Time slips away from me here

I have been the slackest blogger ever these last 2 weeks.. The days here in Chiang Mai easily roll into one another. I spend my day volunteering at a home for single mothers, looking after youngsters & enjoying an afternoon nap with them after lunch, yet I am always too tired to blog! Too tired to do a lot! It's been 3 months since I left work so this daily routine is a change. It's good as I get to see more of the ebb & flow of life around me as Chiang Mai is reasonably touristy, especially in the centre.
The setting of the home is beautiful, further out of the city surrounded by rice fields & a bit of construction work. Most of the women have come there from hilltribes surrounding northern Thailand. It's very fascinating to learn about these tribes, their differing beliefs, culture & dress. I found out that apparently the long neck women that are sold as a Thai hilltribe tourist attraction are smuggled here from Myanmar.. Human slavery, a human zoo.. Terrible. Won't be going to see that then.
Around Chiang Mai I would recommend (besides ensuring you come here for Songkran) going for a day or morning at an elephant park/sanctuary. It depends what level you want to get involved but you can spend the day as a ma-hoot or just watch. The hills around here are beautiful and driving through them is almost spiritual,  to see nature's beauty.The Golden Triangle is a fair hike from here, it was a ten hour round trip but on the way you can stop by hot springs, a wonderful glistening white temple, and Chiang Rai. The Golden Triangle is the boarder of Thailand, Myanmar & Laos that has the Mekong river running between them all. I have to say I felt deep in the heart of Asia. I loved being there but there is little to do but relax & enjoy the view. Unless you want to cross the boarder & go into Laos or take a boat ride up the mekong. When we got up there our car would not start. It was a slightly stressful situation being five hours from home with limited help available! Though after we let the beast cool down it obediently started again!
The road rules are observed well here in comparison to some other countries I have been driving in. It's reassuring for long drives.
This weekend am headed to Pai, a city that is probably another tourist mecca, though I have heard it is beautiful & the road there involved some 725 turns. It is in the mountains & close to the boarder of Myanmar.
My lovely friend Canada has rejoined me after her stay in Malaysia & I am so happy to see her familiar face again!
There are limited crazy stories to tell of here so far.. This is good. I am really just trying to relax & live simply. I like to think I am succeeding. Don't even think I've had a proper hangover here. This weekend may change that.