villagefarang

I saw smaller sedans up there so I guess it is possible. I am not sure how hard it would be on the engine and brakes. I suppose it depends on how heavily loaded the car is, as well. I have been to places which had signs limiting the kind of vehicles allowed but there is no such signage in this area, that I noticed. Have a great trip.

Large crowds as usual. This event seems to get bigger every year.

Out enjoying the crowds at Singha Park balloon festival again this year.

I am a fan of 20/4 fasting but have cheat days in an effort to be sociable.

The trail around the reservoir was pretty today.

Sorry, we stayed with friends the last time we were there. Also spent a night in a tent up on a mountain top but can't recall the name of the place.

While it is still cool in the early morning, afternoon temperatures are already in the 30s so expect mid march to be warmer than that. As for nice scenery, expect the smoke to get worse over the next month or two, until we get some significant rain. You could still have a nice trip, depending on your expectations and what you plan on doing.

Air quality is a bit of a thorny issue these days, but despite that, the garden is showing off a bit of color here and there.

I doubt humanity will survive.

What, no mention of the CX-8? I much prefer driving my CX-8 over my seven year old Fortuner. I only have a few thousand kilometers on it so far but have taken it up in the mountains a few times and really enjoy the ride.

I lived in Bangkok for thirty years and before that in the suburbs of a university town and then in Hawaii on the windward coast. I used to debate with a cousin of mine about whether it was better to live in the city and visit the countryside or live in the countryside and visit the city. Looking back, I see that my being single had a lot to do with my city preference. After being married for nearly ten years, traveling a lot as a married couple and me getting older and feeling the need for a homestead of my own, my preference switched to country living and visiting the city. After thirty years in the city I wanted some toys and hobbies other than my squash racquets and club memberships. I wanted land, views, pets, cars, motorcycle, bicycles, hiking, waterfalls, reservoirs, rivers, mountains and beautiful sunsets shared with my wife and our pets. I suppose I brought with me my city sensibilities and was looking for nature, beauty and comfort, not how to make a living from the land. I am eleven years into my country living and I am still enjoying it. I find a drive into town every few days, an occasional flight to Bangkok or an impromptu road trip only helps to reinforce my attachment to country living. It is always so very nice to return home. I take a lot of pictures of where I live and thought it might be ok to share some of them as a way of illustrating why I like my country life and maybe remind others of why they are here or that there is life beyond the tourist districts. View from the house. Nearest waterfall 20 km away. Sunset on the Mekong River. Cherry Blossoms in the winter. Local Balloon Festival coming up next month. Mountain Roads. Nearby Mountain Peaks. Tea Plantations. Pets. Local Reservoir.