Ban Tham to Chiang Dao

Sunrise over the mountains with hot tea. It´s magical. Sun set over Doi Chiang Dao, the third highest mountain in Thailand (see tomorrow's picture), where by utter and unplanned good luck we landed a wooden bungalow in a flower filled orchard.

There is also a Japanese - Thai festival going on down the road: they are playing country music and seem to do a line in experimental theatre. It looks like any European festival, complete with dreadlocked farangs camping with kids, chai and thai noodle stalls, and colourful signposts.

It's been a long day. Sunrise was worth dragging ourselves up for. Somehow today confidence on the bike has returned - celebrated by the first fall free day, though there were several attempts towards a rather grumpy end. 180km today. Windy steep and a bit of highway. Much improved. A completely random find here - and we end the day with beer and wonderful curry in the candlelit garden, full of crickets, toads and rose scent.