Hiking Doi Chiang Dao

Last weekend, 8 of us drove our motorbikes just over an hour north of Chiang Mai to reach the small town of Chiang Dao.  Chiang Dao is an awesome place to just relax and enjoy the scenery, go climbing, visit some natural hotsprings, or even hike the mountain.  We checked into our accommodations (Chiang Dao Nest.. which I would highly recommend) on Friday night and set out for the hike on Saturday morning.  A few of us had already done this hike before and knew that it would most likely take the whole day to hike up and then back down (including breaks for rests and lunch).  We were extremely lucky to have beautiful weather for the hike and enjoyed basking in the sun at the top of the mountain (as opposed to last time when we were there at sunset- it was freezing cold!).  I am so thankful to have friends that are up for these types of activities. I would also highly recommend this hike for anyone spending time in the Chiang Mai area who wants to get out and see some beautiful mountains!

Sarah Reimer Designs is now at Shed Pottery!

If you read my latest reflections on 2016, you'll know that my life had quite a few ups and downs this past year.  I wouldn't say that my small business suffered directly, however I felt that I wasn't reaching my full potential creatively from July onwards.  I answered emails, sent out orders, and kept up my social media accounts.... but my creative goals kind of got put on hold as I felt like I was just trying to keep up, rather than create new projects.  I did fulfill a few custom book orders, which was exciting, though my stock of postcards and prints didn't seem to be moving.  By the fall of 2016, I craved to find some meaningful creative people to connect with.  That is when I began to reflect on some of the people that I connected with in June at the Handmade Market.  I sent an email off to Johann, from Shed Pottery.  She was someone whose work I had admired through the online world of Instagram, and whose sense of creative value and drive seemed to connect with mine.  I didn't realize that she had her own retail shop until a friend of mine suggested I get in touch with her.  I am ever so grateful that that friend of mine who suggested this!  After sending a few emails back and forth, I made it a point to go meet her in person while I was home this Christmas.  Everything after that seemed to just fall right into place.

2017: A Year to Embrace

em·brace: 
accept or support (a belief, theory, or change) willingly and enthusiastically. 

Exactly one year ago, Zack were walking around the town of Krabi, Thailand, discussing where we saw ourselves in the coming year. Together, we decided on one word: grow. 2016 was a year to grow. We did not have any plans to move across the world (like the two previous years), and our travel plans consisted of exploring more of South East Asia and a trip home in the summer to visit with family. Compared the the year before that, this year seemed to be a bit more stationary. We stayed put a lot more, slowed down, and became more connected with where we were living and the people who we worked with.

So, how was our 2016?

Cooking Class in Chiang Mai: Zab-E-Lee's

In my opinion, a Thai cooking class is something that (if time allows) any traveler coming through Chiang Mai should look into.  Not only is it an informative learning experience, but you get to try out your hand in the process AND eat all the amazing food!  Foodie or no foodie, chef or no chef, I think there is fun here for everyone- even for those who claim they "can't cook"- do not worry!  It's all laid out for you and actually most of the work is already done.  You follow some basic instructions and you voila- you are a Thai chef!

Zack conquers 50k: His Thoughts on the North Face Endurance Challenge

My husband, Zack, has time and time again proved to be such a strong individual.  I admire the way he takes opportunities in life and runs with them...  In this case in particular, he literally ran.  

50km, actually.

One Week in Vietnam: Last stop... Hoi An!

Okay, first thing's first.  Can we take a moment to appreciate the above photo?  The colours, the dark silhouettes, the glow of floating lanterns among the rowboats.... just wow.  This photo is unedited except for the addition of the "Hoi An" title.  It was literally a picture perfect moment.  And the funny part is, minutes before this, Zack and I were having an argument.  A particularly stupid one actually.  As we bickered and pushed through the riverside crowds in old town Hoi An, we stopped in our tracks when we saw this scene in front of us.  It was so beautiful that we both decided right then and there that this argument wasn't worth our time.  It was so beautiful.  It was magical. 

One Week in Vietnam: Ninh Binh... A Beautiful Detour

After a few days in Hanoi, we were desperately seeking nature and a break from the heat.  That is why I was SO excited for the next part of my "surprise adventure": Halong Bay (Ninh Binh was actually not at all in the plan at all at this point!).  As we were packing our bags for our planned boat cruise along Halong Bay, a typhoon was rapidly heading our way.  By the time we were ready to go, the winds and rain had picked up so much that all trips out into the bay had been cancelled last minute.  Not only did Zack feel bad that his "surprise plans" had fallen through, I forced him to tell me all the details about the rest of the trip in order to help him plan the rest of the week.  We hadn't realized that we were visiting Vietnam in typhoon season..... oops.