This trip was one of the most fun and immersive ones we’ve recorded so far. Pai has this laid-back charm and unexpected beauty that really took us by surprise.
Adrie and I take you along as we explore some of Pai’s must-see spots — and wow, what a day. We started with the National Park Hot Springs, where the water gets hot enough to boil eggs (or a human, seriously). Then we checked out the WWII Memorial Bridge (Nara Bridge), which has a surprisingly cool history behind it. After that, we made our way across the Bamboo Bridge (NAME), a nearly 1-kilometer-long structure built for the ‘Gram, complete with swings, hearts, and even a ladder to nowhere.
Finally, we wrapped things up at the breathtaking — and slightly terrifying — Pai Canyon for sunset. It was beautiful, hilarious, a bit slippery, and definitely memorable. If you’re heading to Pai or just want to know what it’s really like, this one’s for you.
Key Takeaways
Pai Hot Springs are natural and beautiful, but can be dangerous — always check temperatures and wear grippy shoes.
Respect local customs — the hot springs are used by locals, so be clean and mindful (no peeing, no weed, no booze!).
Tha Pai Memorial Bridge has a rich WWII history — rebuilt multiple times and now a perfect selfie stop.
Bamboo Bridge is a modern tourist gem, filled with photo ops — hearts, swings, and “ladder to nowhere” included.
Pai Canyon offers stunning views, but be prepared for narrow paths, sheer drops, and zero handrails — not for the faint-hearted.
Chapters & Timestamps
[00:02:00] Cultural Tips + Slippery Rocks
Local etiquette, weed laws in Thailand, and practical warnings.
[00:04:00] WWII Memorial Bridge History
A Japanese-built war bridge turned tourist stop — and a lesson in resilience.
[00:06:00] Bamboo Bridge Adventures
815 meters of Instagram heaven, odd photo props, and a sandy, bouncy stroll.
[00:10:00] Sunset at Pai Canyon
Stunning views, sketchy ledges, and why alcohol is not sold up there.
[00:17:00] Final Thoughts and Laughs
Slipping, climbing, joking, and reflecting on Pai’s wild charm.
This Season is sponsored by Premier Dental.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Thanks for listening to thisextra episode we're do now of a
VM podcast that come out everySunday.
These episodes are designed forYouTube.
I've gone over to the dark side,and so you can find these on our
YouTube channel.
You can see what we're talkingabout.
But thank you for listening toit.
I am an OG podcaster.
I do love audio, but if you wantto go watch the video, go to
youtube.com, a Vietnam podcast,and you'll be able to see what
(00:22):
we're up to there.
Cheers.
Niall (00:27):
762 tons.
It's crazy.
It's just like a zigzag thewhole way.
This is how cold it is gettingwrapped up.
I put my next stuff on.
I got my pollution mask.
Not for the pollution, but forthe pool there.
So Ang Mai, no helmet.
(00:50):
No helmet, foreign, nor with nohelmet.
We made it to Chiang Rai.
So a few things we've noticed.
A lot different between Thailandand Vina isn B three here in pi,
(01:10):
we're at another sunset spotcalled Two Huts and we said we
read that it gets new red, weget a little bit busy, but not
too crowdy.
I rather a review that it.
And it's
absolutely crazy.
And it's Every tourist in pie ishere.
Yeah, I think so.
And
the sunset is even better than last night, which last
night was epic.
(01:31):
I don't even know how this couldbe better, but pretty better
is it for the view.
So we haven't done many videos.
Today, uh, in a bit of a workdayactually.
It was a bit of a relaxationday.
We didn't do any trips oranything.
And then I had a podcastemergency, which I'm probably
thinking like, how do you have apodcast emergency?
I had a podcast emergency today,so I did quite a bit of work, so
(01:54):
that's all right.
'cause we did a much plan.
So we just chilled out in a fewcoffee shops in a digital nomad,
and now we're finished for theday.
We're here for sunset, and we'remaybe gonna go from massage
finally tonight.
Check out the town again.
Have some food.
For sure.
The food is so good.
The night market has just somuch food and we haven't eaten
half of it.
(02:14):
No, we've probably had nearlyhalf of it.
Not much.
Not sure we
could eat
so
much soup there.
There
is so much food.
What's been your favorite foodso far at the night market?
Adrie (02:24):
Right here.
We had a tea leaf salad lastnight, which was.
Yeah,
Niall (02:28):
that was amazing.
Tea leaf salad is from Burma.
We've had that when we went toBurma, Myanmar, whatever you
call it, mean.
We go with Myanmar, uh, and itreally, really good.
The tea leaf salad and they hadone of them here and that was
really, really good.
If you ever come across a tealeaf salad, I would recommend
that.
So look at the sunset right now.
As you can see, everyone elseagrees.
(02:49):
Look, it's a really good sunset.
Apart from those that are pacingthe other way.
Like
guys playing football.
Oh, most people are facing theright way.
I think that's maybe the most epic, sunset we've seen so
far
Adrie (03:04):
in life,
Niall (03:05):
no, in this trip, but maybe in life this week.
Uh,
Adrie (03:07):
it is pretty good.
This is, I don't think we'vestayed this long, which helps.
You gotta wait for the likeafter effects.
Niall (03:15):
So one of the things we've noticed, we've known
photographers.
If you're gonna do a sunsetphotograph, the best actual
views are about an hour to twohours after the sunset.
And everyone makes this mistake.
We do it as well where they'relike, oh, sunset's at 6 0 2, so
let's go for 6 0 2, and then thesunset.
And you're like, all right, IE.
And then, what's the time now?
Adrie (03:38):
Six 40.
Niall (03:39):
So it's about 20, 40 minutes after work.
No.
Adrie (03:42):
Well.
The sun dipped over the, uh,mountain and then yeah,
obviously hit the horizon atlike six 15.
It's been 25 minutes sinceactually sun.
The sun gets, and it just keepsgetting better
Niall (03:54):
and better.
I'll look away for a second,then I'll look up and I'm like,
whoa, it's changed.
