Chaing Mai and beyond...

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I know am a bit behind on my blogs but what’s new? After leaving Singapore on the 6th of August Chelsea and I headed to beautiful Chaing Mai in Northern Thailand. After a few days of computer shopping, night markets, and temple visiting we decided to split up for 3 days and I would head to the jungle for a leisurely trek adventure and Chelsea could see more of the sights and play with her new computer. Or that was the plan anyway. After the first hour on the trek I realized this would be quite the challenge, and I was outside of cell phone range so I didn't know what battles Chelsea was fighting back in the city. The trek started out with the guide informing me that after the first night in the tribal village with our large group of 15 people we would split up and only four of us would continue on the 3 day trek...me, 2 guys from the UK, and one guy from Argentina. Basically I was in a jungle with 3 guys and a guide. This could get interesting. And it did. We scaled treacherous muddy cliffs, crossed bridges made of narrow tree branches, and crossed through raging rapids. More than once I asked "why did I sign up for this?" It was actually a really good time and the second night we drank Chaing Beer and listened to the downpour. To top it off, the guys were perfect gentlemen and made sure that I didn't fall off any cliffs, and I met two other guys heading to Laos at one of the waterfalls who invited me to join if I was headed that direction.
After surviving the 3 day adventure, I expected to meet up with Chelsea in some relaxing hotel in Chaing Mai. Unfortunately, we ended up meeting at the hospital where she checked herself in earlier that day for dehydration. Ironically enough, I too ended up very sick that night from the river rafting portion of our adventure and went to the doctor the next day. Its amazing how clean, friendly and cheap Thai hospitals are, and I have been to quite a few in the US.
After a few days of rest and recuperation it was time for Chelsea to head back to the US and me to continue through SE Asia. I felt very sad when we said goodbye in the airport because we had gotten so much closer over the past month, and I was, am and do miss her/you. After she left I was off to start the next part of my adventure...find two guys I met at a waterfall in the middle of Laos. If you wondering, I was asking myself, "is this really a good idea?"

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