Chiang Mai (Day3, 4, 5) Trekking

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I can't believe it! I was just coming to the end of my blog and the computer crashed!! Slightly peed off to say the least!! So I think this blog will be slightly shorter than the last one!

So I survived the jungle. Unfotunatley the Karin tribe did not want to keep me! I'm sure it was nothing to do with my culinary skills, maybe more to do with the fact that I turned up to their village looking like I had been hiking for 6 weeks rather than 6 hours. Now I'm not going to lie to you, the trek was tough! It really takes something out of you trekking up and downhill in 36 degrees of the jungle heat with no breeze.. I have to admit that I did enjoy the experience, it was amazing to go into the depths of the jungle and see the Karin tribe and to experience all the wonderful things I saw along the way...

As well as the hike up and ond down into the village we also went to the bong duet national park and experienced the cool waterfall of saf fa (do not quote me on any of these names) and the hot secluded hot springs of doi thupearue(Now I definetly have just made that name up).

There was 6 of us who went out with our guide "pon" (a german couple and 3 Canadian woman and myself). I won't deny that at first I was a little bit dissapointed that there were no other brits in our group, however I was later to discover that this was one fo the best parts of our tour. Now call me an old cynical ex holiday rep, but after bussing tourist too and from some rather forgetable attractions over my four years, my expectations about the trip weren't particularlry high, but I was extremely suprised to discover a wonderful trip filled with lots of blood, sweat and most importanttly authenticity...

The trek itself was rather hard going for a londoner who's idea of trekking is from hyde park corner to Paddington on the tube, and as you can imagine my fellow trekkers, who live the more priviledge outdoors life, were almost naturals at the rough terrain. The downhill was the worse part for me, due to the wondeful knees I have inherited, however with a bandage support given to me by my new found Canadian friends, made the expereince that little bit easier. The good part about the hard trek was the overwhelming sense of satisfaction that you get form achieveing the trek.

Once we arrived at the village I proceeded to check out our somwhat basic accomodation for the night, consisting of one large room (for us all to share) with blankets as matresses and blankets as pillows and a large mosquito net. We then tucked into our incredible meal made by one of the guides which was a Red chicken (????) and potato curry and chicken with garlic, washed down with a few glasses of chang beer (for those of you who don't know Chang beer is the rough end of the beer barrel that has been scraped and canned up and sold in Thailand - well that is how it makes you fell after drinking a few) Unfortuantely we didn't have the priveledge of being fussy over beer choices being 10 KM from the nearest shop. Following our food we played a few match sticks games (as I first suspected wireless internet was limited in the jungle) and I later retired to my blanket by candlelight.

I was woken by the cockling of a chicken who was clearly form aanother country suffering with jetlag as he was about 3 hours before sunrise (boy I was not feeling guilty about eating my chicken curry at that point), fotunately I managed to get back to sleep and woke again at 7am. Now us Brits might not be the best at rambling across rough terrain in 36 degree heats, but what we do well is the cold and fortuantely for me I had one up on my fellow trekkers, who struggle to sleep thorugh the -4 degrees of the jungle floor during the night time.

We then set off from the village on a further trek to our next village where we would be boarding our next mode of transport - the elephant. Now once again I might be a cynical old rep but I really was in for a surprise when we were on the elephants for over an hour trekking downstream in the most incredible back drop you can imagaine. I think my expectations were probably pitched at a elephant ride in the local 7-11 supermarket car park, so to say I was delighted would be an understatment. Following this we were then to board our bamboo raft, which I was due to be stood up on for the remainig 3hours of our trip... If my feet weren't hurting beforehand, they certainly were afterwards. Unfotunately our german friends were also due to catch the 5.55pm chiang mai train to Bangkok that evening which meant that in order for us to make this in time we were also asked to use the bamboo sticks to help paddle us down stream!! It was actually quite good fun to be involved and I'm sure the villagers that we passed on the stream were rather surpirsed to see us working so hard to get ourselves to our truck point as quickly as possible. I like to think that we resembled the cambridge boat team, but I'm sure we were no where near as graceful with rather large bamboo sticks and having not showered for a few days. After our bamboo ride we had another delicious late lunch follwed by a rather bumpy ride home. On the way back we were fortunate enough to pass an elephant farm that were in the middle of wash time at the local stream, fortuantely if we were not in a rush to get our german friends back we would not of experienced this wonderful and very natural sight....

So after a long two days trekking last night was some food with the Canadian woman followed by a walk around the night bizarre and acouple of beers, which was really good fun and the relaxing evening I was looking for.

So today I have been back to the Chaing mai cookery class and have now completed day 2 of the class. The sticky rice was amazing and quite easy to make. I will be selling it to reccup the cost of my holiday if anyone is interested?? (just kidding). I will be going back to the night bizzarre tonight to purchase a few bargains that I spotted last night, but was too tired to purchase. I will also get some postcards in the 7-11 (which ironically is open 24 hours!!) so you might just be hearing from me shortly (for those that haven't texted me your address - tough)...

I also will be getting my laundry done, it somewhat reminds me of when I was in my teens and we had that magic washing basket where I would put my clothes and then they would miraculously end up in my wardrobe ironed. The only difference here is that I have to pay 50p for the priveledge...

I must also remeber to tell you about the story of the Thai boxing night, but for now a beer has my name all over it...

Next Stop - Koh Phi phi - If I make the boat in time. I will be leaving for Koh Phuket tomorrow where I will hopefully be transferring to my idilic island... Now I bet your jealous!

Hope you are all well..
Emma (AKA: Tribal name: Lola) 😊

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