It's so much better.
Yeah, and then the video rightnow and the camera cannot get
like, how stunning this is.
I know we've done a lot ofstunning sunsets in the Of
Adrie (04:08):
course.
Yeah.
This one's beautiful.
Niall (04:10):
We, you never get bored of them.
So weird that something thathappens every single day.
Adrie (04:14):
That's what I always say to you, we as humans are like,
like sun rises every day, but onholiday especially, it's like,
what are we doing for sunrise?
What are we doing for sunset?
Niall (04:24):
Even in Saigon though, 'cause we've got a nice be
sunset.
Like the sunset is.
Pretty It sets
Adrie (04:29):
every day.
Niall (04:30):
Yeah.
Adrie (04:30):
Even at st.
Niall (04:32):
No, but it's stunning.
But I think as well there issomething about the sunset in
southeast Asia.
'cause I remember our first tripto Bangkok and the sun at the
end of a street and just lookingin the sky was.
Bright red.
I don't think that's the same inevery area of the world.
You think it is?
Well, we did go to El Paso acouple years ago.
(04:52):
Some was stunning as well.
I, the sun does
Adrie (04:55):
set beautifully in most places in the world.
Niall (04:57):
It's not as long as you have a
Adrie (04:58):
view of the not
Niall (04:59):
glad as'cause it's cloudy.
Know.
That's true.
Maybe that's why you, youappreciate it for, maybe that's
why I appreciate it, because I'mnot used to having those sun.
Adrie (05:07):
There's not one single WEP of a cloud in the.
Sky tonight.
It's actually last night at theKenyan, there was wisps.
There's nothing in the sky atall.
It's like the clearest sky.
It's really clear.
Niall (05:20):
And the other, the other best place in the other best
place in the world for sunsetand you know, was my favorite
place in the world.
Western Australia, Cal Valley,number four.
Adrie (05:30):
Number four we're at the night market.
There's a little stall with.
Quite a few options.
I didn't really look thatcarefully, but they've got
tables right in front of theseven 11.
Uh, we've been eyeing this upfor three days now, and as we
were driving by, I was like,let's just do it like last
chance and it looks fuckingdelicious.
(05:51):
There's
Niall (05:52):
50 bot, which is about dollars in five.
Adrie (05:55):
We got all the big things, the onions.
Niall (05:59):
Do you love this?
This is the seven 11.
Every night is packed just withpeople everywhere.
Is it good?
That looks good.
Yeah.
Is it better than the first one we had?
Adrie (06:15):
The first one so long ago.
I don't really remember, butit's definitely better.
Niall (06:19):
And two and three more in mind with
Adrie (06:20):
our expectations of the last couple.
Oh, thank you.
Niall (06:25):
Day seven in Thailand.
We are now driving back from PIto Chiang Mai, then jumping on a
bus to Chiang Haii.
We upgraded our bite.
That last one told you it wasn'treally a lemon, it just had the
power of a lemon.
My God doesn't even do much.
We were at 25 kilometers anhour.
Now we're about 17.
(06:45):
Oh my God, yes.
Go, go, go, go.
We getting a hot drink?
It's my
Adrie (06:52):
hot time
Niall (06:53):
cold.
The drive on the way here.
I think we told you it was 762tons.
It's crazy.
It's just like a zigzag thewhole way.
And then on the way here wherewe are now, in the middle of the
mountains, it's a couple ofhorses just shown up really
nice.
You
want Whoa, A couple.
(07:13):
Oh wait, there's five.
There's like
five pull sheets.
Hold on.
Don't feel mad.
What is going on?
There is like, I've never seenthis many PSEs in one place.
There's six.
Six of them.
Adrie (07:27):
That's so funny.
Niall (07:29):
So it's a crazy drive.
And then as we showed you thebike we had in the, on the way
here there's a bit of a lemon.
I had the power of a Lemon
Adrie (07:38):
Pro tip.
Two people get a one 50 minimum.
Niall (07:42):
Yeah.
Adrie (07:44):
1, 2, 5.
Just didn't cut it with the, theturns and the hills and the
inclines.
Niall (07:50):
Yeah, so that's the other thing.
It's not, sorry.
It's not just the zigzagged,it's zigzagged on hills going up
and down, like this wholejourney.
We've been going for about anhour so far.
Out of 128 kilometers we're onlylike 30 kilometers in.
Adrie (08:04):
Yeah.
Which means we need to withcold.
Niall (08:06):
I know, but cold.
We had to stop for a hott milktea.
Adrie (08:10):
Delicious.
Niall (08:11):
I know we're in Thailand, so it's just a milk tea, but all
the menus do say Thai milk tea.
I passed it, I think it saysThai milk tea.
So
Adrie (08:19):
is it,'cause it is Thai tea?
Niall (08:20):
Yeah, I think so.
'cause it's like different,maybe it's been, cold pie has
been amazing.
But this, the trip here is.
So beautiful, so stunning.
We've not done any videos'causeit's so cold.
We're all wrapped up with maskson and scarfs.
Um, but yeah, so this morning weswapped our bike.
We went to the IS service andthankfully they had a bike for
(08:41):
us, so we were able to give backour 1 2 5 lemon and get a one 50
automatic as well.
And oh my goodness, what adifference like.
So this journey in thisdirection has to get here has
been so steep and so manycurves.
So the problem is with the otherbike, you could never get any
momentum'cause you always had toslow down, take a curve, did so
(09:01):
much of it in like cost insecond gear.
I honestly think if we'd stillhad that bike, I don't think we
would've made it up.
That first two.
Adrie (09:09):
I don't wanna think about it.
Which then
Niall (09:11):
means that would've like messed up our day completely.
'cause we would then have todrive back.
Get another bike if possible.
'cause the bike place like sellsoutta Bikes really early in the
morning.
We went for the opening today atlike 8:00 AM be and everyone was
just there like, do you haveBikes?
Do you have Bikes?
Even yesterday we had people andthey're like, no, no more Bikes
left.
