Culinary Enlightenment in Chiang Mai

Enjoying some self made som tom.

Urban dictionary defines “foodie” as a douchebag who likes food.  I prefer to think the correct definition of foodie is a person who really likes good food and likes to eat a lot. The latter description best describes me. I don’t think I ever evolved from Freud’s oral fixation stage. After spending much time in Thailand and sampling countless dishes over 6 months, I decided to enroll in Baan Thai Cookery School in Chiang Mai for a day of cooking lessons in order to bring my love of Thai food home to my own kitchen.

A Dawg Eat Dog World - Trekking in Northern Thailand

Bathing elephants in the river.

I’m sure you already know that when you head to northern Thailand, you HAVE to do a trek, the landscape is gorgeous, the hill tribes are inviting and the memories are magical. In Chiang Mai, I went on a 3-day trek, a popular tourist activity when visiting northern Thailand. Many of these tours can be over crowded and un-unique because of the massive demand nowadays.

Planes, Trains, & Songthaews - Thailand Transportation

Taxi with flat tire on the highway at 4am.

I settled into my plush reclining seat on an extra large VIP bus heading south to Bangkok from Chiang Rai for a 12-hour journey. Suddenly a huge burst from the right side of the bus left us swerving back and forth at high speed on the highway while the top heavy automobile teeter tottered back and forth signifying a potential flip. The smell of burnt rubber indicated exactly what occurred, but as I’m holding on for dear life my first selfish thought was, “Can we please come to a safe stop because I’m afraid of dying alone.”