When I saw the words ‘Full day ATV adventure’ on my Chiang Mai itinerary, my immediate response to Teddy, my travel buddy, was “I am not joining you guys“.

I’m never an outdoor person. To me, the idea of a full day out in the sun is sheer punishment. Teddy, ever so persuasive, somehow managed to talk me into it.

I found out there are two types of ATVs available, one on manual clutch, and the other is automatic, just like cars. And an ATV actually cost as much as a supermini.

We were ready to go after a short briefing. As I was recovering from tennis elbow, I rode pillion with one of the guides.

Our guides were really professional. The team comprised of about 5 persons – one in front, one in the middle and the rest trailing behind to make sure we were doing ok.

Going up and down the slopes was pretty challenging, but really fun. You should try it at least once, just for the thrill of it. Don’t put on your favorite shoes though, as things can get pretty messy.

Noi, the puppy, was found in the forest by the ATV guides. Isn’t she adorable?

Lunch was a dish of stir-fried garlic chicken with rice and chili sauce. I never thought such a simple meal could be so satisfying. Maybe it was hunger.

Or maybe it was the fact that I was so close to nature – the beautiful scenery, and feeling the wind against my face as I rode through the winding road. It was invigorating.

I have not been so close to nature for a long time and I’ve almost forgotten how good it felt. I should do this more often.

* Thanks to Jack Yee for contributing some of the photos.

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