We've seen other people who wentto get a bike and couldn't get
(09:33):
one, then go to all the other,we, we passed them in the town
like trying to find one.
So it would've been really bad.
Adrie (09:39):
I honestly, we would've had to drive back and just get a
bus back.
Niall (09:43):
So a few things we've noticed that are different
between Thailand and Vietnam isone.
That you pay extra for ice here,like an ice drink costs more
money.
Two prices.
Like the place we're in rightnow is 30 for the Thai milk tea
hot and 40 for it being withice, which is pretty same
everywhere.
Which makes sense.
'cause ice costs money and youlook at like in these hot
(10:03):
countries, especially the amountof ice that gets delivered.
Yeah, it's true because it's notlike you freeze it yourself.
And I don't even know if they dothat in the west, not in a
restaurant or a cafe.
They would buy the ice, but it'sso, it's a cost.
But in Vietnam, it.
It's not extra for ice at all.
No,
Adrie (10:17):
they add ice to everything.
Niall (10:18):
Yeah.
I mean, you go to seven 11 on ashop, you can buy a cup of ice,
but it's only like five 50.
I can't remember price.
Isn't it five?
Five?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Five.
Well, 5,000.
Yeah.
5,000 or 10,000.
Not even 10,000,
Adrie (10:30):
but 5,000, which is like what, 20 cents.
Niall (10:34):
Yeah.
So that's been a, like anoticeable difference here,
which is nothing makes me thatpretty awesome.
Like they don't ever charge youextra for ice.
Which I'm kinda like, youprobably should, but don't'cause
it's, don't
Adrie (10:49):
watch this video.
Vietnam.
Don't
Niall (10:50):
do that.
Another few things aredifferent.
So obviously in Vietnam theyhave pictures and posters of Ho
Chi men everywhere.
The father of Vietnam, I guessI've never really heard them in
called that, but I guess youcould call'em that.
Whereas here, uncle, uncle hall.
Whereas here, the king, theyhave a monarch and they like
love the king.
So it's just pictures of theking everywhere in the, in the
(11:12):
roads, in every shop.
There's one around the earth.
So it's like same, same butdifferent.
To use a phrase that is used inThailand, I think,
Adrie (11:22):
well, just an obvious one, we were talking about a on
the bike is like the, they havea completely different script.
So in Vietnam, if you, even ifyou don't speak Vietnamese, you
can recognize words because it'sfamiliar Western script.
But here, obviously Ty, reallydifferent script.
So.
I don't know if long term expatscan recognize Thai words, but
(11:46):
for us it's really hard to,unless it's in English or in
Yeah, English writing.
Yeah.
It just, we wouldn't be able torecognize or see what things
say.
Niall (11:56):
It is such a stark difference, right?
Because in Vietnam we don'tspeak no language much, but we
recognize words and you knowwhat it means.
And there is also Englisheverywhere in Vietnam, whereas
on the road, like you said,there's a couple of signs that
are all in Thai.
And so even in.
Vietnam, we can kinda understandthe Vietnamese on the road signs
'cause we've seen them so much.
So we know that it means slowdown or whatnot.
(12:18):
Whereas here, so that's a bigdifference.
I dunno if you can see that, butit's like pretty indecipherable
at first.
Like many languages.
They don't use the English.
Not the English.
Sorry.
Western script.
Good.
Alright, we're gonna get back onthe road'cause we gotta get
going to make sure we get a bus,which I'm sure we'll, but.
Let's keep going and then we'llshow you some of this road on
(12:40):
the way.
It's pretty crazy.
All right, let's go.
This is how cold it is gettingwrapped up.
I put my next scarf on.
I got my pollution mask.
Not for the pollution, but forthe cold air because keep my
nose a bit warmer.
Wrapped up.
A's wrapped up right.
Ready to go.
So we are at Thinging Ma JiggyCoffee Roastery.
Adrie (13:01):
We went to Rabbit
Niall (13:02):
Bit.
Well, we went to Rap Bit, butthat one's called Thinging.
Ma Jiggy is a great one.
That's like a Scottish one, isit not?
Anyway, we had a quick stop, ahalf an hour out of Chang Mai.
Had a quick stop at the coupleof coffee shops here.
Stunning views, like all aroundhere.
(13:22):
So Hunter Chang Mai.
And then Bus two Shanghai.
One of the things we've noticeda big difference between here
and Vietnam is the WH ofhelmets.
And I know Hanoi might bedifferent in Saigon, but in
Saigon, pretty much everyonewears a helmet.
It's questionable for many ofthem whether they are actually
(13:42):
safe'cause they look like tinypieces of plastic.
The one we've noticed here is alot of people don't wear helmets
at all.
I don't know if it's against thelaw or they just don't do it.
And obviously if you go to anylocal place in Saigon like
district two or District four,you see lots of people driving
about without helmets, butgenerally they're going short
(14:03):
distances.
You never see anyone on ahighway like this or a road like
this, whereas all the time, andespecially in pi, which makes a
little bit of sense, drivingaround the PI center.
And not wearing a helmet, but wesaw so many, a lot of tourists,
so many tourists just drivingabout with no helmets on this
woman in front of me that I'mjust showing.
(14:24):
She has a helmet attached to theback of a bike, but is driving
down a two lane highway withwithout wearing it.
So that always just absolutelybaffles me when someone would
not wear a helmet.
But there you go.
There's another differencebetween Vietnam and Thailand.
No helmet.
No helmet.
Foreigner with no helmet.
No helmet.
(14:47):
So I just asked Chad, TPT, andit is mandatory for both the
passenger and the driver ofmotorbikes to wear a helmet.
They obviously don't enforce ithere'cause so many people don't
do it.
We are on the bus to ChangChang.
Those names are not confusing atall.
Likeno?
Oh yeah,
Adrie (15:05):
yeah, yeah.
Niall (15:07):
Constantly mixed up.
Adrie (15:08):
Literally one letter Chang,
Niall (15:12):
we made it to Chang Rai.
