Twelve months ago, I wouldn’t have believed we would be house sitting in Chiang Mai. Thailand was to be a stopover, catch up with a friend followed by some relaxation time at a resort. However, “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry. No matter how carefully a project is planned, something may still go wrong with it”. Gone was the resort replaced by a ten-day house sit in the suburbs of Chiang Mai. Albeit, house sitting Chiang Mai would be a far cry from a hotel resort on the beach it would allow us to experience the Thai culture as a local. This was a major lure of house and pet sitting to be able to soak up the local culture. Throw in a kitten and a dog for good measure we headed to Chiang Mai in 40°C+ temperatures.

Although, we knew very little of Chiang Mai sometimes experiencing firsthand the eccentricities of a place is a great way to learn. Facts we learnt from house sitting Chiang Mai, some of which did surprise us. Chiang Mai sits approximately 700km north of Bangkok. Has an estimated population of 131,091 (2017). It is 310 metres above sea level and has been extremely hot (36°C – 40°C +) during our stay April-May 2019. There are lots of markets, tourists and traffic which is consistent with the rest of Thailand from what we have seen. There are plenty of sightseeing spots to visit within close proximity of Chiang Mai, Mae Sa Waterfall (see blog) for one. Furthermore, if you love to shop for bargains the array of markets will suit you down to the ground. Just remember to haggle with them for the best price.

House Sitting Chiang Mai Nubbins

To begin with we knew that house sitting Chiang Mai was going to have its challenges. Namely Nubbins(Nubs) the Thai dog. We had been informed that he was very timid around new people especially men. This we found was to be an understatement, to say the least. While Nubs warmed to Carolyn in a short period of time, it was not the case for me ☹. I love dogs and usually bond very quickly to them, but Nubs was going to take some time and patience. Resorting to all the tricks I know from getting down on the ground to his level, not looking directly at him. Offering him treats, doing the morning feeds still nothing would work. He would run away as soon as he saw me. After day five I was able to pat him for a short period of time. Halleluiah a breakthrough.

Day six brought a remarkable change in Nubs. Having run away as soon as he saw me too coming over for a pat and by the end of the day lying beside me on the lounge. To say I was chuffed would be an understatement. I had finally gained his trust and from that moment on he was like my shadow. He would jump up into bed next to me, sit by my side and the most amazing of all allow me to take him for a walk. We knew he had accepted both of us when he would do his “zoomies” run around the house. In fact, what started out to be a challenging situation turned out to be a wonderful experience.

House Sitting Chiang Mai Claire

In contrast, Claire the kitten bonded to us immediately. Never have I seen a cat that had so many doggy attributes as Claire did. She had a very loving nature, wanting to be with you 24×7. She would sit on Carolyn’s lap but sometimes would have to be moved. Carolyn would say go to Andrew and up she would get and come and sit on my lap. It was very fun to see her do this, not something we have seen in a cat before. However, she still was a kitten and mischievous was her middle name. She was not allowed outside except on a harness, but that didn’t deter her from trying. Stealth pussy cat she was and so darn quick. Needless to say, we were on high alert every time we would open an external door.

Overall, house sitting Chiang Mai had its challenges, it also had great rewards. Having gained the trust of Nubs was the highlight of our stay. Also, having survived the heat was a plus. Heat and I don’t mix well, Carolyn also found the heat challenging. Talia was a wonderful host and showed us all we needed to know for our time in Chiang Mai. So thanks to Talia, Nubbins and Claire for making house sitting Chiang Mai a memorable experience.

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Andrew & Carolyn

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