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Here are some comments from past travellers
Laura Simpson (US), Dec 2009, Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai 
Before I start I need to tell you that I'm not a person that enjoys tours. In fact, I normally avoid them. However the tours that are offered by Pat, "A", and Mel do not feel like tours at all. Instead, it is more like they open doors to a world that you've only seen on National Geographic or Discovery Channels. My family and I spent 2 weeks in Thailand and exploring the hill villages was, by far, the most enjoyable, educational, and amazing part of our trip. You start by emailing Mel, who will help you personalize your trip. Yes, you get to personalize it. This is not some prepackaged tour that you are sharing with 30 other people. The tour is as individual as the people themselves. You give her a basic idea of what you want to do and see and she guides you through it. When you arrive in the area, they greet you and right away you feel like they're family. We chose to do what I call the "real Thailand", meaning that I wanted to stay away from touristy spots, and that's exactly what we did. The information Pat gave us and the experiences we had could not be matched by any large tourist organization. Pat and "A" took us to places that we would never find,and if by chance we did, we'd never find our way back! In my opinion, Pat, "A", and Mel are the best of the best. They are knowledgeable, skilled, and are just fun to be with. They care about their people and it shows. They are from the area and show you the "real Thailand", where you meet the most interesting people and learn about their amazing culture. I would definitely recommend them. They won't disappoint you.
Dorothy McCord (Canada), January 2010, Mae Hong Son Loop 
We chose this company because of their responsible tourism ethics, which we determined following lengthy online discussions with Mel, the business partner. She was extremely helpful in her responses to my manyquestions. We were not disappointed, and felt that there was a lot of cultural sensitivity shown throughout the tour. We visited several villages to see some different enterprises that were being undertaken, such as cotton weaving, coffee growing, silversmithing, etc. We also had a homestay with a family who welcomed us warmly and shared some of their activities and meals with us. Pat was open to flexibility and included our interests in nature in his daily plans. It was a pleasure to get to know Pat, A (our driver) and Mel - a lot of fun was had by all!
David and Wendy (US), January 2007, Mae Sariang & Mae La Noi 
We really enjoyed going to the hill tribe areas near Mae Sariang with you! The coffee village was especially interesting, not only for the colorful people who lived there, but because it was not inundated with tourists - in fact, we never saw another foreigner that entire day. You have an intimate knowledge of the area, and you can tailor any kind of trip you want to with Pat, not just the standard tour that other tour operators offer. We spent the night at a monastery guesthouse, spent an evening sitting at a campfire roasting taro root with the locals - really a unique experience. We also liked how Pat really cares about the people who live there and wants to give something back to them as a cultural exchange. We saw areas there that we would never have discovered on our own. Even in Chiang Mai, which we knew very well, we went with Pat to a little market and ate Shan noodles at a tiny little place that we wouldn't have even noticed if Pat had not taken us there. We think that Pat is an excellent guide!
Steve Heere(US), August 2007, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ayutthya 
I went on a 2-week journey led by Pat and his partner Melissa. We traveled to hill tribes, border towns, ancient and historical sites, destinations with amazing natural scenery, markets, unbelievable restaurants (thai, lao, shan, akha, burmese...) and many more places. I had an amazing time and would highly recommend Pat's trips to anyone! Pat knows all of the best places and he knows many secret or unknown sites that are not in the Lonely Planet Travel Guide. He is truly an expert on North Thailand.
He also has many connections across Northern Thailand and can speak many of the hilltribe dialects. It seems that wherever we went, he had friends (or easily made friends with his charming personality). Pat always takes care of his customers. He is full of surprises and also knows where to find the best food! Pat's very thin, but he can sure eat with the best of them! He loves fruit too! Get ready to eat a lot of random fruit that doesn't have English names.... Pat also is extremely knowedgeable about the conditions that the minority people and hill tribe people are living in. He knows the true inside story on which NGO's are helping and hurting the situation. He can offer great advice on the best way for tourists to act and offer help if they felt they were interested in doing that.
His partner Melissa is an excellent manager and is extremely well-organized. Melissa is a former mandarin student, thai student, NGO worker, English teacher, and finance worker in the UK... Jack of all trades.... She worked in Mae Sai helping Burmese women (without Thai ID's) get a good education to stay out of prostitution. She has a huge heart, and is very chill and sweet! She has a great regard for safety and seems to think everything through very carefully. They are a great pair and will find exactly what you are looking for on a trip! After spending a day with them, you'll feel like you are old friends... Tell them what you are interested in and let them take care of the rest! It will be a trip of a lifetime!
Elena Erotocritou(Greece), Summer 2006, Chiang Mai I have travelled with a friend to Chiang Mai for the first time in the summer of 2006 and Pat was our personal guide. This was my second time to Thailand, a forever favourite destination.
Pat was very punctual (actually always ahead of time), greeted us with a smile at the airport, and immediately wanted to learn how exactly we wanted to spend our holiday and tried to meet our expectations (however irrrational at times!)
Being a demanding traveller, on a made-to-measure travel plan, I can tell you that i highly recommend hiring Pat as your guide anytime! Needless to say that Pat was showing us off the beaten track places, took us to non touristic restaurants and really showed us the Chiang Mai way of life/customs/food specialities that we as tourists could never have come across.
Anytime I travel to North Thailand I will definitely hire Pat!
I wish there was someone like Pat in every place i visited around the world!
Trust me, you will not regret hiring his services as your guide!
Anita Nevers (UK), Sep - Oct 2002, Chiang Mai & Mae La Noi
We travelled up by bus from Bangkok and that was an experience in itself.I met Pat this tuk tuk driver that was so humble and kind. Me my daughter and my boyfriend all befriended Pat and his family that eventually we moved into his lovely house on a beautiful complex to rent a room. My boyfriend stayed for 3 weeks then flew back to london and I stayed on for an extra 3 weeks.
We went to some breathtaking places in our time spent there. Doi Inthanon was a lovely place where we stood up at the highest peak of Thailand and looked over the edge. Doi suthep was also an amazing place up in the mountains just outside Chang Mai,where you can visit the temples and one of the kings national parks and the ride on the taxi there was great because you drove through the clouds and the higher you go up the mountain the more you see. Every couple of miles there was a hill tribe some little hill tribe villages had stalls selling amazing arts and crafts what they handmade themselves. The most beautiful waterfall pe took me and my daughter to was Maa Saa Its 30 - 40 feet high and its amazing.
I stayed in temples with Pat and his family for two days. His mother lived at the temple and devoted her life to god and is a head nun at the temple. This is was an off the beaten track way up the mountains which can leave you gasping for air but you soon climatise to it. While travelling this was probably the most humble experience me and my daughter had ever experienced. There was some orphans that lived in the temple because their parents cound not look after them. So Pat's mother took them in and looked after them even now. I had met them prieviously when Pat's mother brought them down to the city of Chang Mai. They were a lovely group of children so well behaved, puts western kids to shame if you ask me. The monks at the temple was so humble and kind to me and shannon, we just felt at peace with them. We prayed with them and talked to them,not to mention the buddhist statues which was also amazing to look at and the view was stunning you felt very cut of from civilisation which we was but, that was also part of the experience. These were just a few of my favourite places in the north of Thailand there were so many other places of interest ,the markets in Chang Mai and the nightclubs. The food in the north is more authentic than anywhere else in Thailand and the people are more calm than in the south. I would reccommend anyone to go up north and link up with Pat because he is one of the best people you will ever meet in your life. He won't charge and arm and a leg for trips.If only more people in the world were like him. I will definitely be taking a trip up north on my next visit to Thailand.
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