Back in Chiang Rai

We're back in CR after a fantastic week at the My Dream guesthouse in Khaew Waaw Dam, a small Karen tribal village alongside the Mae Kok river and about 25km out of town.

We were looked after so well by the owners, Nan and Polly, and their staff. They live up to the concept of a family guesthouse by totally making us feel welcome as part of their family. They couldn't do more to help us because we were with Kaya - starting right with the free pick-up from Chiang Rai to including free bananas every day for her, dinner brought to our balcony each night, good salt-free meals for Kaya, allowing us access to the kitchen to make meals for her now and again and the chance for her to play with their three-year old daughter. They helped look after her too while we moved our bags out. We thank them greatly for the warmth of their welcome and the thoughtfulness of their service.

We got to know Ati and Serge, a Thai-French couple, and their children Neesha and Amos who live next door. We had met them in Chiang Rai at the start of our stay and Serge reminded us about My Dream. We got to know them well including an invitation to dinner of bamboo curry and sticky rice one evening. Ati is from Isan, north-east Thailand, and learnt hand-weaving from her mother. She collects plants from the jungle to dye cotton from Isan then spins and weaves the cloth into beautiful scarves and bedspreads on a bamboo loom made by her and Serge. They are both wonderful open people and we wish them all good luck in their enterprise to earn a living from her craft.

The guesthouse is right on the bank of the river, a beautiful garden of trees, flowers and lawn overlooking a small beach and surrounded by teak rooms and bungalows. We asked Nan, a tour guide, about tours suitable to go on with kaya and he simply pointed us in the direction of walks instead. Most guides would work out how to earn some money but not him. The food was great, the tranquility tranquil and the walks along dirt roads or mountain trails beautiful. We even revisited the hot springs we went to last year from the Akha Hill House.

If you're in Chiang Rai province and looking for a quiet place to stay in nature we'd recommend My Dream wholeheartedly - http://www.mydreamguesthouse.com/. Nan gets lots of international tour groups revisiting him for the quality of My Dream and his tours yet this effusive man has time for everyone.