For our English-speaking friends - Thailand

The border crossing into Thailand is quickly done. It's a pity that you only get 15 days on your visa if you enter the country by land, because it's a loooooong way up North!

However, we take our time and make a few nice stops. First we visit Paulette and her daughter from the Khula-Bhula-Cafe at "Khanom". Annette and Joerg had met her years ago at the Greek-Turkish border. She was on the way to India then and now lives in Thailand. What a surprise as she realizes: "It's the Schneiders!"

"Hua Hin" is a busy coast town packed with tourists of all ages. It's a little bit of a shock after hundreds of kms of lovely and relaxed Thai villages! Especially the white "farangs" and their very young Thai girlfriends ...

Then finally we reach our first "real" destination, the city of "Kanchanaburi". It's here where thousands of war prisoners lost their lives building the "Death Railway" for the Japanese (1942-1943) over the "River Kwae" to Burma. But the region is also home of a National Park, with beautiful waterfalls, caves and the "Three Pagoda Pass" overlooking the border to Myanmar (Burma).

From here we go to "Sukhothai", the socalled 'cradle' of Thailand, where the first Siam Kingdom was found. We hire push-bikes and cycle from ruin to ruin - it's 40 C!
As far as history says, "Sukhothai" was a big rich city with glamorous temples and palaces until the capital was moved to "Ayutthaya".

After so much historical input we long for some "natural" experiences. We take the most westernly raod along the border to Myanmar and keep driving North. We pass small villages, cross through deep green jungle, dry ricefields and autumnly coloured forests (it's the dry season). The road leads up and down and is quite windy. Joerg and Elmar enjoy every of the many curves!
Overnight stops are "Mae Sariang" and "Mae Hong Son". Here we ask for the "Mae-Hong-Son-Loop-Certificat": Yes, 1864 curves!

To finish the loop we follow the road to "Chiang Mai" and on Elmar's birthday drive up the summit of "Doi Inthanon", the highest mountain in Thailand.

"Chiang Mai" is a pleasant city and we enjoy walking around the old town with its beautiful ancient temples. There's a lovely market on Sunday nights. Four roads are closed for traffic and you can stroll along hundreds of stalls, selling food, handicrafts or the odd souvenir.

Thailand is our place! We like it!