My Tour of Lanna - Micaela's Diary 5

Our last day on the road took us on an awe-inspiring route. We had a challenging day through dramatic landscapes, with stunning views across deep valleys and tropical forests. Keeping our initial exuberance in tow we maintained a steady pace as we climbed high. The road began ramping up steeply with every corner, hitting 15% at times. On reaching the top we flew down steep descents only to start the climb all over again! On and on, riding up and over mountain passes, putting our gears through their paces. Awesome cycling! The high, jungle shrouded roads weaved round and through the most magnificent scenery which was all the more breathtaking with every corner. And to our delight the roads were deserted. We passed terraced fields, and tiny villages precariously perched on the steep hillsides, in a rarely visited area high above Chiang Mai. I think our police escort gained the utmost respect for the more skilled riders amongst us who flew along the route back down to the bottom. Exhilarated by the quality of the roads and the sheer speed they achieved, soaring round sweeping bends, pushing the police car all the way, there was more male adrenaline pumping than you could possibly imagine when we finally stopped at the bottom.

One final ascent awaited us in Chiang Mai and it certainly didn’t disappoint! We finished our tour by cycling up to one of the most impressive and peaceful places I have ever visited. Having already ridden over 80km that day, one final 12km climb stood between us, and the pinnacle of our cycling tour of northern Thailand. Standing high on a mountain, 1000 metres above the city, is the Buddhist temple – Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. We decided Chiang Mai must be the cycling Mecca of Thailand. On the way up, a steady stream of cyclists passed us, flying back down the hill after having already completed what we had just begun. Winding and climbing up again, for the last time, we could see the city dropping further and further below. “At long last I arrived at the temple gate exhausted and feeling a huge sense of achievement. The guys that were already there stood on the road yelling and cheering me on towards my last 100m of the tour. I made it! What a ride. What a trip. What an effort! Did I really just do all that cycling these past ten days? Over 750kms of challenge, adventure and personal achievement.”

Entrusting my bike to our driver Pot I turned to face the final challenge of our adventure: 300 steps to reach the temple itself where we visited the amazing collection of pagodas, statues, bells, massive gongs, and the many shrines that make up the monastery. The chanting of the monks seemed a fitting end to our journey. The deep resonant sound reverberated from every corner of the temple grounds and sent a vibration through me, reminding me of the deep spirituality of this ancient culture. Looking out over the views of Chiang Mai and beyond, I personally took a few long minutes in contemplation of what we had all achieved and enjoyed on our journey through Northern Thailand. Personally living up to and well exceeding my expectations, I was sad that our holiday was coming to its end but privileged to have been part of such a fun and brilliantly organized trip through an amazingly diverse and hospitable country.