Chiang Dao

This morning we got up, had a leisurely breakfast, then walked up to the bus stop to get our bus to leave Pai. Geordie bought the tickets yesterday and we even got to choose seats so we didn't have to sit in the back row hanging on for dear life. The ride was easy because we only did the twisty part where the driver had to drive sensibly and we were in the middle so were not subject to the extreme centrifugal forces of the back seat. 

Everything was easy. The driver dropped us in the market area of Mae Malai where we had been told we needed to go. There we asked a young woman on a motorbike where we could get the bus to Chiang Dao. She told us to go to the police box and then, looking down the road told us to run because the bus was coming. We ran and I waved to the driver who stopped at the police box where we hopped on. From there it was about 40 minutes to the market town where we were dropped off and immediately were greeted by a man who asked where we were going. He had a chart with destinations and prices. We pointed to Chiang Dao Nest 2 and off we went. 

Here's what a Song Thaew looks like from the inside:

When we arrived we were shown to our cottage.  Unlike the last place the cottages here are very well spread out. Here's ours on the inside.

We stayed at Chiang Dao Nest ten years ago. Our cottage is still there. The one we have now looks very similar. This is the one we stayed in then. 

The grounds are beautifully planted with many gorgeous orchids festooning the trees. A few examples: 

And what looks like Marguerites if they were 10 feet tall.

A close up

Nest 2 has a restaurant that focuses on Thai food. For lunch Geordie had a noodle soup which came like this:

I had what I've deemed Thai fish and chips. A delicious salad of fruit in a quite spicy dressing along with a piece of delicious crispy fish which is not ordinarily accompanied by Belgian fries but why not. 

The fruit included apple, banana, pineapple, Asian pear, plus tomatoes, carrots and cashews. Yum. 

For dinner tonight we walked up to Nest 1 where Wicha is the chef. Her restaurant is an award winner and with good reason. Geordie had bacon wrapped chicken accompanied by carrots, green beans and Jerusalem artichokes. 

My meal of duck breast with potato puffs, carrot and zuchinni looked scantier, but was no less delicious 

It was a candlelit dinner.

And a full moon night

And now it's time for bed.