Thailand Adventures – Day Three: Temple in the Clouds, Fish Feet & A Girls' Night Out!

Another early start in Chiang Mai, but thankfully we were fuelled by a big buffet breakfast and ready to tackle another day of adventures!

By 7:45am we were on the move, jumping into a Songthaew and heading up the mountain to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.

Our driver, Dang, was fantastic. His English was limited, but he had a Songthaew with a door at the back (a definite bonus!), a working fan (even better!) and he was thoughtful enough to take a photo of all of us before we set off.

The opinions on this particular mode of transport were somewhat divided...

Rory declared it the best experience "of his life".

Kailey described herself as being "relaxed like she was sitting by a fire".

Frankie, on the other hand, was convinced she was being held hostage in a crazy death trap!

So, all in all, a successful family outing! 😂

Our first stop was a beautiful lookout where we got some photos and admired the scenery.

 

We also managed to purchase yet more elephant pants, this time making sure Aaron and Rory had suitable attire to enter the temple.

Kailey also picked up a little orange elephant which she promptly named Anxiety. I'm sure Anxiety will be accompanying us on many more adventures!

We eventually arrived at Doi Suthep, one of Chiang Mai's most famous temples, perched high in the mountains overlooking the city.

Kailey and I opted for the air-conditioned cable car up (because why make life harder than necessary?), while Frankie, Rory and Aaron took on the stairs.

And there are quite a few of them! The famous Naga staircase has 306 steps. A rather impressive effort from our three stair climbers!

We all received blessings from the monks, actually managing to be blessed twice during our visit. There is a tradition at the temple that only men can be physically touched by the monks, so after the girls and I received our blessings, an assistant helped us by applying our blessing bracelets.

The views around Doi Suthep were absolutely beautiful. The lookouts made us feel as though we were genuinely up in the clouds, looking down over the world below us. It was one of those moments where you stop for a little while and just take it all in.

Kailey wasn't having her best day mood-wise, but she did brighten up a little when we discovered a pond absolutely filled with koi fish. Sometimes it's the little things!

After exploring, we picked up a few more souvenirs before making our descent. Once again, Kailey and I chose the air-conditioned cable car while Aaron, Frankie and Rory tackled the 306 steps in reverse. I think we made the correct decision!

Our little shopping haul included sound bowls, a few elephant souvenirs and a beautiful blue scarf for me. Naturally, I couldn't resist finding something that could eventually make its way into my Thailand quilt when we get home. The quilt is already collecting memories before I've even started it!

Dang was patiently waiting for us when we came back down, ready to take us back to the hotel. It was such a great experience!

Back at the hotel, we decided a substantial 7-Eleven haul was absolutely necessary. More snacks, more drinks and plenty of supplies for an afternoon beside the pool.

Aaron decided to take himself out for lunch, as he had a very specific Khao Soi in mind that he wanted to try. Meanwhile, the kids were practically vibrating with excitement at the thought of getting into the pool.

And honestly, after a morning exploring temples in the heat, the pool was absolute perfection.

Aaron even returned from his solo lunch date bearing a drink for me: black iced coffee mixed with fresh orange juice.

A slightly unusual combination, perhaps, but surprisingly delicious. Definitely recommend giving this one a go!

While Aaron, Frankie and Rory decided it was the perfect opportunity to go hunting for Pokémon cards, Kailey and I took the opportunity to have a much-needed rest.

Our room had been made up while we were out, but we weren't quite ready to retreat inside. Instead, Kailey and I enjoyed sitting out on the balcony in the warmth, doing very little at all.

We eventually made our way back to the pool for another swim and a relaxing afternoon. Unfortunately, a thunderstorm decided to roll in and cut our pool time a little short. Thailand certainly knows how to put on a dramatic weather display!

By tonight, Rory and Kailey were pretty exhausted, which was hardly surprising considering how much exploring we'd done.

They decided to have a quiet night in with Aaron, complete with a 7-Eleven dinner and even some McDonald's delivered straight to the hotel. Holiday parenting at its finest!

Frankie and I, however, decided it was time for a girls' night out.

We headed off towards the Night Bazaar with one very important mission in mind: FISH FEET SPA!

We had heard about the little fish that nibble away at the dead skin on your feet, and naturally, this was something we absolutely had to experience while in Thailand.

Finding one, however, turned out to be a bit more of an adventure than anticipated!

We walked... and walked... and walked some more, trying to track down a Fish Feet Spa. Thankfully, a little shopping along the way kept us entertained.

Our shopping adventures included:

- Matching bracelets for Frankie and me.

- A pair of rainbow elephant pants for Frankie.

- A new bandana for Frankie.

- The cutest little crochet bag for Kailey.

- Another addition to Frankie's elephant keyring collection – this time a gingerbread-themed elephant!

- And, perhaps most importantly, I officially joined the elephant pants club tonight!

I think it's safe to say we're becoming quite the elephant-themed family. 🐘

After all that walking, we FINALLY found a Fish Feet Spa!

Now, Frankie was incredibly nervous about this whole experience. She was definitely having second thoughts about putting her feet into a tank full of little fish whose sole purpose was to nibble away at them.

Eventually, though, she decided to be brave and give it a go. And I'm so glad she did!

We lowered our feet into the water and were immediately greeted by hundreds of tiny fish getting to work. The sensation was certainly not what I was expecting. Rather than feeling ticklish, the little fish felt surprisingly prickly as they nibbled away at our feet. Such a strange sensation!

Apparently, we had also become quite the tourist attraction ourselves! While we were sitting there with our feet submerged and the fish having the absolute time of their lives, we had SO many tourists stop to watch and take photos of us.

It seemed plenty of people were curious enough to watch but not quite brave enough to put their own feet in!

We were clearly providing the evening's entertainment. 😂

It was such a funny, unusual experience and definitely one of those things we will remember from our Thailand adventures. Frankie can now officially tick 'Fish Feet Spa' off her list of things she was nervous about but did anyway!

Frankie and I decided to try another form of Thai transport: the Tuk Tuk!

This was a first for both of us, and we had an absolute ball.

There is something quite exhilarating about zipping through the streets of Chiang Mai in a little three-wheeled vehicle, with the sights, sounds and chaos of the city happening all around you.

We spent the journey giggling and taking it all in. It was one of those unexpected little experiences that ended up being a highlight of the night.

Our girls' night was filled with shopping, laughter, new experiences and plenty of memories.

And somewhere between the temple blessings, elephant pants, koi fish, questionable coffee combinations and Tuk Tuk adventures, another day of our Thailand holiday disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Tomorrow, I'm sure, will bring another adventure. But for now, we're all a little more sun-kissed, a little more tired, and definitely a few souvenirs richer!

Thailand, you're certainly keeping us entertained!