Chiang Mai detours

Wandering monks and housewives on motorcycles were not quite as prolific as a certain publication had lead us to believe but as we sauntered around the city we certainly found plenty to ensure that we felt a long way from home. Every day would deliver interesting new discoveries.

CLIF1639 — A closer look at the thousands of tiles that formed the scales on the two dragons that encasing the 300+ steps that you climbed to get to Wat Pra That Doi Suthep

With over 300 Buddhist Temples (Wats) you are never far from one or two of them – Wat Pra That Doi Suthep

Chiang Mai — Left unattended it would no doubt soon become a jungle relic.

Cliffs ride around Chiang Mai — Some street art – Thai style

fullsizeoutput_5832 — I am not sure if it was holy water but the dog needed refreshment on a particularly hot day.

Hmong Village Doi Suthep — Colourful Hmong clothing

fullsizeoutput_583e — There are still a few of the old cycle powered rickshaws on the streets, usually powered by older men who always look to be struggling under the strain of riding these incredibly uncomfortable looking bikes.

fullsizeoutput_5851 — After a couple of unusually cool days the returning sun and warmth were no doubt a relief to the coconut ice cream vendors. This one was spotted pushing his cart along a busy road.

CLIF1755 — Even tuk tuk drivers need to catch 40 winks between jobs. We often noticed ‘swarms’ of tuk tuks that seemed to only service bus tours (as opposed to circling the city looking for a fare). There would be about 15-20 of them parked street side – when the order arrived they would all roar off in unison (impressive noise and choking if you happened to be near). You would later see them travelling in ‘conga fashion’ with the tourists on board. There seemed to be a set route – the way to see Chiang Mai for those who only have a day.

fullsizeoutput_5850 — The western side of the moat was the prettiest but also carried the heaviest traffic.

CLIF1776 — In addition to the ribbons tied around the Bho trees it was not uncommon to see trees adorned with other decorations such as lanterns or in this case – ribbons

fullsizeoutput_584f — This Orchid growing on a tree ‘moat side’ did not seem any worse for wear given the high level of emissions it would experience in it’s road side location.

We regularly saw these squirrels in the middle of town – their flying skills when moving through the tree tops were impressive.

CLIF1696 — A fruit and veg vendor plys their trade in one the quiet city lanes.

fullsizeoutput_586a — While Ruth was learning how to do Batik I did a little tourist watching at Thae Pae gate – buy the seed and let the pigeons eat it out of your hand.

On our bikes

Loo art – Twin Coast

Heading towards Opua

The long boardwalk to Horeke (and the pub)

Unique bike stand

We rode along enbankments, through rice paddies, bush, along dusty roads

Cycling Angkor Wat

Getting back on a bike again – Otago Rail Trail

Thu Bon Delta ( Vietnam): We used multiple forms of transport to cross to the many islands in the delta. We cycled across bamboo bridges, through rice paddies and small villages. A great ride

A paddle boarder breaks the reflection – Lake Hayes, NZ

Cycling along in Holland – Captured on the GoPro

Cycling Burgundy

Roxburgh Gorge

Riding to Gibbston Valley Queenstown

With the family

A cycle to Granity

We biked both along the moats at Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, the latter is 12km. At least we were not the poor souls who had to dig them by hand.

One of the better “red roads” we biked along, it was far too dangerous to attempt to photograph the others while under way.

A more creative “statue” in Edinburgh

The muttering from further diwn the hill suggested that I was not her favourite person at that moment.

One of the many cycle paths in The Netherlands

A man and his bike contemplating the next ride

I would never be able to finf my bike

I had joked about the bridge being hidden in the fog, well not quite.

End of the road – Hawkes Bay trails

Another Chateau – Burgundy France

Ruth resting her dead legs on the Saar loop

A nice long flat section across the Maniatoto Basin

In the boots

Walking the Cotswolds, UK

Rural Devon

Chinque Terre – the climb from Manarola

Coming off Mt Tongariro

The crossing – looking back to Mt Tongariro

Good sensible mountain attire

Kepler track Fiordland

South Western Fiordland

Key Summit – Routeburn track

Wandering the Port Hills – Canterbury

Mt Taranaki wandering

More wandering around Taranaki

The mountain obliged by showing itself

Exploring the Mokau River inland from Mokau

Te Paki track near Cape Rienga

Te Paki track east of Cape Rienga

Abel Tasman track

River crossing near Awaroa on Abel Tasman track

Abel Tasman track

Queen Charlotte Track

Strolling across a farm on the Cotswold Way

The Priest who kindly offered us biscuits and Raki on our trip down the gorge. He put his hat on for the photo.

Rutth opts for the track rather than giving a demo of her skills at scaling rock faces.

The sun was just catching the tops of the White Mountains (Lefka Ora) when we arrived in Omalos for the begining of our walk.

While the wind blew at near gale force while on Skye this was a rare moment where it was not accompanied with cold rain

Ruth got plenty of practice at jumping between wet rocks at Glen Brittle at the base of the Cuillin mountains on Skye

Walking the Dunloe Gap in Killarney Ireland

The final descent to Bath (well so we thought)

A folly built for the owls to nest in, their natural habitat steadily reducing.

Some forced smiles to show how much fun it can be in the rain.

One of the many sections through woods on the Cotswold Way

WTF the track has got lost

Some magnificent beech forest on the early part of the track

The sand was beautiful to look at be hell to walk on.

Favourite Pics

Lavender in Taranaki, NZ

A rare action shot – An endangered Hectors dolphin surfing – Curio Bay, NZ

Sea froth, Granity, NZ

I don’t usually get up early enough to capture the shots – Fiordland, NZ

A fern in the back yard

Going tropo – Rarotonga

Another GoPro shot

Hello World – Matauri Bay, NZ

Angkor Wat – Ruth captured shot on iPhone

Those smiling faces, Angkor Wat

Motorcycle mayhem, Hanoi

The Cat Man near our lodgings in Istanbul

Graffiti, Islanbul

Eye candy at our lodgings – Bodrum, Turkey

Storm clouds over Santorini

You never know what you will pass – Samaria Gorge, Crete

Entrance to the Harbour – Chania, Crete

Bow Fiddle rock – Moray Coast Scotland

The Money Tree – Lake District UK

Oh I do love to be beside the seaside – Wales

Training the hounds – Galway Ireland

Studying the fine print – Versailles

It must be Paris

Boys at the beach, Hahei, NZ

A photogenic horse East Coast, NZ

High flying kite surfer as Cyclone approaches. Orewa NZ

Fun in the bath

Old boatshed Rangitoto

Hello waves – Matauri Bay

Montepulciano Italy

It must be Venice

Night shot in Paris

Autumn in Melbourne

three generations

Sunset over Agnes – Coromandel

A boy and his dog

Spirits Bay NZ

Dolphin lazing around – Kawau Island NZ

Heading to the Barrier

The launch we owned (Agnes) at Kawau Island

Sunflowers in the garden

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