Chiang Mai city, Thailand.

Lucky enough to have warm weather and beach time in Indonesia and Australia not long before reaching Thailand, we didn’t include the southern islands of Thailand on our itinerary. We focused on northern Thailand where we could be with the elephants, which we all four voted was the best part of our Thailand trip.

That said, the city of Chiang Mai was easy to navigate, the people were lovely, there’s a lot to do, and the food was out of this world. Staying within our budget ($100/day each for lodging and food) was a cinch.

In Chiang Mai we rode our first tuk-tuks, which an exhilarating way to travel across town for a family from Minnesota.

In the evenings we went swimming in the hotel rooftop pool or worked out in the gym. One afternoon we took an easy if not a bit boring boat trip up the Ping River, another day we visited a science and space museum.

The boys stayed back at the hotel while Mom and Dad took a half-day Thai cooking class at an organic farm and learned to make spring rolls, Khao soi, holy basil (hangover) chicken, and our own curry paste.

Couldn't stop taking photos of these gorgeous sunsets

Excellent (and free!) planetarium and museum

"Comparison of lamps that reduce light pollution"

Ginger, tamarind, longan, and lemongrass juices

Holy basil "hangover" chicken (pad krapow)

Family’s first tuk tuk ride

Night market scene

Ari’s 9th birthday cake

Temple candles

Playing with light refraction

Pug at cooking school