Temples on every corner! (and my guide was an excellent photographer!)
Logging my first steps in Asia by exploring a slice of Thailand and Laos. I was mainly there to represent Adventure Life at a conference, but I was also there to discover a whole new continent with the help of a wonderful guide. There were cooking classes with homemade Pad Thai, Baci ceremonies and markets to expose the culture and the most important of all, food! My first steps were monumental to say the least!
I logged my first steps on the Asian continent today! I’ve been excited about a trip like this for a long time, the kind of trip that plucks me out of my comfort zone. My previous travels have taken me mostly to Spanish-speaking countries where I feel comfortable with the language, or to European countries where the culture doesn’t feel too far from my own. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous for this new experience, but it was exhilarating to try something new! I felt immediately comfortable upon landing in Chiang Mai. Initially it felt not so different from being in Latin America. I couldn’t understand a word of the language, but the warmth of the people more than made up for it. I settled into my hotel in old city Chiang Mai but tried not to linger too long by the bed (hello jet lag!). I took to the streets and soaked in the sights and smells of the “Walking Street” market that takes place every Sunday evening.
Walking street Sunday evening market in Chiang Mai. (Jenna Fedyschyn)
Thai food is my absolute favorite, so I wasn’t shy about sampling the street food - a spicy green papaya salad, chicken and pork satay, and a fresh fruit smoothie (all for under $3 USD I might add).
Walking street Sunday evening market in Chiang Mai. Papaya salad! (Jenna Fedyschyn)
I felt extremely safe walking the streets of Chiang Mai, even as a solo female. This is going to be a spectacular trip, I can tell already.
