We had a leisurely breakfast and awaited the arrival of our driver to take us from Chiang Rai to Chiang Mai. We had hoped to get the same guy as yesterday as he drove well and had good English. We were to be disappointed. The car turned up at the appointed hour but it quickly became apparent that the driver was not up to yesterday's standard. For a start, he was seriously geographically challenged, did not know of our hotel and could not understand the map of Chi...

We were picked up at our hotel at a respectable 09:00 for a tour of the northernmost regions of Thailand, bordering Laos and Myanmar. First stop was yet another ancient kingdom capital of Chiang Sen. The Lanna kingdom once extended from Chang Mai in Thailand into Burma, as far as Luang Prabang in Laos and all the way into what is now China. This part of Thailand has was only incorporated into Thailand 260 years ago when the Thais won it off Burma. We then visited...

It was the normal pre-dawn wake up call and departure. It was still pitch dark when we made our way by tuk tuk down to the ferry pier and down the steps. The boat has to set off at dawn in order to get to our destination before sun down. Our hotel had provided us with breakfast boxes as it was too early for breakfast at the hotel. We breakfasted on omlettes, pancakes (though a bit rubbery) and baguettes (with butter and jam provided in small plastic bags). Again,...

We were supposed to wake at 05:45 but Clive miss-set his alarm which went off at 4:45. We are really getting to like these pre-dawn wake-ups, I don't think! Tuk a tuk tuk down to the boat landing, arriving in plenty of time, but the boat delayed departure for 40 min awaiting one last passenger who, in the end, never turned up so we left without him or her. Could have had another hour in bed! Unasked and unexpectedly the hotel provided us with a breakfast box each...

Just to keep in practice we awoke again before dawn and walked to the Wats to watch the monks receive their morning alms. Again we had mixed feelings about a traditional rite becoming a tourist attraction. At each of the temples there is information in many languages informing people how to behave (basically just to be respectful) but, of course, it doesn't work. About a third of the people get right in the face of the monks and let off their flashes. It's hard t...