Pretty, pretty nice view tostart these pink neon trees.
So bus gently was prettyuneventful.
There was one part where Ithought the bus was going off
the side of the road.
I think you might have beenslipped for that part.
It seemed to hit the rumblestrips, which was a bit scary.
Adrie (15:32):
Are you hurting me?
Niall (15:33):
Yeah.
Adrie (15:34):
Oh really?
Niall (15:35):
Apart from that, it's fine.
One thing that Arie readthankfully, is it's freezing on
the bus.
They have the air con blasting.
So luckily we took our jackets.
If you're ever getting the bus,make sure you bring warm clothes
'cause they will blast the air.
Conone you get free snack, freewater.
Uh, don't think they gave freewifi.
I didn't even look.
No.
Everyone has like nothing likethat.
(15:55):
But it's good.
We're here in three hours and.
There's another night marketchecked in, dropped the stuff
off.
It's 15 degrees right now, whichis nine degrees less than
normal.
Right on this day.
On average, yeah.
Adrie (16:08):
Usually it's in the high twenties
Niall (16:10):
and every bar we pass.
So far has, is outdoor like opento the air, which means it's
gonna be cold if we want to havea beer.
And we saw somewhere selling GUGuinness already, which I'm
gonna have a Guinness'cause wedon't get Guinness inside going
on tap anywhere apart from onebar in Hanoi.
But one of the best things todo, one of the things to do is
go to the clock tower.
(16:30):
So we're here at the clock door,which happens to just be 170
meters from our hotel, andthere's gonna be a light show in
20 minutes, but I don't thinkwe're gonna stand on the street
corner.
Adrie (16:41):
I think we're gonna look for seven 11.
Niall (16:44):
So we are reminded, one of the other big differences
between Vietnam and Thailand iskinda smells bad here, just like
that in Bangkok when we're beenChang Mai wasn't, no, yeah, it
was pretty bad.
There probably wasn't too bad.
The reason is they cannot havelike covered open soils, if that
(17:05):
makes sense.
So all the wastewater comes outand it's covered with concrete,
but it's not in a pipe as far asI can tell, so you can smell it.
So you often get these wafts ofportrait smell, which is
disgusting.
And unless you Saigon, unlessyou are like behind a dump truck
(17:26):
or you're next to a dumpster, itgenerally doesn't smell in
Saigon, I don't think.
Right?
Adrie (17:33):
Uh, no.
Not, not the way it doesn'tThailand.
Niall (17:35):
No.
Yeah, that's I, me it kind like
Adrie (17:37):
sewage.
Niall (17:38):
Yeah.
And it kinda smells like sewagehere.
So there's another plus forVietnam.
Adrie (17:43):
It's not a competition or is it?
Niall (17:46):
No, we just know Vietnam.
It's not a competition.
'cause Vietnam's better
Adrie (17:50):
of course.
Niall (18:03):
Thing says a traditional Thai monument, like having a
pizza hut right behind it, rightnext to it.
And then, what is that Frenchcafe?
But we read that.
Uh, lots of people as you cansee across.
I just notice all that andlocals come out.
To see this, and it was onlybuilt in 2008, which is crazy.
(18:25):
It's like not that long ago.
I just expect everything you seeis like 400 years old.
Adrie (18:32):
Yeah, it's very pretty.
Niall (18:34):
Yeah.
It is super
Adrie (18:35):
intricate in order
Niall (18:37):
and it's, uh, honor the king.
Is that what it was?
Adrie (18:40):
King name?
Niall (18:42):
So it goes for 10 minutes, which is quite long.
Don't worry, I'm not gonna filmthis whole thing for 10 minutes.
Oh, there we go.
It's on Need clockwork on.
It's kind of weird'cause themusic comes from like over
there, not from the
Adrie (18:58):
much better from.
Niall (18:59):
Alright.
We've stumbled across a foodthat we have not had yet before
on this trip.
It's one of our favorites.
Chicken sat?
Like chicken sat skews.
Oh, clean up.
No,
Adrie (19:14):
they
Niall (19:14):
got more.
Woohoo.
Plenty.
We get, we can get 50 if wewant.
Oh my God, this looks amazing.
Is it like all your hopes anddreams?
Adrie (19:25):
Mm-hmm.
Such
Niall (19:28):
hidden PCs of chicken?
Like I don't mean that in a badway.
Adrie (19:33):
You have to get some of the cucumber.
We got some cucumber.
Niall (19:38):
That pretty good?
Can you feed me one?
Adrie (19:40):
No.
Niall (19:41):
How did you add this stuff to?
Adrie (19:43):
Um, I used a skewer
Niall (19:46):
easier when you don't have a camera in your hand.
Adrie (19:47):
Start at hard and then you do skewer to get.
Right?
Niall (19:52):
Mm-hmm.
So good?
Adrie (19:54):
Yep.
Niall (19:55):
Alright.
I gotta go eat some more.
We absolutely demolished that.
How good was that?
Adrie (20:00):
Really good.
I'm looking the plate
Niall (20:02):
now.
I see why they sell them in lotsof 50.
You could easily D all this.
50.
Yeah.
Adrie (20:06):
Said only, we only got 10.
We should have gotten 20, but wehave one night market to get to.
Yeah,
Niall (20:10):
yeah.
Alright, let's go to the othernight.
Pocket.
Adrie (20:12):
What shoes?
Niall (20:15):
Beer.
Of night markets, Guinness NightMarkets.
All right, we're going for aGuinness.
It's about the same temperatureas higher.
Later
Adrie (20:23):
is one minute later.
Niall (20:25):
We just called the new pins of Guinness and E.
If you can get Guness in lessthan a nine, well, let's see how
it travels.
Uh, all the way from miles toShanghai.
Adrie (20:35):
Thank you.
Niall (20:36):
Come all the way to Thailand to get a Guinness.
Thank you very much.
That was pretty damn good.
It's been so long.
I can't remember what it's meantto taste like.
It taste and it tastes reallygood.
It's like proper football tothemselves to get in and outta
the bathroom.
