Chiang Mai (Part 2) – Day 2

We completely missed the mark today with our tour planning. We had it set in our minds that we didn’t have anything planned today and that it was just a day to explore on our own. We were sorely mistaken and abruptly woken up from much-needed rest by a phone call from the front desk at 7:04 am. It was our tour guide for our trip to Chiang Rai today waiting for us at the front…

There was no way I was going to make this trip in the sleep-deprived state I was in. Jason suggested we get ready and go but it was not an option for me. Instead, we called the tour agency to change it to tomorrow and, fortunately they were okay with it as long as we paid an extra 500 Bhat each. I would gladly pay that to get the sleep I needed and that’s exactly what we did. We rebooked for tomorrow and knew that we needed to look over our schedule carefully and book the rest of the tours for here, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), and Hanoi later in the day.

While we were up, we figured we’d just get some breakfast at the executive lounge and then get some rest again. My stomach won over my sleep deprived mind and we figured that we should take advantage of the perks. The lounge is easily worth an extra 50-100 bucks per night considering there is a buffet breakfast, all-day snack and drinks, and hor d’oeuvres(which is really a dinner buffet) with free cocktails and drinks. 

After a quick breakfast, we headed back to the hotel room and I knocked out until 12:30 pm. I could have easily slept the entire day but it would have ruined my sleep schedule and wasted a day. After waking up and getting ready, we went to get lunch at a pizza shop that had great reviews that was only .4 miles from the hotel. We walked over and to our dismay found the shop closed. We didn’t realize it was already Sunday and they weren’t open.

Instead of the pizza shop, we went to a burger spot on the way back to the hotel. It looked good from the pictures but talk about false advertisement. The food looked nothing like the pictures and it wasn’t very good. The shrimp in my salad tasted questionable and Jason’s burger meat had an odd taste to it too. Both of our stomachs were feeling a little funky afterward but we were lucky and it went away. 

After finishing lunch, we walked back to the hotel while checking out some of the shops along the way and grabbed coffee

The laundry I dropped off at the store next to our hotel had finished my clothes so I picked it up and headed back to the hotel room to plan the rest of our tours. It took us almost three hours to get everything squared away but it felt good now that we have it all planned and don’t have to worry about it anymore.

This part of my 4-month South East Asia trip has been a great way to end this trip. We’re staying in 5-star hotels, access to executive lounges, and going on some epic tours throughout 6 different cities in three different countries. Then we fly back in business class (which feels like first class) back to the states. It’s been an incredible blessing and a trip to remember. 

Our Excel spreadsheet of all our tours

Once we finished the trip planning, we were aiming to get to the gym but it was already 5:30 pm and the executive lounge’s hor d’oeuvres are served at 6:00 pm. We decided to eat first then hit the gym, swim, and get our 1.5 hour massages we booked for 9:00 pm at Chai massage with our massage ladies, Prae and Jin. 

Our plan to hit the gym after dinner got derailed. We wanted to take advantage of the free drinks and just relax. The food was good and I ordered some whiskey. Jason has taken a liking to champagne which he learned from his Swedish friend. They apparently pair lattes with sparkling white wine. You get the bitterness from coffee and sweetness from the wine. I decided to try it and, I gotta say it was pretty nice. They complemented each other well and it was a great way to end a meal. 

After dinner, we attempted to enjoy the pool but when we got into the water, it was chilly. I didn’t want to risk getting a cold before going on our 12 hour trip to Chiang Rai so we got out and got ready for our massages. Since there is only one shower in the room, Jason went first and I got in a quick work out at the gym.

Our massages were great just like last time. We paid 550 Bhat for 1.5 hours plus a 200 Bhat tip (sizable tip for the cost but the ladies were worth it and to us it’s not much but for locals it makes a difference). The massages were about 23 USD and it’s worth every penny. 

That was it for tonight. We need sleep for tomorrow’s trip to Chiang Rai which is northeast of Chiang Mai. It’s roughly a 1.5-2 hour ride over. I’ve been wanting to check it out. I heard it’s a beautiful place with some breathtaking views. It’ll be an all-day trip and then the day after we get a full day of exploring on our own before heading to Phuket to relax some more on the beaches. We’re thinking about visiting the elephant sanctuary while we’re still in Chiang Mai and skipping it in Phuket so we can just enjoy the beach and the hotel instead.

Let’s see how tomorrow turns out!

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