We certainly made the most of our first full day in Thailand. Upon arrival at Chiang Mai airport we were greeted by our friendly guides and taken directly to our hotel. On the way to the hotel we were struck by the ancient walls that line the city – Chiang Mai is a city with an incredible history and we were looking forward to learning more about it.
Having dropped our bags off to the hotel, we commenced a walking tour of the city. On this tour we were fortunate to be able to visit various ancient shrines that held cultural significance. The golden furnishing on the outside of the shrine was particularly striking.
After spending a tranquil half hour wandering the sacred sites of Chiang Mai, we were then treated to some traditional Thai cuisine at a local restaurant. The serves were extremely generous and it was a nice time to sit and relax with friends and discuss the last 24 hours. After lunch we then walked back to the hotel and were able to check into our rooms. After some time to freshen up we reassembled at 3:30pm and caught buses to a nearby farm to take part in a cooking class. After an introduction to the local herbs and vegetables that were grown on site and used in the dishes, it was time to test our skills. Some students also chose to experiment with the aptly named “Volcano Chilli’. The dishes we cooked were Tom Yam soup, Kaeng Ka Ri Gai (Yellow Curry with Chicken), Pad Thai and Sticky Rice with Mango. Various proclamations about entering Masterchef were made, and no doubt all parents can look forward to some delicious meals being prepared for them by each student.
Reflecting on the end of the day, most could not believe that we had only been here for such a short time yet already managed to do so much. Tomorrow we will be starting the day with traditional Muay Thai boxing, before then taking on white water rafting. We will certainly sleep well tonight and you will hear from us again tomorrow.