Oh, this way.
That is amazing.
Three back, like 1 cent.
(20:58):
Use the bathroom.
Basically football comes down.
This is our first Tom Young Soupsince we got here, which is one
of our favorites.
Would you say that if it doesn'tfront All the time is good,
which we've already said in thisvideo, we bear, we think the Ty
food is probably better than theVietnamese, but I take by that
(21:21):
piece is good.
Adrie (21:23):
That's what you want on a cold night though.
Niall (21:26):
Well, that's the other reason we got Tom Yum.
Super knot.
Hot, dire.
Anything else?
It is cool tonight.
Adrie (21:31):
Woo.
Niall (21:33):
Or you can warm me up.
It's too hot for your hands.
Gonna warm your cockles.
Let's go
Adrie (21:38):
next week.
Niall (21:41):
And then we just stumbled across this.
Adrie (21:46):
I knew we were coming here.
Niall (21:47):
Did you?
I'm no archeologist, as youwould know.
Why the hell do you know thatfrom this?
Adrie (21:57):
Oh, my.
Thanks for listening to thisextra episode we're do now of a
VM podcast that come out everySunday.
These episodes are designed forYouTube.
I've gone over to the dark side,and so you can find these on our
YouTube channel.
You can see what we're talkingabout.
But thank you for listening toit.
I am an OG podcaster.
I do love audio, but if you wantto go watch the video, go to
youtube.com, a Vietnam podcast,and you'll be able to see what
(00:22):
we're up to there.
Cheers.
Niall (00:27):
762 tons.
It's crazy.
It's just like a zigzag thewhole way.
This is how cold it is gettingwrapped up.
I put my next stuff on.
I got my pollution mask.
Not for the pollution, but forthe pool there.
So Ang Mai, no helmet.
(00:50):
No helmet, foreign, nor with nohelmet.
We made it to Chiang Rai.
So a few things we've noticed.
A lot different between Thailandand Vina isn B three here in pi,
(01:10):
we're at another sunset spotcalled Two Huts and we said we
read that it gets new red, weget a little bit busy, but not
too crowdy.
I rather a review that it.
And it's
absolutely crazy.
And it's Every tourist in pie ishere.
Yeah, I think so.
And
the sunset is even better than last night, which last
night was epic.
(01:31):
I don't even know how this couldbe better, but pretty better
is it for the view.
So we haven't done many videos.
Today, uh, in a bit of a workdayactually.
It was a bit of a relaxationday.
We didn't do any trips oranything.
And then I had a podcastemergency, which I'm probably
thinking like, how do you have apodcast emergency?
I had a podcast emergency today,so I did quite a bit of work, so
(01:54):
that's all right.
'cause we did a much plan.
So we just chilled out in a fewcoffee shops in a digital nomad,
and now we're finished for theday.
We're here for sunset, and we'remaybe gonna go from massage
finally tonight.
Check out the town again.
Have some food.
For sure.
The food is so good.
The night market has just somuch food and we haven't eaten
half of it.
(02:14):
No, we've probably had nearlyhalf of it.
Not much.
Not sure we
could eat
so
much soup there.
There
is so much food.
What's been your favorite foodso far at the night market?
Adrie (02:24):
Right here.
We had a tea leaf salad lastnight, which was.
Yeah,
Niall (02:28):
that was amazing.
Tea leaf salad is from Burma.
We've had that when we went toBurma, Myanmar, whatever you
call it, mean.
We go with Myanmar, uh, and itreally, really good.
The tea leaf salad and they hadone of them here and that was
really, really good.
If you ever come across a tealeaf salad, I would recommend
that.
So look at the sunset right now.
As you can see, everyone elseagrees.
(02:49):
Look, it's a really good sunset.
Apart from those that are pacingthe other way.
Like
guys playing football.
Oh, most people are facing theright way.
I think that's maybe the most epic, sunset we've seen so
far
Adrie (03:04):
in life,
Niall (03:05):
no, in this trip, but maybe in life this week.
Uh,
Adrie (03:07):
it is pretty good.
This is, I don't think we'vestayed this long, which helps.
You gotta wait for the likeafter effects.
Niall (03:15):
So one of the things we've noticed, we've known
photographers.
If you're gonna do a sunsetphotograph, the best actual
views are about an hour to twohours after the sunset.
And everyone makes this mistake.
We do it as well where they'relike, oh, sunset's at 6 0 2, so
let's go for 6 0 2, and then thesunset.
And you're like, all right, IE.
And then, what's the time now?
Adrie (03:38):
Six 40.
Niall (03:39):
So it's about 20, 40 minutes after work.
No.
Adrie (03:42):
Well.
The sun dipped over the, uh,mountain and then yeah,
obviously hit the horizon atlike six 15.
It's been 25 minutes sinceactually sun.
The sun gets, and it just keepsgetting better
Niall (03:54):
and better.
I'll look away for a second,then I'll look up and I'm like,
whoa, it's changed.
It's so much better.
Yeah, and then the video rightnow and the camera cannot get
like, how stunning this is.
I know we've done a lot ofstunning sunsets in the Of
Adrie (04:08):
course.
Yeah.
This one's beautiful.
Niall (04:10):
We, you never get bored of them.
So weird that something thathappens every single day.
Adrie (04:14):
That's what I always say to you, we as humans are like,
like sun rises every day, but onholiday especially, it's like,
what are we doing for sunrise?
What are we doing for sunset?
Niall (04:24):
Even in Saigon though, 'cause we've got a nice be
sunset.
Like the sunset is.
Pretty It sets
Adrie (04:29):
every day.
Niall (04:30):
Yeah.
Adrie (04:30):
Even at st.
Niall (04:32):
No, but it's stunning.
But I think as well there issomething about the sunset in
southeast Asia.
'cause I remember our first tripto Bangkok and the sun at the
end of a street and just lookingin the sky was.
Bright red.
I don't think that's the same inevery area of the world.
You think it is?
Well, we did go to El Paso acouple years ago.
