Nina the Lone Explorer!

From link::by Christina Smith

Hi everyone!

We had a great time yesterday with our cookery class. It was just the two of us so we were happy that we wouldn't look like fools, especially me with not knowing what any vegetables are! First of all she took us to the market and showed us all the different ingredients and then we went to the kitchen and started preparing our masterpieces!

We chose to make spring rolls, pad thai, thai green curry, sweet and sour chicken and a coconut and chicken soup. We did really well and I think the pad thai was one of the best I have had, even if I do say so myself! There was only one funny incident when she told us to squeeze the limes into our soup and mum admitted that she had already thrown hers in the soup about 5 minutes ago. The teacher found it funny to point out that you don't usually boil limes as they are pretty bitter!

The spring rools were the most fun and we were very impressed with all our dishes. There will definately need to be a thai style party when we are both back. We were so stuffed afterwards that we couldn't eat another thing for the rest of the day.

That night we went to the night market and managed to resist buying anything which was good. We were knackered from a whole day of activities and the heat makes you so tired all the time so we just had some drinks back at the room and got totally sucked into watching braveheart until 12:30am even though we couldn't understand a word that the scottish people were saying!!

This morning we got a minibus for 4 hours to Pai (my fav town) and it has become mum's fave town too. Its a real hippy place and nobody bugs you to buy hings so we are very chilled out. It has actually rained a bit today which I have loved as it has meant the weather has cooled down loads. I might actually be able to wear my trousers today which is very exciting. Tomorrow we might be going for an elephant ride as long as we can find one that has a proper seat because mum won't go on it otherwise.

I'm thinking there might be some buckets tonight so keep an eye out on facebook for drunken pics!

Lots of love,

Neen and Julie xxxx

From link::by Christina Smith

Other links::Chiang Mai -water festival
So this is where all the other farang are

More Wildlife Wanderings in Pai

From link::Smiley Nix Big Adventure

Just thought I'd take the opportunity to do another update between the morning and afternoon session of ,, School!

This morning I learned about different Thai ingredients and made a red cury paste, which I used for a really delicioua penang curry that we ate for lunch. Later we are learning about and making soups and stir fries for tea. I'm also going to get the low down on a desert consisting of Thai sticky coconut rice with mango - because it is to die for ... well almost!

Today, on the course which is entitled 'Let's Wok with Tee', there is me, a German girl called Helena and the teacher 'Tee'. We each make a different dish so that we can learn how to cook lots of different things.

I have a recipe book and detailed notes, so hopefully I can cook up a proper Thai treat for you all when I finally get settled again :o)

Yesterday I hired a very rickety mountain bike and got in some serious excercise peddaling around and about. I think I must hve covered about 20-30km on the bike and also walked about 10km. The scenery is so beautiful. The walk was through the forest and through and along a stream/river in search of a waterfall. Unfortunately I had to give up and turn back before I got to the falls because they were further than I thought and I didn't want to be in the forest after sunset! There were lots of beautiful butterflies but ost of them were too fast for me to photograph.

I saw a snake as I was cycling along the highway back to Pai but it too was quick and had disappeared by the time I had stopped and got my camera out! But I managed to get this chameleon ok. Hasn't he got fantastic colours?!

The rains have come early here this year. It is mostly very hot and dry but every day for about an hour it absolutely hammers down. That' what it's doing at the moment. Hence I don't feel too guilty at being in the internet cafe!

Got quite a packed day tomorrow. Tomorrow morning I plan to go to the hot springs and then Pai Canyon, so will probably hire a bike again. Hopefully I can find one with gears that work this time! At 9pm I'm catching an overnight bus to Chaing Khong, then crossing the river into Laos. I'm then taking the slow boat down the Mekhong to a place called Luang Prabang. The boat trip takes two days, we stop overnight in a small town called Pak Beng and arrive in Laos on Monday evening at about 5pm. So that's how I shall be speing my 35th (ouch) birthday! As a real treat, I have just booked myself into a nice hotel for a couple of nights - check it out! http://www.grandluangprabang.com (This is the website for where I'm staying at the moment by the way http://www.pairadise.com)

It's low season here at the moment (which I didn't realise when I booked). So things are fairly quiet - but in a way that's quite nice. I've still not hooked up with anyone else, but I suspect that is more by choice! I've met lots of nice people but it is all fairly transient and you realise not everyone is on the same wavelength. It's not a problem though, I'm really enjoying the experience and taking each day as it comes.

Well I think that's it for today. I will ask the guys and cooking school to take some photos, since several of you keep nagging me for more pics.

Right I'm off for a coffee :o)

TTFN

Nx

From link::Smiley Nix Big Adventure

Other links::Canyon Land in Pai, Thailand
A Piece of Pai, A Slice of Heaven