Day 35 - Easter Saturday. Mattongsoorn Arboretum to Chiang Mai - Sat 30 Mar

Day 35 - Easter Saturday. Mattongsoorn Arboretum to Chiang Mai - Sat 30 Mar
Misty morning (or we hoped it was mist…). Problems with 250 inverter starting, BoyRob righted after several reboots. Everything inside needs good clean, sheets and towels getting yucky, pillows and doona need airing, fridge needs defrost, sand in bed, ants in cupboards, vinyl grubby... come on Chiang Mai! Photo stop at lower reaches of Opthuang National Park, river flowing rapidly through ravines, rocks, rapids... look like good walks, swimming holes. Shame we were here early in morning – could have been a great place to stay (although couldn’t see places to get down with camper trucks), opened to shallow river. Markets just opening for day, expecting hundreds by look of stalls and inner tubes. Shaded platforms out in river to swim to and sit, eat and drink.

Thailand is a real juxtaposition of the old and the new, thatched roofs with satellite dishes, longtail boats with outboard engines, new cars transporting 15 people at a time, air conditioned coffee shops next to outdoor meat market brushing away flies with plastic bag on a stick. Cities are more provincial. Stopped at checkpoint 40kms from Chiang Mai –the first one not to wave us through. Asked for drivers licence (not international) and "passport for car" (presumably rego) - they waved us on.  

Arrived in Thailand’s second largest city, drove through narrow streets of Old Town looking for a Wat that Guy had heard allowed camping. All filled with construction, stalls or praying faithful. Parked outside school and explored a couple of temples on foot - no parking (said the monk, and the growly temple dog). A short discussion later, we ended up booked into the 3 Sis B&B ($60 night including parking lot next door) – we recognised need to freshen up selves and vehicles.