Read time: 2.5 min.

I wake up in the city of Chiang Mai.

My stomach is making strange, rumbling noises.

Could the street food I ate in Bangkok be taking its toll?

After a few deep breaths, the bloated feeling fades away.

Luckily, because I have something fun planned for today.

I rented a scooter!

But there's a minor challenge.

I've never ridden one before…

That was a close call

The rental guy delivers the scooter and gives me a few tips on how to ride.

I sit down, relax my wrist, and twist the throttle.

The scooter surges forward, and I nearly crash into the bushes.

With a nervous laugh, I look over my shoulder.

"That's a spicy machine," I said.

The rental guy nodded.

Shame was replaced by laughter, and after a test run, I regained his trust.

The beast was tamed, and I was ready to hit the road.

Trouble Ahead

Not even 500 meters in, I get pulled over.

Damn, it's the police.

I don't own an international driver's license, so they escort me to the police station.

Inside, it's grim and quiet.

In front of me sits another backpacker at the counter, awaiting the same fate.

I start to imagine the possible penalties:

• Paying a large sum of money

• Getting banned from driving

• Spending a night in Thai jail

The rumbling feeling in my stomach resurfaces as I wait my turn.

"Next," said the Thai officer.

I get snapped out of my thoughts and walk towards the counter.

"Here we go...", I thought.

Five minutes later, I step out with a yellow piece of paper in my hand.

I look at my reflection in the glass door of the police station.

My face is lit up with a smile from ear to ear.

The piece of paper is a small fine of €12.60.

Was that all?

I could hardly believe it.

With a spring in my step, I hop back on my scooter—still without an international driver's license—and continue the journey.

After an hour of cruising through the jungle, I arrive at the destination:

Sticky Waterfalls.

When I saw someone do a Spiderman-like climb up a waterfall, I understood why it's called "Sticky Waterfalls".

Apparently, there’s calcium in the water, making the rocks extremely grippy.

You truly feel like a superhero when climbing them.

And you're surrounded by lush jungle and dozens of beautiful butterflies.

It's the closest place to paradise I know.

A sweet aftertaste.

Satisfied, I ride back to Chiang Mai.

On the way, I pass a local selling durian—the smelliest fruit on earth.

Thailand is known for its unique fruits, and I've always wanted to try this one.

The local cuts open a big, ripe, spicky durian.

I pull out a piece and place it in my mouth.

What an intense sensation.

It's crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside, and has a flavor mix of banana, vanilla, and caramel.

This is the perfect ending to a turbulent but fantastic day.

So far, my Thailand trip is going smooth.

Let's hope it stays that way.

P.S. Never let fresh-cut durian sit in your refrigerator unless you want to find out why it's called the smelliest fruit on earth :)

Much love and talk to you next week,

Martijn