Oberon resident Kay Jones, who is travelling overseas, has been sharing her experiences with Oberon Review readers.
Today is day three of the Long Stay Tour of Northern Thailand that I had been selected to go on with other expats and Long Stay travellers. We are leaving the quaint town of Pai behind and heading off to the town of Mae Hong Son.
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As we head out of town and into the countryside we see many small rice farmers, who after having harvested their rice are now preparing their fields to plant garlic and sesame.
We continue up the steep, windy road and the fields start to give way to forests and jungle. The road is covered in heavy mist.
The mist clings thickly to the mountainside, filling up the valleys, so that when we eventually get to the crest of this mountain pass, the surrounding mountains look like a lot of islands in a river of clouds.
Stopping at the top of Doi (mountain) Kiew, we pile out of our vans at Kiew Lom Viewpoint (lookout) and stretch our legs and wander off to take some photos. We enjoy a 360 degree view up here.
We continue down the mountain. We have another three mountains to navigate before we reach Mae Hong Son. Yellow Mexican Sunflowers are growing thickly beside the road, turning their faces to greet the morning sun.
Our next stop is the Fish Cave, which is set in a lovely forested park, with a trail taking you across a rickety bridge and down by the river to the cave. It really isn't a cave as such, as the river flows into an underground cavern and you can watch the fish literally queuing up to swim into it.
Walking up some steps, you can peer down into a hole of the cavern and watch the blue iridescent fish swimming around.
These fish are vegetarians and love to eat any vegetation you throw them. They particularly love fruit.
Admission to the Fish Cave is 100 baht for foreigners.
Our next stop is the Phu Klon Country Club, which is home to natural mud hot springs and a health and beauty spa. We are all treated to either a mud facial, guaranteed to make you look 10 years younger, or a mineral spring foot bath.
Arriving in Mae Hong Son, we have lunch at the Pearl Restaurant and then drive out of town to visit another village homestay called Pitchaporn House. Pitchaporn House is surrounded by rice fields and we are able to watch the villagers harvesting the rice, thrashing it and bundling up the leftover stalks.
We are shown over one of the homestay bungalows, a large teak house on stilts. Before checking into our hotel we are taken up to Doi Cong Mu to visit Wat Prathat, which overlooks Mae Hong Son. This is a great opportunity to photograph Mae Hong Son and the beautiful white chedis of the temple.
