Day 6 - Tuesday 20 December 2016

Phrae departure........Such has been the intensity of touring in Sukothai Province that I’ve decided to split the current tour in two parts. It is impossible to treat the wealth of history in the province as a mere side show. Today is day 6 of this tour and finally it’s time to head further north. Breakfast is not included at Palapol Place photo so it’s around to 7Eleven within walking distance for something warm. Coffee is however free in the lobby at Palapol. With a busy day and late arrival yesterday I’m nowhere near ready to upload my blog. Just the bare bones have been laid out by the 10.30am departure.
Phae Muang Phi Forest Park........ As we head on to join the 101 once more there is one site visit I insist on making before we leave Phrae and curiously it’s one I’ve mentioned before. On the 2nd December 2014 I called in here at the end of the day. I just didn’t have enough time to feature it effectively. This morning I intend to put that right. The park itself, as well as having unusual features, has forest trails. You could happily spend a couple of hours here. It’s the reason I had to give up closer inspection when I arrived here two years ago. The description I gave two years ago remains the same:
Phae Muang Phi Forest Park is located about 18 km from the town on Highway 101. It is regarded as Thailand's Grand Canyon. Phae Muang Phi is noted for its fantastic sandstone formations. Phae means a shrub area and Muang Phi means city of ghosts in Thai. As it is a large quiet haunted place and nobody lives around there, people will easily lose their way when going inside. However, it is well worth a visit for those who appreciate spectacular natural rock formations.
The Park itself is a small protected area covering the site established on 8 March 1981. The name "forest park" is a category, for there is no forest as such at the site except for a few scattered trees. The protected zone covers an area of 0.27 km². It is actually a shallow depression in the ground where soil and sandstone erosion has produced strange-shape formations like giant mushrooms, cliffs and chimneys. Geologists presumed that the great erosion occurred in the Quaternary period about 2 million years ago.
Now we really must get some mileage done.

Phayao........ We continue north on Highway 101 then turn left onto Highway 103. This takes us into the northern part of Lampang Province. Here we pick up National Highway No. 1 from Lampang heading north towards Phayao. Phayao will be a rest stop. One of the features of this city is the huge lake nearby known as Kwan Phayao. It seems appropriate that we take lunch overlooking the lake in perfect conditions. But apart from this, I’ve no intention on recording anything in Phayao Province. We must press on.

Chiang Rai........ Despite the distance to Chiang Rai from Phrae of an easy 240 kilometres, for some reason the day has dragged on and its 4pm before we reach the city. Then there’s accommodation to find. We have a list but Chaing Rai is busy at the height of the tourist season. When we find a cluster of guesthouses near the city bus station we find our 1st choice full which is repeated at the second. On top of that the prices have been raised with New Year looming.
Worabordee Guesthouse........photo We try a third guesthouse which seems to be a poor neighbour to the others but there is a room available. There’s quite a difference at Worabordee Guesthouse from last night at 650 baht but the room is spacious and will do the job. We book for two nights Google Map. It’s soon time for dinner and there’s no shortage of restaurants to cater for tourists of all nations. Strangely as we walk towards the main street there’s a local Thai restaurant no different than we’re used to. Unlike the tourist restaurants, it’s almost deserted but it does the job for us. Finally we stroll around to the night bazaar which is anything but deserted. Chiang Rai is heaving with tourists and relative to my usual travels quite out of the norm. I suffer in silence: I’d rather be back at the room working on my blog. Still there are a few things I would like to record nearby tomorrow. Next Page.