Chiang Mai - Flight of the Gibbon (1)

On Boxing Day, we went on a trip to the rainforest in the mountains for a 'touristy' activity (daughter's Christmas present to me) ... more in post (2).  We actually got to see some of the eponymous gibbons - although the photos are quite blurred, it was a lucky bit of timing to see them in their natural habitat.

Chiang Mai - Flight of the Gibbon (2)

This company based in Mae Kampong - a North Thai village about 50km from Chiang Mai - offers zip-line eco-adventure tours of the rainforest and, marketing blurb or not, it was exactly as we anticipated: fun, exhilarating, an amazing experience; a Boxing Day we'll never forget.

Here are some of the literal highs and lows.

 

Chiang Mai - Flight of the Gibbon (3)

Lastly, here are some 'people' pics

 

There were those that looked self-assured,others who were less certain ....

All encouraged by Golf, the 'sky-ranger' (even as he was giving you a shove off the edge) 

Chiang Mai-style Christmas

This trio deserve their own special post!  We were on our way to have dinner on a boat on the Ping River (I had made a reservation for this in October as it was for the evening of 25th December) - and we decided to have a pre-dinner foot-massage in the open air market (as you do).  Anyway, en route, we saw these three and they let us take a picture.  We were particularly enchanted with furry 'Santa'.

Chiang Mai - Food

Forget the restaurant reservations; when you're in Chiang Mai, head to the market beside the Tha Phae gate to buy your dinner.
 
[It isn't all a) deep-fried b) whacky; I ate the best kebab I've ever tasted in this market]

Chiang Mai - Colours!

Now that I've had time to sort out my hundreds of photos, I am going to post some up here - some from recent travels, and maybe some from further back.  I went to visit my daughter in South East Asia over Christmas 2012/New Year 2013 - and so some random posts will pop up - starting with a selection from the vibrant and bustling city of Chiang Mai...


Yesterday's sunrise (3 mths later)

 

05h50 - the sky looked promising