pulled in, we were greeted by a friendly gent who invited us to come and meet the Abbot, who had been responsible for building the temple many years ago. Dressed in orange robes, the Abbot handed us some small tablets with images of the Buddha on them - neither of us were quite sure what to do with these, but we were relieved that Heather resisted her first instinct to pop the chocolate into her mouth when we later confirmed they were made of stone. The Abbot had a deep growl of a voice, and surprised us by burping loudly and lighting up a cigarette. It had apparently been a busy day with a big celebration at the temple earlier on. We decided to leave him to his relaxing Sunday afternoon after spending a few minutes making small talk.

The bus took us back to Chiang Mai - the buses coming through Chiang Dao were already very full, but the other passengers were very kind and managed to budge up and make some space on the seats for us. Drew soon had a sleepy head resting on each shoulder, which was very cozy in the afternoon sunshine.

The plan is now to spend a few days in Bangkok, including going out the Thai charity's office to put some finishing touches to their new website. This will most likely be our last visit to the city, as we may not come back through when we're finished down South.

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