Overlooking Chiang Mai there is the temple of Doi Suthep. The road up to the temple winds its way up the mountain until you reach the entrance and then you have to climb over a hundred steps to finally reach your destination.

Yesterday however I decided to walk to the temple which stands at a height of around 600m by using the old monk trail. It’s tough going and it’s up all the way with almost no flat sections to give you a breather. It is also very hot and humid which adds to the difficulty, but it was by far the best way to get there.

The view from the top is great because you can see for miles and miles, especially on a clear day like today. I didn’t visit the temple this time but instead had lunch and coffee before I contemplated the journey down. I opted to take a local taxi, ten of us crammed into the back sitting on bench seats. The journey down the hill was not enjoyable and after a few minutes being driven by a lunatic I wished I had just walked back down even although I was feeling tired.