We arrived at Chiang Mai train station at around 8am. The weather outside was looking a little ropey so we hoodied up before getting off. That was of course pointless as it was about 30°c outside and we were melting the second we stepped foot on the platform.

No surprise there were about 50 Tuk Tuk drivers ready to jump us as we walked to the station exit. Just on principle I (Ells) was up for walking to town. These Tuk Tuk drivers can’t control me. Unfortunately that manly stance lasted no more than 30 seconds before Soph put her foot down and we were riding in the back of some makeshift pick-up truck/taxi thingy.

Now the first thing you notice when walking around Chiang Mai is that it is not in any way Bangkok. It is more organised,  more civilised and a lot less…Thai, than Bangkok. There are non Asians everywhere. Tuk Tuk drivers actually take no for an answer. Even roads are physically possible to cross without putting one’s life at risk. It seemed to be setting up to be a very nice day.

After grabbing a well deserved man sized breakfast we checked in to our hostel. Being the organised and sensible travellers we are, we had booked this in advance to make sure we were close to the town and didn’t pay over the odds. Unfortunately this really is a case of ‘you get what you pay for’. Our room has a little fan and a draw that we can lock. It has walls and a ceiling too. Which is nice….

But the bed. My God. The bed would be more comfortable if it was made out of pure stone, sitting on a foundation of cast iron while being vibrated between two diamond plates. Basically it’s bloody hard. It could be worse…but not much worse. It was full of other backpackers too. Something we don’t mind of course. We just weren’t in the mood to make friends. I say that. I wouldn’t be surprised if I woke up tomorrow to find Soph downstairs organising some sort group field trip for everyone. I however am more than happy to put on a German accent and pretend I understand nothing they’re saying. Ya. Zehr Gut.

After falling asleep and showering under a water source that must have been fed directly from Antarctica, we headed back into town for the Loi Krathong festival celebrations. Now for those who don’t know, Krathong can be translated as ‘to float’. It is a festival where people wash away their bad thoughts, feelings and luck down the river on floating banana leaf baskets, or into space through sky lanterns that fill up the sky.

Now we knew this would be good. But to see it in person was simply amazing. The skyline was filled with lanterns floating high into the darkness. A seemingly man made star cluster that moved across the backdrop of space. It really was a sight to behold. Something no number of photo attempts could truly capture. And we really did try.

We had a go. A poor one. A group of Thai…kids, basically, had to come over and try to help us get our lantern into the sky. We walked toward where the majority of lanterns were rising from and found 1000s upon 1000s of people trying to light their own. They were going everywhere. Into the decorations, into the telephone wires, into people. Yet nobody cared. Food was of course aplenty, with stalls popping up all along the bridges and main roads. If you were hungry you were definitely in the right place.

Leaving the UK on 4th November we thought we had missed fireworks for this year. However during Loi Krathong they are out in force. Kids..no..BABIES, were throwing live fireworks into the street. Watching innocent bystanders attempt to duck out the way of the explosions. It was mental.

We grabbed some street food before heading to a bar just outside the city wall for a cheeky beer. It was late, yet people were still setting off lanterns and pushing away banana leaf boats down the river like the festival had just begun. It was one of those moments you will never forget. We even had time to see an American woman fall over and graze her knee right on front us. It was a good day.

Tomorrow…We don’t know. But you can’t get lost if you don’t care where you are.

Til then x