Long story short, we met at Samart’s house, became friends overnight and decided to travel to Laos PDR together. #YesThatHappened

Olivia had the route all mapped out: Chiang Mai –> Chiang Rai –> Chiang Khong –> Huay Xai (to take the boat along the Mekong) –> Stopover in Pakbeng –> Arrive in Luang Prabang by boat. #Organized #Spontaneity

So first things first- we got a ride fto the bus station and then we paid just under 400 baht ($13.00) for the bus ride to Chiang Rai.

A couple hours passed by and we were in Chiang Rai.

Once we were at our destination, we tried to find a place to sleep for the night. After scanning our Lonely Planet SE Asia book for the Chiang Mai map + room recommendations, we found a large room with three mattresses and blankets for 30 baht a person… that converts to $1.00 per person- can you say sold?

Once we were able to put our backpacks down, we started sightseeing. Chiang Rai is a tiny square so we were able to cover the entire town in a few hours. Checkout Ollie’s blog for all the details and look below for the highlights.

First thing we saw? Locals selling fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, and something special (featured in the bottom lefthand corner)…

Water lilies! I wonder how these are utilized… in stew? juice? I’m guessing they’re edible (or maybe that’s just because my brain believes everything is food related)… even these magical looking mushrooms look edible…

After our market tour, we checked out the temples. Lots of stones, gongs, elephants, jade, and thrones… but this message stood out to me the most.

After the temples, we got more adventurous; we decided to venture outside of the city center to find a little cafe (Ollie heard about it on the Couchsurfing website). 30 minutes later we found it! Unique products, great drinks, a good atmosphere and an American staff!

Following the cafe, a local/expat tipped us off about a fashion forward Thai shop  down the street; she said it was “so Beverly Hills”, but I beg to differ.

So instead of purchasing clothes, I went to the pharmacy and bought a months supply of Doxy (malaria pills) since the girls insisted it would be a good preventative measure for Laos PDR; I paid 3 baht per pill which is insanely cheap (compared to UK/Aussie/USA prices, which price out at 15-20 dollars per pill).

Once we were done shopping, we walked back towards the center of town for the Saturday Night Market!

We sampled a ton of food from many stalls- 25 baht here, 10 baht there, 15 baht there, etc.  Such a great community atmosphere, but a little overwhelming with all of the merchandise up for sale. It was massive.

Overall, Chiang Rai was a blast. Incredibly afforable, relaxed, quiet, calm, and friendly. Only thing we thought we saw in Chiang Rai… but didn’t see… and wanted to see? The White Temple. The one below was not it.

I guess I’ll have to go back one day, or maybe I can just google it.

Samart lives in the center of Chiang Mai and is the founder of Next Step Thailand (NST); a local tour company that specializes in jungle treks. Aside from hosting travelers in the center of Chiang Mai, Samart owns land outside of the city. He offers travelers a chance to experience Thailand like a countryside local by providing an authentic jungle trek (licensed tour guides help you catch and cook your own food, make cups out of bamboo, etc.) and you’re guaranteed a bed at his bungalow (OR you can reserve a space sans trek on AirBnB). Believe me, it’s the real deal.

Being the city girl that I am, I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I heard the term bungalow (at that time the website was not up so I went into this blind haha)… the only feasible definition I crafted in my mind was “a resort outside of the city…” which sounded accurate enough to get me into the wilderness.

Highly recommended by other travelers as an authentic Thai experience, I made the hour+ (75 minute) commute, but was not even close to understanding life outside of the city until now.

Living in Thailand has made me realize how much we have in America. Beds, cars, household tools, utensils, tables, hot water, air conditioning… basic amenities are their luxuries. See below.

Fresh markets are at least 45 minutes by motorbike/car from the local villages; some of villages will have small shops to pick up non-refrigerated snacks.

Or you could go fishing with a local and search for seaweed with a stick.

When it came to carpentry, there aren’t services to call (BTW, cell reception is terrible). So in order to build something like a floor, you’ll need to contact a neighbor, cut down bamboo from the jungle (with a knife, not a chainsaws) and tie it together with bamboo thread. Yes, I totally saw this in the making.

As for the kitchen… they do not have stoves or oven in the jungle; their burners are not controlled by a turn of a knob, they’re controlled by the amount of wood you put in or take out.

For the dining room/area, tables are optional… eat on the floor (with or without utensils).

MY CULTURE SHOCK: Locals are happy here. They’re content with what they have and they get what they need. Life is simple.

I stayed at a bungalow with western toilets (meaning it had a real toilet as opposed to a hole in the floor), showers (some with hot water), mattresses, and refrigeration… but this bungalow was made for tourists. Can you imagine what life is like on a daily basis for locals? They amaze me with their creativity and happiness; which brings me to the question: who’s richer? Them or Us?

More posts about my experience in the jungle, stay tuned!

This girl.

That’s right ladies and gentlemen. After 6 hours in the kitchen, I can honestly say that I actually learned how to cook authentic Thai food dishes well while learning about Thai people and their culture. I mean, this school screamed LITTLEMISSLOCAL // curiosity meets craving, don’t you think so?!

If you want to learn how to cook in Thailand, checkout Baan Thai Cookery School!

Good people, good school, good food. I highly recommend Baan Thai Cookery School (they stand out as one of the highlights of my entire trip)!

LML Tip:

• DO NOT EAT BEFORE CLASS (everyone left with a happy belly)!
• And if you only have 1 day in Chiang Mai, I would consider this as an option because it will definitely give you a “taste” of Thailand!

Checkout ALL of the activities we did in 6hrs for a total of $30.00 (which included Transportation, Market Tour, Thai Snacks, 6 Courses):

• Local Market Tour
• Thai Snacks
• Appetizer: Spring Rolls
• Stir Fry: Pad Thai
• Handmade Curry & Soup: Hot and Sour Prawns
• Noodle Dish: Chiang Mai Noodles
• Dessert: Fried Bananas