Jungle Trekker!

---

Well, since my last blog, a whole HEAP of stuff has happened..almost too much for me to remember, but i'll try my best!!!

My second day in Bangkok was a lot better than the first. I went to the Grand Palace, Say the Emerald Buddha, the Reclinign Buddha (Wat Pho) and took a stroll down to China Town. Also did a bit of shopping at the massive Weekend Market, nothing like retail therapy to lift your spirits, eh?!

After that, my adventure in the North of Thailand began! It all started with a 12 hour "bus" journey (it actually was a super-deluxe coach with reclining seats, air con and "2 Fast 2 Furious" playing on the TV - not roughing it too much!) I arrived in Chiang Mai at 6am and got driven to the guesthouse where i'd be staying until our trek left the next day!I made friends with a lovely Swedish girl, Maria, and we decided to share a room. I spent the day sunbathing by the pool and checking out the local markets in Chiang Mai! Was sooo busy - King's birthday was on Monday so everyone was in celebration-mode! In the evening we met the rest of our group - lovely people - and Maria and i went to the infamous Night Bazar - good fun!

The next day the trip began with a drive to a village about 40 mins away and then we started to TREK! Oh my god....not at all what i'd expected! The views were AMAZING, but i'd expected semi-flat trekking . FOOL! We walked UP mountains, down mountains (well, i slipped my way down!) and along mountains = through streams and through fields! I was SO POOPED - couldn't believe how unfit i was!!!Thank god for the people i was trekking with, they kept me going along the way - tumbling purely for my entertainment (of course)! We walked for an hour and a half in the baking heat and eventually reached our retreat for the night..a hilltop bamboo tree-house - WICKED! We spent the next few hours eating Thai curry, gossiping, drinking and watching the rain, THUNDER and LIGHTENING outside!!! Proper tropical setting!!!

The following two days started much the same way - trekking up, down, and along mountains (though the more we did it, the better i became at slipping over - have NEVER been so WET and MUDDY at the same time...fell in rivers!!!) The second day, we stopped in between the trek to swim in a local waterfall - so refreshing - and later to have an elephant ride! That was a cool experience, though not too sure how i felt about making the elpehant carry me around?! A tad cruel!!! On the last day, we trekked for an hour and a half, had lunch and then went on Bamboo rafts down the river! Another awesome experience, although after i'd fallen in and gotten soaked, and the wind began to blow and the rain started, i was suddenly ready to head back to civilisation! This urban girl hasn't yet been converted to the life of Tarzan and Jane....maybe in a few years, who knows?!

---