Temple Hopping in Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai, Thailand

I woke up that first morning in Chiang Mai feeling absolutely knackered. My body was hurting, my head heavy, my nose obstructed. After the longest train journey of my life, to one of the most exciting destinations in Thailand, I wanted to be in full health to explore the city. Yet, I wasn’t, thanks to the air conditioning of the aforementioned train.

So I did what any highly functioning millennial out there would do-swallowed some ibuprofen pills, showered, dressed, had breakfast (which should have come before the ibuprofen, but whilst medicine on an empty stomach may kill you, it also makes the pain go away a lot faster, and well, priorities), and set off to explore Chiang Mai.

I had only heard good things about it - how it was much quieter than Bangkok, but still with every convenience of a big city and a very well-conserved historical centre. In recent years, it has also become a hub for digital nomads. The temperatures are also supposed to be a lot more bearable. Nestled in the mountains of northern Thailand, the ancient capital of the Lanna Kingdom boasts of a cooler climate… except when the whole country goes on a heatwave, exactly what happened when I was there. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).