Blogging Pubbitch

We've spent the past few days relaxing in Chiang Mai, and we're starting to feel a lot happier about life in general. The train ride up here was stately and reasonably comfortable, even in second class. I would advise that only people who can stay particularly still while sleeping sleep on the top bunk, because it's clearly been designed for narrow and short Thai people.

We're staying in the Eagle Guest House, in a lovely room with a private bathroom for about 150B a night. For those of you not in Thailand, that boils down to about 2 quid a night. Wow! Even better, it's got kittens, one of whom has become our firm companion whenever we sit under the mango tree outside (though he studiously ignores us until he can ambush us from the bushes or maul my laces) Very cute indeed, and he's well looked after, judging by his coat. The same can't be said for some of the packs of stray dogs that roam the streets....

We're going to be holed up here while we wait for our visas to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia to be processed, so we're going to take the opportunity to go trekking in the nearby moutains. Holly is very pleased to be doing this because we get to do an elephant ride, and, it turns out, she never realised how much she liked elephants until she could see one!