Every year at the end of the year, my wife and I would take a big trip to travel together after working hard for a long time (actually, I also secretly go on trips with friends often). We drive two people, grandparents want to take pictures wherever they want to stop, the light is not good, we just drive on, you can say that we are just chilling out.

This year, we decided to take a road trip from Nan province to Chiang Rai. We didn't calculate the total distance beforehand, instead, we used GPS to measure the distance in stages and planned our trip accordingly. We identified key points for overnight stays and scenic highlights along the way.

On the day of the trip, I grabbed my tent, ground sheet, and clothes bag and threw them in the back of the car. I also didn't forget my trusty camera. This year, I brought all my lenses (since I was driving myself, hehe). My wife complained that I was crazy to bring so much stuff.

Sony A7 II camera + 28-70 F3.5/5.6 Kit + Samyang 12mm Fisheye + EF 70-200 F4 canon + Commite Adapter + Mamiya 55/2 manual focus + Nikkor C 500mm Reflex

The first day, we traveled at night from Rayong to Doi Pha Hom Pok National Park. We set the GPS to a distance of 600 kilometers, but we weren't sure if it was accurate. The GPS said we would arrive at our destination around 2:00 PM. We took the road through Phrae and passed Khun Sathan National Park. We stopped to see the pink trumpet vine flowers, but the park ranger told us they hadn't bloomed yet. So we continued on our journey in our small city car. We arrived at our destination a little after 2:00 PM, as the GPS had indicated. We set up our new tent in a designated area. The space was limited because there were many tourists due to the long weekend. We planned to take pictures of the stars that night. Unfortunately, the Milky Way was only visible at the end of the month and wasn't very clear.

Set up the camera with a fisheye lens, increase the ISO a bit, open the aperture to F2.8, and set the shutter speed to 20 seconds to prevent the stars from blurring (but they still blurred, haha).

Waking up at 5 am to capture the sea of mist and the morning stars. The crowd was still as dense as ever. We have a small camera but big legs, so the kids were hesitant to get in front of the camera. We had to tell them that they could take pictures without blocking our camera. It seems that mirrorless cameras are very popular these days, including myself, who uses a mirrorless camera.

Holding the shutter button down for a long time, the photographer listened to the younger sibling explain photography to their group of friends while enthusiastically pressing the shutter. As a tall person, I had to occasionally duck out of the way to avoid being accidentally hit. Finally, as the sun rose, the younger sibling's voice announced, "It's up!" I asked, "What's up?" nervously, fearing the worst.

After the shutter fell silent, I regained my composure and quickly packed up the tent due to the announcement asking us to move our car. It turned out that we were parked at the very front, and the cars that arrived later wanted to leave first. It wasn't first come, first served; it became last come, first served. Sigh, we left Doi Pha Hom Pok at 7:30 am. Where are we going so early? We can have breakfast in Na Noi district. They sure are in a hurry to get us out.

After filling our stomachs and getting our caffeine fix, we headed to Wat Phra That Chae Haeng, the temple associated with the year of the rabbit, my birth year. I had been wanting to visit for years, but the opportunity never arose. This year, I finally had the chance, and I consider it a stroke of luck.

After paying respects at the temple, I planned to follow the trail of local food in Nan. However, I forgot that today, December 11, 2015, is the National Bike Ride for Dad, which attracted a huge crowd and resulted in some road closures. My search for food was met with empty stalls and crowded restaurants. I decided to check into my accommodation and postpone my food exploration until the next morning when I could also visit the Phra That Khao Noi temple for the view. In the evening, there was still a walking street where my wife could shop for souvenirs and food. However, due to my allergy to crowds, we returned to our accommodation early without taking many pictures. I adjusted my plan to capture the sights in the morning when there would be fewer people.

Three days after leaving Nan, we headed to Phu Chi Fa via the Nan-Chiang Kham route. The winding road with steep ascents and descents kept my wife awake, but thanks to the driver's skill and a good car, we arrived in Wiang Kham safely. We enjoyed delicious black pepper chicken stew and refreshing coffee, which helped us recover from the fatigue. We were ready to tackle Phu Chi Fa, our final destination. I'm sure Aunt Dang has prepared a delicious meal for us at "Rai Phu Fa."

We ascended Phu Chi Fa via Phu Sang, where a picturesque waterfall graced the roadside, offering a welcome respite.

In the cool evening, I took out my lens to photograph birds near my accommodation. It was a relaxing experience. Aunt Dang was kind, and I was equally delighted.

Aunt Dang told me to go watch the sunset at the hall parking lot before coming back to eat. She will cook dinner for us. Fried fish, stir-fried vegetables, northern Thai chili dip, and omelet... Oh, I'm drooling. I can't even take pictures anymore. Lol.

At five in the morning, the car picked me up to go to Phu Chi Fa. I hoped to see a sea of mist and beautiful first light. My hope was not disappointed. This time, I got the pictures I wanted.

The image quality is excellent, requiring minimal retouching to achieve the desired aesthetic.

As the sky brightened, I noticed rows of flame trees lining both sides of the road on my way back. If they all bloomed at the same time, it would be a spectacular sight. I told my aunt that I would call to ask when they would bloom, as I was determined to capture the beauty of the sakura at Phu Chi Fa.

The journey ends here. We're heading back to Rayong for 16 hours with our trusty City car and my lovely wife. We take care of each other and have fun throughout the trip. We argue sometimes, but it's just minor stuff. We endure hunger, heat, and cold together. She's my real-life partner, even better than The Voice. Haha.