Trip to Chiang Mai!

Hello everyone!
     Time to write another quick blog post before heading out to a new trip! I just got into Bangkok this morning from an overnight bus back from Chiang Mai (located in Northern Thailand). My entire study abroad group (all 40 of us) piled into a bus on October 9th to begin our Chiang Mai trip. Our first stop was in Sukhothai, a former capital and kingdom of Thailand. We stayed there overnight and toured the ruins before heading out the next morning to finish the drive up to Chiang Mai. One of our first stops in Chiang Mai was at the Doi Suthep temple, which sits on top of a mountain and has a great overlook of the city. 

Sukhothai 

Sukhothai

 Steps up to Doi Suthep

Steps down from Doi Suthep 

Outside of the temple 

Doi Suthep 

At the Chiang Mai umbrella factory!

     The second part of our trip involved a four day trek through the mountains of Chiang Mai. Our group of 40 was broken up into three smaller groups. My group consisted of me, 14 other students, one adult leader and two Thai guides. Each group took different routes to visit and stay with three different hilltribes in the mountains. Our group was called Karen because the Karen tribe was the first place we visited. The trek was pretty intense, but it ended up being one of my favorite trips so far and I had an amazing time!!

    One of the best parts of the trip was that I GOT TO RIDE AN ELEPHANT!!! For those of you who don't know, elephants are absolutely 100% my favorite animals of all time and I've been waiting for the opportunity to ride one. We got to take the elephants into the second village we stayed in, and it was absolutely incredible (although a little scary since I rode on the neck)!

     This trip to Chiang Mai really signifies the beginning of the end of my study abroad experience. As hard as it is to believe, I only have about three and a half weeks left in Southeast Asia. I will be spending the next ten days in Malaysia and Indonesia, then I will have one last week in Bangkok before moving onto Hong Kong for a week prior to going back to America! I have very mixed feelings about this right now. I'm very excited to come home and see everyone and everything I've missed so much for the past six months, but at the same time I know that I am going to miss Thailand!! It's a very strange feeling. For now, I'm just enjoying what I'm experiencing and I'll deal with what's ahead when it comes!

Look for another update around Halloween! :)