(04:52):
Some was stunning as well.
I, the sun does
Adrie (04:55):
set beautifully in most places in the world.
Niall (04:57):
It's not as long as you have a
Adrie (04:58):
view of the not
Niall (04:59):
glad as'cause it's cloudy.
Know.
That's true.
Maybe that's why you, youappreciate it for, maybe that's
why I appreciate it, because I'mnot used to having those sun.
Adrie (05:07):
There's not one single WEP of a cloud in the.
Sky tonight.
It's actually last night at theKenyan, there was wisps.
There's nothing in the sky atall.
It's like the clearest sky.
It's really clear.
Niall (05:20):
And the other, the other best place in the other best
place in the world for sunsetand you know, was my favorite
place in the world.
Western Australia, Cal Valley,number four.
Adrie (05:30):
Number four we're at the night market.
There's a little stall with.
Quite a few options.
I didn't really look thatcarefully, but they've got
tables right in front of theseven 11.
Uh, we've been eyeing this upfor three days now, and as we
were driving by, I was like,let's just do it like last
chance and it looks fuckingdelicious.
(05:51):
There's
Niall (05:52):
50 bot, which is about dollars in five.
Adrie (05:55):
We got all the big things, the onions.
Niall (05:59):
Do you love this?
This is the seven 11.
Every night is packed just withpeople everywhere.
Is it good?
That looks good.
Yeah.
Is it better than the first one we had?
Adrie (06:15):
The first one so long ago.
I don't really remember, butit's definitely better.
Niall (06:19):
And two and three more in mind with
Adrie (06:20):
our expectations of the last couple.
Oh, thank you.
Niall (06:25):
Day seven in Thailand.
We are now driving back from PIto Chiang Mai, then jumping on a
bus to Chiang Haii.
We upgraded our bite.
That last one told you it wasn'treally a lemon, it just had the
power of a lemon.
My God doesn't even do much.
We were at 25 kilometers anhour.
Now we're about 17.
(06:45):
Oh my God, yes.
Go, go, go, go.
We getting a hot drink?
It's my
Adrie (06:52):
hot time
Niall (06:53):
cold.
The drive on the way here.
I think we told you it was 762tons.
It's crazy.
It's just like a zigzag thewhole way.
And then on the way here wherewe are now, in the middle of the
mountains, it's a couple ofhorses just shown up really
nice.
You
want Whoa, A couple.
(07:13):
Oh wait, there's five.
There's like
five pull sheets.
Hold on.
Don't feel mad.
What is going on?
There is like, I've never seenthis many PSEs in one place.
There's six.
Six of them.
Adrie (07:27):
That's so funny.
Niall (07:29):
So it's a crazy drive.
And then as we showed you thebike we had in the, on the way
here there's a bit of a lemon.
I had the power of a Lemon
Adrie (07:38):
Pro tip.
Two people get a one 50 minimum.
Niall (07:42):
Yeah.
Adrie (07:44):
1, 2, 5.
Just didn't cut it with the, theturns and the hills and the
inclines.
Niall (07:50):
Yeah, so that's the other thing.
It's not, sorry.
It's not just the zigzagged,it's zigzagged on hills going up
and down, like this wholejourney.
We've been going for about anhour so far.
Out of 128 kilometers we're onlylike 30 kilometers in.
Adrie (08:04):
Yeah.
Which means we need to withcold.
Niall (08:06):
I know, but cold.
We had to stop for a hott milktea.
Adrie (08:10):
Delicious.
Niall (08:11):
I know we're in Thailand, so it's just a milk tea, but all
the menus do say Thai milk tea.
I passed it, I think it saysThai milk tea.
So
Adrie (08:19):
is it,'cause it is Thai tea?
Niall (08:20):
Yeah, I think so.
'cause it's like different,maybe it's been, cold pie has
been amazing.
But this, the trip here is.
So beautiful, so stunning.
We've not done any videos'causeit's so cold.
We're all wrapped up with maskson and scarfs.
Um, but yeah, so this morning weswapped our bike.
We went to the IS service andthankfully they had a bike for
(08:41):
us, so we were able to give backour 1 2 5 lemon and get a one 50
automatic as well.
And oh my goodness, what adifference like.
So this journey in thisdirection has to get here has
been so steep and so manycurves.
So the problem is with the otherbike, you could never get any
momentum'cause you always had toslow down, take a curve, did so
(09:01):
much of it in like cost insecond gear.
I honestly think if we'd stillhad that bike, I don't think we
would've made it up.
That first two.
Adrie (09:09):
I don't wanna think about it.
Which then
Niall (09:11):
means that would've like messed up our day completely.
'cause we would then have todrive back.
Get another bike if possible.
'cause the bike place like sellsoutta Bikes really early in the
morning.
We went for the opening today atlike 8:00 AM be and everyone was
just there like, do you haveBikes?
Do you have Bikes?
Even yesterday we had people andthey're like, no, no more Bikes
left.
We've seen other people who wentto get a bike and couldn't get
(09:33):
one, then go to all the other,we, we passed them in the town
like trying to find one.
So it would've been really bad.
Adrie (09:39):
I honestly, we would've had to drive back and just get a
bus back.
Niall (09:43):
So a few things we've noticed that are different
between Thailand and Vietnam isone.
That you pay extra for ice here,like an ice drink costs more
money.
Two prices.
Like the place we're in rightnow is 30 for the Thai milk tea
hot and 40 for it being withice, which is pretty same
everywhere.
Which makes sense.
'cause ice costs money and youlook at like in these hot
(10:03):
countries, especially the amountof ice that gets delivered.
Yeah, it's true because it's notlike you freeze it yourself.
And I don't even know if they dothat in the west, not in a
restaurant or a cafe.
They would buy the ice, but it'sso, it's a cost.
But in Vietnam, it.
It's not extra for ice at all.
No,
Adrie (10:17):
they add ice to everything.
Niall (10:18):
Yeah.
I mean, you go to seven 11 on ashop, you can buy a cup of ice,
but it's only like five 50.
