“After a week on the road, sometimes the journey itself tells us when it is time to pause...”
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| (Chilling out at Anusarn Market) |
Date: 20 September 2026, Sunday
Route: Phitsanulok – Chiang Mai
Hotel: Star Hotel, Chiang Mai
Breakfast was simple again this morning - eggs and bread, finishing off the last of our breakfast supplies.
By 8.00 am, we were already on the road towards Chiang Mai, taking Highway 11. We stopped to refuel at Pa Sao PTT, our third of the seven planned refuelling stops for this road trip. Each refuelling so far has exceeded our allocated budget. However, our mileage has also increased by about 300 kilometres per full tank. Hopefully, by the end of the journey, the overall fuel expenditure and distance covered will balance each other out.
We took a comfort break at Lampang PTT after the climb along Highway 11 from the Uttaradit direction. Traffic was quite heavy, with stretches where the line of vehicles seemed to be almost twenty cars long. With the sharp curves along the route, overtaking required extra caution. We often had to slow down and let the faster vehicles pass us safely.
We performed our jamak prayers at Masjid Al-Falahu in Lampang, a mosque we have visited several times before. The mosque is a reminder of Lampang's long-standing multicultural Muslim community, with its mosaic of ethnic backgrounds including Malay Muslims, Chinese Muslims and migrants from the Indian subcontinent.
Whenever we are in Lampang, we also look forward to having lunch at Gor Lae Bang Nara Halal Restaurant, located right next to the mosque. It is one of our preferred halal stops here, especially for its fresh, southern-influenced Muslim-style dishes and traditional Thai cuisine. This time, we had their khao mok chicken rice for lunch - fragrant, comforting and just what we needed before continuing our journey.
There is another halal restaurant in Lampang that we have yet to try: Khao Soi Islam Restaurant, about three kilometres from Masjid Al-Falahu. Parking is limited to the roadside, but perhaps we will give it a try the next time we are here.
By 4.00 pm, we checked in at Star Hotel Chiang Mai, our first stay here. It is an understated and affordable three-star hotel right in the heart of the city, just a couple of minutes' walk from the bustling Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. The only drawback is the very limited parking, something we always have to consider carefully when travelling with our Hi-Lux.
We also sent some laundry to Miss Laundry by KPD Rental, located in the Night Bazaar area. KPD Rental provides various rental options, including cars, pickup trucks, scooters and larger motorbikes, together with services such as local tour assistance and laundry. Once the laundry was sent off, we returned to the hotel for a short nap.
After a full week of driving, I could really feel hubby's accumulated fatigue. Long-distance driving demands constant mental focus, continuous visual scanning and maintaining more or less the same physical position for hours at a time. The muscles gradually become strained, while the mind becomes tired from having to remain alert throughout the journey.
Hopefully, our two-night stay in Chiang Mai will give both body and mind the opportunity to rest, recharge and regain some energy before we continue.
Tonight, we treated ourselves to sweet Thai pancakes at Safiyah Roti, while listening to live Simon & Garfunkel music at the central open-air dining area of Anusarn Market. Hubby had a double helping of banana-and-egg pancakes with peanut butter and honey. I had a banana pancake with caramel, accompanied by freshly prepared pineapple juice. Simple pleasures after a long day on the road.
After dinner, we indulged in an hour of deep, relaxing foot massage. The gentle treatment helped ease the stiffness and tension that had built up over the past several days. I even found myself dozing off several times during the session - perhaps the best indication that my body really needed the rest.
By the time we walked back to the hotel, the rain was getting heavier. We were lucky to reach the hotel just before the rain came down in earnest. Another few minutes and we might have been thoroughly drenched.
Before going to sleep tonight, we reflected on the chain of events that had unfolded over the past week. As with most long road trips, not everything has gone according to our original itinerary. Some dates have shifted, some destinations have changed, and the journey has taken on a rhythm of its own.
Soon, we will also need to seriously start planning our one-week holiday in Da Lat, Vietnam - a much-desired break from the road and, perhaps just as importantly, a chance for our faithful Hi-Lux to have a proper rest before we embark on the final leg of this long road adventure.
For tonight, though, Chiang Mai is giving us exactly what we need: a pause, a little pampering, and time to breathe.
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