(February 13, 2018) In Khon Kaen…

It's no easy feat to wrangle a mischievous kindergartener and a curious fifth-grader into a car and drive them across the northeastern region, winding through the mountains that span almost the entire… "northern region". 555+

This family trip began with a loose plan for me to fly from Bangkok, while my mother-in-law drove from Yasothon Province to meet me at Khon Kaen Airport.

The original text is in Thai and describes a group of friends who are excited to be reunited after a long time. They plan to make the most of their time together by going on a road trip from Khon Kaen to Phetchabun, stopping at scenic spots along the way to take photos. The writer, who is responsible for driving and taking photos, expresses their enthusiasm for the trip.

Here is the translated text:

It's been a while since we've all been together, so we're going to make the most of it and have a blast! As soon as everyone arrived, I hit the gas and we headed straight from Khon Kaen to Phetchabun. We made stops along the way at some beautiful spots to take pictures, even though I was the one driving and taking the photos.

At this point, the "Saphan Pha Muang Bridge", which connects the Northeast and the North, marks the official entry into the northern region. With a pier height of 50 meters (the highest in Thailand), the bridge offers a breathtaking view.

Reaching a valley of this size, Ice's mother, who is both a nurse and an online merchant, had to take a moment to snap a selfie to show off to her friends. 555+

The rest stops we visited were a mix of planned and unplanned, with some being canceled on the fly. We just wanted to spend quality time together as a family.

For me, Moai Coffee in Khao Kho district, on the way, was just a coffee shop where I wanted to stop for some caffeine. But for little Ex, a kindergarten student and a Youtube channel fan, this is the meeting place with The X's aliens. Y_Y ...!!! I heard he contacted Megatron.

It seems like they've changed their milk source. The milk itself is only ten baht, but... the view is worth a million! ^^

Initially, I thought the drive wouldn't be too bad, just from Khon Kaen to Nan. But in reality, it was a whopping 598 kilometers, or 8 hours and 20 minutes (without any stops). And to make matters worse, the road from Nam Nao onwards was nothing but mountains, mountains, and more mountains. I had to drive through Chaiyaphum, Phetchabun, Phitsanulok, Uttaradit, Phrae, and finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon, we reached the mountainous entrance to Nan city.

We were starving after arriving in Nan, so we immediately headed to the "Walking Street". We ordered everything in sight! 555+ Pad Thai, Mala, Tom Leng, grilled mushrooms, porridge, etc. Everything was delicious and incredibly affordable. They even provided trays for us to share, which created a warm and inviting atmosphere. To top it off, we were treated to live performances of folk songs in the local dialect. It was an amazing experience! The photos I took on my phone capture the essence of the evening. (I was so hungry that I forgot to bring my camera! 555+)

Fifth-grader Ice, a "sweet treat" enthusiast, insisted that I take her on a quest for "bualoy" (sweet dumplings in coconut milk). 555+ "Auntie Nim's Bualoy", the old-timer, was known to Ice, but Auntie Nim was notorious for her strictness and had relocated her shop outside the city center. We had no choice but to search Google, open the GPS map, and navigate through the alleys until we reached Auntie Nim's house. It was past 8 pm, and the shop was still open. It was a new location at Auntie Nim's house. Ice's mother complained to Auntie Nim that the shop was difficult to find. Auntie Nim responded calmly, "If it's hard to find, why didn't you call for directions first?" We quickly took our cups of bualoy and couldn't help but gossip about Auntie Nim behind her back... She's strict like this, so it must be the real deal. 5555555+ >"<...!!!

Exhausted from our 598-kilometer journey, we checked into the charming "Nan Niyom Hotel." The service was excellent, but I completely forgot to take any pictures (oops!). I wasn't planning on writing a detailed review of this trip anyway, just sharing a quick update on our whereabouts.

(February 14, 2018) We woke up early, around 5 am, and headed to the "morning market". The kids were so excited! We had to walk through the market, of course. It was a dream come true for the kids and for Ai's mom. Our mission was to offer food to the monks on Valentine's Day, walk through the morning market, and eat mantou and fried eggs! The market is called "Tangjit Anusorn Market" and is located in the heart of the city. Everything was delicious and very cheap!

We returned to the hotel, showered, and prepared to continue our journey. Nu Ice, the dessert goddess, suddenly craved cake. Naturally, I and Nu Ice's mother needed a caffeine boost before hitting the road. We used GPS to locate "Cafe Sud Kong Dee," a charming and lush cafe with a cat enclosure. As self-proclaimed cat enthusiasts, we were thrilled!

...What a coincidence! Valentine's Day, February 14th, and a lovely shop. I took a picture with my phone to remember it.

Feeling refreshed, I decided to take some photos of the temple. I set my GPS to "Wat Phumin", a royal temple with a history of around 400 years.

Exquisite! It's as if a naga is supporting the temple… It's the first "four-faced" style in Thailand…!!! The church and the temple are combined in one building…

The interior is incredibly beautiful, with four main Buddha statues facing each direction, eliminating the need to compete for a spot to pay respects. All four cardinal directions are represented.

As I was happily taking pictures inside the church, my friend's mother called and told me that we had to leave immediately because she had made an appointment with friends in Chiang Rai. I agreed and said I would leave soon. Then I thought again, we are in Nan now, and we have an appointment with friends in Chiang Rai?!!! Because I was in such a hurry, I forgot to take a picture of "Grandpa Man and Grandma Man"... Y_Y I'm so sad. I guess I'll have to go back again.

The original text describes a visit to Nan, Thailand, and mentions the importance of stopping by the "Phra Borommathat Chae Haeng," a revered Buddhist temple.

Here's the translated text:

As we bid farewell to the city of Nan, I believe it would be remiss of us not to pay our respects at its most significant landmark. Therefore, we made a stop at the "Phra Borommathat Chae Haeng," a temple of immense historical significance, said to be approximately 600 years old.

The photo was taken at the wrong time, with a lot of backlight, but there was nothing I could do about it. I had to take it quickly and move on. ^^" The Phra That Ngam temple is really beautiful. It houses the relics of the Buddha that were brought from Sukhothai.

The user wants a translation from Thai to English.

Here is the translation:

"I tried to take a picture, but it was very difficult. The sun was right in front of me. I think I will have to go back to Nan again someday."

Before returning, we stopped to take a picture at the sign in front of the Phra Borommathat temple, which conveniently read "Nan". ^0^ You don't need to guess how naughty and mischievous the kindergarteners were, how much the fifth graders loved to snack, and how much the nurses had to bear the burden of finding medicine for carsickness. 5555555+ We have an appointment with friends this evening in "Chiang Rai". See you again in episode (2) with Chiang Rai. Bye byeeeeeeee ^0^...!!!

Edit: Warmth in the Cold 2561: Episode (2) Visiting…"Chiang Hai"