I can't remember price.
Isn't it five?
Five?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Five.
Well, 5,000.
Yeah.
5,000 or 10,000.
Not even 10,000,
Adrie (10:30):
but 5,000, which is like what, 20 cents.
Niall (10:34):
Yeah.
So that's been a, like anoticeable difference here,
which is nothing makes me thatpretty awesome.
Like they don't ever charge youextra for ice.
Which I'm kinda like, youprobably should, but don't'cause
it's, don't
Adrie (10:49):
watch this video.
Vietnam.
Don't
Niall (10:50):
do that.
Another few things aredifferent.
So obviously in Vietnam theyhave pictures and posters of Ho
Chi men everywhere.
The father of Vietnam, I guessI've never really heard them in
called that, but I guess youcould call'em that.
Whereas here, uncle, uncle hall.
Whereas here, the king, theyhave a monarch and they like
love the king.
So it's just pictures of theking everywhere in the, in the
(11:12):
roads, in every shop.
There's one around the earth.
So it's like same, same butdifferent.
To use a phrase that is used inThailand, I think,
Adrie (11:22):
well, just an obvious one, we were talking about a on
the bike is like the, they havea completely different script.
So in Vietnam, if you, even ifyou don't speak Vietnamese, you
can recognize words because it'sfamiliar Western script.
But here, obviously Ty, reallydifferent script.
So.
I don't know if long term expatscan recognize Thai words, but
(11:46):
for us it's really hard to,unless it's in English or in
Yeah, English writing.
Yeah.
It just, we wouldn't be able torecognize or see what things
say.
Niall (11:56):
It is such a stark difference, right?
Because in Vietnam we don'tspeak no language much, but we
recognize words and you knowwhat it means.
And there is also Englisheverywhere in Vietnam, whereas
on the road, like you said,there's a couple of signs that
are all in Thai.
And so even in.
Vietnam, we can kinda understandthe Vietnamese on the road signs
'cause we've seen them so much.
So we know that it means slowdown or whatnot.
(12:18):
Whereas here, so that's a bigdifference.
I dunno if you can see that, butit's like pretty indecipherable
at first.
Like many languages.
They don't use the English.
Not the English.
Sorry.
Western script.
Good.
Alright, we're gonna get back onthe road'cause we gotta get
going to make sure we get a bus,which I'm sure we'll, but.
Let's keep going and then we'llshow you some of this road on
(12:40):
the way.
It's pretty crazy.
All right, let's go.
This is how cold it is gettingwrapped up.
I put my next scarf on.
I got my pollution mask.
Not for the pollution, but forthe cold air because keep my
nose a bit warmer.
Wrapped up.
A's wrapped up right.
Ready to go.
So we are at Thinging Ma JiggyCoffee Roastery.
Adrie (13:01):
We went to Rabbit
Niall (13:02):
Bit.
Well, we went to Rap Bit, butthat one's called Thinging.
Ma Jiggy is a great one.
That's like a Scottish one, isit not?
Anyway, we had a quick stop, ahalf an hour out of Chang Mai.
Had a quick stop at the coupleof coffee shops here.
Stunning views, like all aroundhere.
(13:22):
So Hunter Chang Mai.
And then Bus two Shanghai.
One of the things we've noticeda big difference between here
and Vietnam is the WH ofhelmets.
And I know Hanoi might bedifferent in Saigon, but in
Saigon, pretty much everyonewears a helmet.
It's questionable for many ofthem whether they are actually
(13:42):
safe'cause they look like tinypieces of plastic.
The one we've noticed here is alot of people don't wear helmets
at all.
I don't know if it's against thelaw or they just don't do it.
And obviously if you go to anylocal place in Saigon like
district two or District four,you see lots of people driving
about without helmets, butgenerally they're going short
(14:03):
distances.
You never see anyone on ahighway like this or a road like
this, whereas all the time, andespecially in pi, which makes a
little bit of sense, drivingaround the PI center.
And not wearing a helmet, but wesaw so many, a lot of tourists,
so many tourists just drivingabout with no helmets on this
woman in front of me that I'mjust showing.
(14:24):
She has a helmet attached to theback of a bike, but is driving
down a two lane highway withwithout wearing it.
So that always just absolutelybaffles me when someone would
not wear a helmet.
But there you go.
There's another differencebetween Vietnam and Thailand.
No helmet.
No helmet.
Foreigner with no helmet.
No helmet.
(14:47):
So I just asked Chad, TPT, andit is mandatory for both the
passenger and the driver ofmotorbikes to wear a helmet.
They obviously don't enforce ithere'cause so many people don't
do it.
We are on the bus to ChangChang.
Those names are not confusing atall.
Likeno?
Oh yeah,
Adrie (15:05):
yeah, yeah.
Niall (15:07):
Constantly mixed up.
Adrie (15:08):
Literally one letter Chang,
Niall (15:12):
we made it to Chang Rai.
Pretty, pretty nice view tostart these pink neon trees.
So bus gently was prettyuneventful.
There was one part where Ithought the bus was going off
the side of the road.
I think you might have beenslipped for that part.
It seemed to hit the rumblestrips, which was a bit scary.
Adrie (15:32):
Are you hurting me?
Niall (15:33):
Yeah.
Adrie (15:34):
Oh really?
Niall (15:35):
Apart from that, it's fine.
One thing that Arie readthankfully, is it's freezing on
the bus.
They have the air con blasting.
So luckily we took our jackets.
If you're ever getting the bus,make sure you bring warm clothes
'cause they will blast the air.
Conone you get free snack, freewater.
Uh, don't think they gave freewifi.
I didn't even look.
No.
Everyone has like nothing likethat.
(15:55):
But it's good.
We're here in three hours and.
There's another night marketchecked in, dropped the stuff
off.
It's 15 degrees right now, whichis nine degrees less than
normal.
Right on this day.
On average, yeah.
Adrie (16:08):
Usually it's in the high twenties
Niall (16:10):
and every bar we pass.
