I arrived safely in Seoul in the early hours of yesterday morning and am really enjoying it so far. It’s a fantastic, modern city with lots to see and do.

I did a fascinating tour of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between South and North Korea yesterday, but am planning to make that the subject of a separate post within the next day or so. For now, I’m going to catch you up on my last couple of days in Thailand.

On my last full day, I went in the car with Wan (one of our fabulous hosts!) to some caves and temples about an hour and a half’s drive from Chiang Mai. Hilly northern Thailand has quite a few caves, some of which house temples and other religious monuments. This one was no exception: an extensive, brightly decorated temple complex surrounded the entrance to a large cave system, a few kilometres of which is accessible to the public.

I’ve visited quite a few caves in England and elsewhere, and this one compared well in my opinion. I’m glad that the Thais have resisted the urge to over-commercialise it, though they’re perhaps less concerned about conservation than some other nations (such as Barbados, where we weren’t allowed to touch any of the rock because the oils on human skin can damage it). This cave had some relatively spacious, well lit areas which the public can walk through for a small fee. There were several Buddha shrines and lots of dramatic and beautiful rock formations to view as I walked along.

About 10 minutes’ walk inside the cave, there was an option to hire a local female volunteer guide for 200 baht (about £5). The fee covers the hire of a kerosene lamp which the guide uses to illuminate the way as she shows you around some deeper parts of the cave. My guide and I climbed some steps to access a series of caverns and narrow corridors, which included a couple of tight squeezes that some people might not enjoy! Indeed, the presence of large spiders and many bats in the cave, together with my guide’s tendency to make ‘ahhhhh’ sounds of awe as she pointed out various things, could have created a rather creepy atmosphere – but I loved it!

After the cave visit, Wan took me to another smaller one, which was totally empty apart from a Buddha shrine, and then to lunch at a local farm restaurant. I chose a chicken and mushroom dish that was marked as ‘farang (foreigner) spicy’ and it was indeed – but delicious and very fresh. My last few days in Thailand were marked by fantastic food generally, including a tasting menu at our host’s home and one of the best French restaurants I’ve ever been to anywhere in the world. I can only hope that this trend continues!

On my final afternoon in Thailand, I paid a visit to the Chiang Mai Art and Cultural centre to learn more about the Chiang Mai region, its history and unique crafts. It’s a medium-sized museum located in a former colonial building. It also has AC throughout, which was welcome on such a hot day. It gave a good overview of the history of the area, including British colonial influence, the previous ruling families and the rapid economic development of modern Chiang Mai. I also enjoyed the art on display, which included some extremely intricate wood carvings such as the elephants shown below.

I was a little sad to leave Thailand after 10 days with my family, but excited for the next stage of my adventure. More on South Korea soon!

Cross-stitch progress update