From the Vietnamese beach to the Thai mountains...first impressions of Chiang Mai

'I was amazed that what I needed to survive could be carried on my back. And, most surprising of all, that I could carry it.'

Cheryl Strayed, Wild

Being our first long-haul adventure, we admittedly went into these three months with bright eyes, bushy tails and no idea what to expect or what would flourish and unfold as time went on. After six weeks of falling more and more in love with Vietnam, we caught a flight to catch to Thailand. We have been so excited to head to Thailand, and by this point in time I was a few weeks into starting my career. I was working with three companies, and absolutely loving it. But I will be really honest with you...it was - and still is - also chaotic. I don't mean that in a negative way, just that it was a lot of change in what many people would say is an unstable situation. Nonetheless, I love what I do already, so I am so excited.

Travelling is exactly what we wanted, however it really came together quite quickly as a solidified plan, and so by the time we set foot in Thailand (halfway through our first months-long stint overseas) I had just thrown myself into an entirely remote career, literally fresh out of my degree, and starting my career from the beginning...all without a permanent home base. But it is already so worth it. When we stepped off the plane in Thailand, we got our sim cards and got a cab to our Airbnb that would be home for the first week while we saw the sights and decided where to set ourselves up for the remaining five weeks.

In that first week, we stayed out of the main city. This is nice in its own way, but we had to catch tuk tuks everywhere, and they cost a little more than they do from the inners of the city (obviously). But in that first week, we took tuk tuks into the ancient town in the centre, where we explored temples, little street markets, and the like. It did not take long for us to decide that the inner city was where we wanted to be based. So, the search for our chosen "home base" started.

After a week staying at an Airbnb and searching for that ideal home base, we then moved into our own little apartment for the remaining five weeks in Thailand. And that is where the fun really began. We chose an apartment in a little high rise that had a security guard posted all the time, and a pool, and a gym. We really wanted a gym and pool, especially knowing how hot it was going to be.

Here's the thing. Going from the incredible beaches of Vietnam to the mountain heights of Chiang Mai was a massive contrast. Even so, we have planned it to be like that. We wanted to experience both, and we are. Yes, the Thai coast is more "Insta-famous" than the one in Vietnam, but honestly we love the fact that the beach in Da Nang was not so busy (for the most part). And we figured that the Thai coast wasn't going anywhere, so we could always go back. Chiang Mai is truly something special. There is history and magic around every corner, and you feel safe and respected everywhere you go - just be sure to mirror that respect back.

Staying where we are, we have already ended up being able to walk around quite a lot. We have a great little scooter and we live in a building with 24/7 security so the scooter is safe and sound (kind of a parallel to the security of the building we lived in when we were in Da Nang, except that was the family and this seems to be a full on security team). We have quickly fallen in love with the cool mountains that surround Chiang Mai, the people that called the city home, and the beautiful temples and cultural sites that peppered the city. I know that this place is going to be special. And as if all of this is not incredible enough (spoiler, it obviously is), in just over a week we get to finally tick off a massive bucket list experience of ours...