So far has, is outdoor like opento the air, which means it's
gonna be cold if we want to havea beer.
And we saw somewhere selling GUGuinness already, which I'm
gonna have a Guinness'cause wedon't get Guinness inside going
on tap anywhere apart from onebar in Hanoi.
But one of the best things todo, one of the things to do is
go to the clock tower.
(16:30):
So we're here at the clock door,which happens to just be 170
meters from our hotel, andthere's gonna be a light show in
20 minutes, but I don't thinkwe're gonna stand on the street
corner.
Adrie (16:41):
I think we're gonna look for seven 11.
Niall (16:44):
So we are reminded, one of the other big differences
between Vietnam and Thailand iskinda smells bad here, just like
that in Bangkok when we're beenChang Mai wasn't, no, yeah, it
was pretty bad.
There probably wasn't too bad.
The reason is they cannot havelike covered open soils, if that
(17:05):
makes sense.
So all the wastewater comes outand it's covered with concrete,
but it's not in a pipe as far asI can tell, so you can smell it.
So you often get these wafts ofportrait smell, which is
disgusting.
And unless you Saigon, unlessyou are like behind a dump truck
(17:26):
or you're next to a dumpster, itgenerally doesn't smell in
Saigon, I don't think.
Right?
Adrie (17:33):
Uh, no.
Not, not the way it doesn'tThailand.
Niall (17:35):
No.
Yeah, that's I, me it kind like
Adrie (17:37):
sewage.
Niall (17:38):
Yeah.
And it kinda smells like sewagehere.
So there's another plus forVietnam.
Adrie (17:43):
It's not a competition or is it?
Niall (17:46):
No, we just know Vietnam.
It's not a competition.
'cause Vietnam's better
Adrie (17:50):
of course.
Niall (18:03):
Thing says a traditional Thai monument, like having a
pizza hut right behind it, rightnext to it.
And then, what is that Frenchcafe?
But we read that.
Uh, lots of people as you cansee across.
I just notice all that andlocals come out.
To see this, and it was onlybuilt in 2008, which is crazy.
(18:25):
It's like not that long ago.
I just expect everything you seeis like 400 years old.
Adrie (18:32):
Yeah, it's very pretty.
Niall (18:34):
Yeah.
It is super
Adrie (18:35):
intricate in order
Niall (18:37):
and it's, uh, honor the king.
Is that what it was?
Adrie (18:40):
King name?
Niall (18:42):
So it goes for 10 minutes, which is quite long.
Don't worry, I'm not gonna filmthis whole thing for 10 minutes.
Oh, there we go.
It's on Need clockwork on.
It's kind of weird'cause themusic comes from like over
there, not from the
Adrie (18:58):
much better from.
Niall (18:59):
Alright.
We've stumbled across a foodthat we have not had yet before
on this trip.
It's one of our favorites.
Chicken sat?
Like chicken sat skews.
Oh, clean up.
No,
Adrie (19:14):
they
Niall (19:14):
got more.
Woohoo.
Plenty.
We get, we can get 50 if wewant.
Oh my God, this looks amazing.
Is it like all your hopes anddreams?
Adrie (19:25):
Mm-hmm.
Such
Niall (19:28):
hidden PCs of chicken?
Like I don't mean that in a badway.
Adrie (19:33):
You have to get some of the cucumber.
We got some cucumber.
Niall (19:38):
That pretty good?
Can you feed me one?
Adrie (19:40):
No.
Niall (19:41):
How did you add this stuff to?
Adrie (19:43):
Um, I used a skewer
Niall (19:46):
easier when you don't have a camera in your hand.
Adrie (19:47):
Start at hard and then you do skewer to get.
Right?
Niall (19:52):
Mm-hmm.
So good?
Adrie (19:54):
Yep.
Niall (19:55):
Alright.
I gotta go eat some more.
We absolutely demolished that.
How good was that?
Adrie (20:00):
Really good.
I'm looking the plate
Niall (20:02):
now.
I see why they sell them in lotsof 50.
You could easily D all this.
50.
Yeah.
Adrie (20:06):
Said only, we only got 10.
We should have gotten 20, but wehave one night market to get to.
Yeah,
Niall (20:10):
yeah.
Alright, let's go to the othernight.
Pocket.
Adrie (20:12):
What shoes?
Niall (20:15):
Beer.
Of night markets, Guinness NightMarkets.
All right, we're going for aGuinness.
It's about the same temperatureas higher.
Later
Adrie (20:23):
is one minute later.
Niall (20:25):
We just called the new pins of Guinness and E.
If you can get Guness in lessthan a nine, well, let's see how
it travels.
Uh, all the way from miles toShanghai.
Adrie (20:35):
Thank you.
Niall (20:36):
Come all the way to Thailand to get a Guinness.
Thank you very much.
That was pretty damn good.
It's been so long.
I can't remember what it's meantto taste like.
It taste and it tastes reallygood.
It's like proper football tothemselves to get in and outta
the bathroom.
Oh, this way.
That is amazing.
Three back, like 1 cent.
(20:58):
Use the bathroom.
Basically football comes down.
This is our first Tom Young Soupsince we got here, which is one
of our favorites.
Would you say that if it doesn'tfront All the time is good,
which we've already said in thisvideo, we bear, we think the Ty
food is probably better than theVietnamese, but I take by that
(21:21):
piece is good.
Adrie (21:23):
That's what you want on a cold night though.
Niall (21:26):
Well, that's the other reason we got Tom Yum.
Super knot.
Hot, dire.
Anything else?
It is cool tonight.
Adrie (21:31):
Woo.
Niall (21:33):
Or you can warm me up.
It's too hot for your hands.
Gonna warm your cockles.
Let's go
Adrie (21:38):
next week.
Niall (21:41):
And then we just stumbled across this.
Adrie (21:46):
I knew we were coming here.
Niall (21:47):
Did you?
I'm no archeologist, as youwould know.
Why the hell do you know thatfrom this?
Adrie (21:57):
Oh, my.
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