Some of the most spectacular views I have ever seen have been while taking a motorbike ride in the mountains of Northern Thailand.
Most people, when they think of Thailand, visualize the buzzing liveliness of Bangkok or the beaches of tropical islands such as Koh Samui or Phuket.
Northern Thailand does not offer that: there’s no beach.
And although Chiang Mai is the biggest city in the North, it doesn’t compare to the metropolis that Bangkok is.
However, one thing Northern Thailand has more than any other part of Thailand is: mountains.
Lots of lushy, green mountains.
And even though I’ve lived on the tropical island of Koh Phangan for more than a year – so I know what it’s like to live close to a beach. It is truly amazing! – I can confidently say I prefer the mountains.
Perhaps it’s because I was born and raised in the Netherlands.
If you don’t know: The Netherlands may be the flattest country you will ever set foot in.
We have NO mountains.
Seriously.
Most of our country is below sea level. And if you drive your car from A to B, you will not go up or down once, with the exception of tunnels or safety bumps.
The highest point in The Netherlands is what we call the ‘Vaalserberg’, which reaches a height of 1,053 feet (321 meters). It's situated in the very south of the province Limburg.
It translates as ‘Vaalser Mountain’.
However, it's pretty telling that the Encyclopaedia Britannica refers to it as the ‘Vaalser Hill'...
Suffice it to say that I only saw mountains when my parents took me on holiday to France.
And – guilty pleasure – when I played Gran Turismo on my Playstation.
But really, that’s not the same as the real thing now, is it?
What I love about Chiang Mai is that it has all the benefits of a city, but nature is never far away.
You can jump on your motorbike and be in the mountains in 10 minutes! And soon you will be in a completely different world.
I love just going for a ride, with no specific destination.
I enjoy the journey itself: going up and down, never knowing what spectacular view might be waiting around the corner.
And also the sense of freedom.
I’m in complete control of the direction I'm taking, and how long I’m going for a ride.
And there are parts – deeper in the mountains – that hardly get any traffic.
You can even bump into the occasional elephant!
What I find most spectacular is when clouds are rolling into a valley at roughly the same altitude as where I am.
Sometimes I feel like simply jumping on top of them and taking off on a magic (cloud)carpet ride!
Have You Ever Driven a Motorbike in the Mountains?
This is the 2nd post in what I intend to be a long-lasting series:
TravelNowandWow!
We could all benefit from living more in the moment, and experiencing that sense of wonder we as adults often have lost along the way. This is also why I chose my Steemit name: @livenowandwow.
It serves as a friendly reminder to myself – and hopefully also to you, as a reader – to not take what we have for granted, but appreciate it.
And traveling, or simply going on a motorbike ride in the mountains, is an excellent way of accomplishing that!
If you enjoyed reading this post, you may also like my other recent posts:
- TravelNowandWow #1 - Did You Know You Can ⛷️ Ski 🏂 on Cyprus?!
- YummyNowandWow #1 - 5 🍚 Dishes 🍲 You HAVE to Try in Vietnam!
- YummyNowandWow #2: DELICIOUS Coconut Ice Cream 🍨. How Did I Ever Live Without It?!
Credit: all images are my own.