My last days on this road trip are spent in the town of Mae Hong Son culminating one week on the road.

Quite a personal time.  Beautiful and soulful temples abound.

I definitely recommend at least a few days here.

One of the most charming, simple and yet spiritual places I have found in Thailand.

I found a deep peace here.  Chomg Kang was my favourite temple in town, but there are many more to discover.

I was able to meditate alone for several days in this temple.

There are many antique Burmese dolls within

Even the bushes house spirits!

A warning to some?  Pictorial representations of samsara from a temple wall.  You can see that it is written in both Thai and Burmese script.  I have also noticed something else new here.  Thai and Burmese Buddhist monks walking and talking together.  The Thai’s wear orange and the Burmese wear red.  We are basically at the border here where it is almost border-less.  The one culture blends into the other, and at times it is difficult to say what is Thai and what is Burmese.  It’s a wonderful intersection of history, culture, and peoples.

I finish this little trip on a quiet note.  It is sometimes the small, more human, more organic places that really reach inside of you and stay with you.  On the surface, there seems not a lot here, but the longer you stay, the more the stress falls away, the more you notice the people, the differences, the tranquility.  In contrast to the brutal ugliness of Pai, thank goodness MHS remains undeveloped and relatively untouched.  Possibly due to it’s more remote location – only the more adventurous make it here.  But it is a pleasant mix of foreign and Thai tourists, and not too many.  Most congregate down by the lake, where a few quiet bars stay open until late.  But the peace endures.  Let it always be so.

Having now seen a fair bit of Thailand, from the far south to the far north, I can say that this is one of Thailand’s hidden treasures.  I was reluctant to leave and hope I have the opportunity to return again soon.