I would say 2 weeks in Chiang Mai could possibly see you through most of the tourist sites and then a month to really soak up true Chiang Mai flavour and a year to have a good taste of the city within a city.

What we always love doing in Chiang Mai is EAT. Food is our number one agenda every year when we return to Chiang Mai but you need to know where to go. As Chiang Mai grows more and more commercial and open to foreigners, the touristy spots alter their food to suit the foreign palate.

The 2nd best thing about Chiang Mai is its massages. They are brilliant and cheap. Nowhere else in the world can you get a better combination and so when we are in Chiang Mai, we go for 2-3 hour massages every day or every other day depending on our schedule. Although massages are available EVERYWHERE, even at the market in abundance, my favourite massage spot happens to be in the airport shopping mall. It cost me RM60 for 2.5 hours of some heavy kneading which left me light and refreshed.

One of the days, T1 wanted to follow me for my massage. She didn’t want a massage, she just wanted to follow me to sit and play her DSi.

They offered her a Ribena and she wanted to soak her feet. *roll eyeballs*

Then my massage started and she played her DSi quietly. Half way through, she needed to go to the washroom. OMG, was it really necessary? Could it not wait? Did it have to be in the midst of my blissful massage? Apparently not! However, the masseuse asked if someone could take her instead. Urgh. Decisions, decisions. After T1 said it was OK for that stranger to take her, I allowed it and prayed the entire 7 minutes they were gone although it felt more like 7 hours. What would I have done if the two never came back? Let’s not go there but perhaps I shouldn’t take such risks in future.

And then an hour later, T1 had to interrupt my massage again. Never, ever bring a 6 year old for a massage with you if you want to relax! Instead of relaxing, I was stressed!! What now????!!!!!!!!!!!

She couldn’t find her DS stylus. OMG, look for it then!!! She said she’d looked everwhere but couldn’t find it and furthermore, it was dark. Again, all the other massage girls came to her rescue, turned on all the lights, moved furniture around and basically caused a commotion. ALL IN THE MIDST OF MY SUPPOSEDLY RESTFUL MASSAGE!!!

And then suddenly, T1 said, “Found it!!”

“WHERE WAS IT?” I asked irritatedly.

“Oh, it was on my ear. I forgot, hehe….” and she quickly ran to the adjacent lobby to get out of my way.

Can you believe it? All that hoo-haa because she’d forgotten where she’d left her stylus. And who in the world taught her how to put pens on their ears??? C’mon now, fess up! It’s an irritating habit! Especially when you keep forgetting where you put your pen!!!

Well, that was a waste of my massage. When we got back to the hotel, I sent T1 off to the pool to get out of my hair. I was still freaking mad.

She was obviously unfazed. Swimming is her first love…..

And what more is there to do in Chiang Mai? Eat more!!!

Love thy family…..

And enjoy your shopping. T1 bought a little pouch that she brought everywhere. We kept asking her, “what’s in your pouch?” Because really, what would a 6 year old have in her pouch? So she showed us – JUNK!!!

A sweet…..bits of scrap paper…..a used tissue (ewe!)……..and a 10 Baht coin which she found off the street. Now you know.

OK, there is lots more to do in Chiang Mai. This is just what WE do. Heh. We are so boring. And greedy.

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Who is Mamapumpkin?
Mamapumpkin spent 7 years in London committing crimes to gain her Bartlett degree in Architecture. She then spent 7 years as a Stay At Home Mom raising her children as documented in this blog of over 15 years thereafter returning to the Corporate World stronger than ever as the Country Director of a British Multinational. She sets out to prove to all, that you can have anything and everything that you want; if you have that fire of desire burning within and the drive to work hard. Even better with much love.

Mamapumpkin has not only grown corporate businesses successfully in the past but has grown not one but TWO network marketing businesses in the notorious MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) industry, achieving success in under 2 years. She believes in the MLM business model but realises the DRASTIC PITFALLS and great stigma attached to it, understanding EXACTLY WHY the majority would shy away (or RUN for their lives) from ANY MLM business. But open your eyes and take time to understand it intellectually, remove your hang-ups, confirm your research, and you may just want to seize an opportunity. She did. And no, she never went about chasing people for sales. She had a sophisticated system work for her through technology and a smartphone.

She now impacts lives authentically with proven strategies amassed through the last decade of her own transformation offering online coaching programmes and always supports the underprivileged. She believes that we can all have a life of our own desires to enable real contribution into the world. But first, one needs to understand what this all means.

A beautiful life without limits.

If you wish to learn some tools to propel your life forward guaranteed, be brave enough to make contact as her life's purpose is to build people. She operates through a discovery call after which she will commit to helping you. Or not.

Most lose out on an opportunity because they are afraid they would be sold to, conned or whatever fear resides in their brain without even trying. And that's on them.

Mamapumpkin is a living testimony that women really can have a lot. Being financially and time free has enabled her to travel the world anytime, anywhere, doing anything, and she spends most of her days with her children, having fun, and supporting others wherever she can. Also having fun.