Advertisement
Published: November 17th 2006
Drum Dance
At the homestayLast time I updated my blog I was relaxing in a cool internet bar, happily getting drunk and blissfully unaware of the pain and torture that I was to endure the next few days. Well, okay, pain and torture might be a little strong, but that's what it felt like at the time. Pain. Torture. Dirty, stinky, smelly, hot, sweaty, and above all TIRED OF WALKING UP HILLS. Having said that, I will now add that my jungle trek to the hillside tribes was also exhilerating, wonderful, and happy. And such a sense of accomplishment at the end! I felt freaking great!
Now for the play by play.
Day Zero Transferred from Chiang Mai to our overnight homestay in a nearby village. A wonderful, relaxing day and evening, spent with the kids of the village, and a music and dance show done by the hosts and local kids. We had a rip-roaring game of volleyball with a flat ball and asphalt v-ball court. Lots of laughter and fun there. That evening was a very bland dinner (after green curries and red chili's, almost anything will taste bland) and, as I said, a music and dance show put on
High Class Transport
The tractor trailor we rode in for an hour and a half to get to the beginning of the trek by the kids. It was very nice, although the Thai music to a westerners ears sounds something like cat's yowling and fingernails on blackboards. Throw in squeaky styrofoam and you will kind of get the idea of that it sounds like. Then it was play time with the kids, and had a great time! Singing songs, handgames. Think a brownie camp that has been crashed by a bunch of giggly adults. Early to bed, as it's early to rise for a very long day. How long, I had no idea, until it actually came.
Day One: Hell in the jungle Drive to another small village to pick up the porters for those who have requested them. I am proud to say that I was the only female of the group who carried my bag the whole way, thank you very much! We are told that we are to hike 14km today, with an altitude change of 2000 feet (about 600m?). I, in all my innocence, thought that wouldn't be too bad at all. They failed to mention that 90%!o(MISSING)f the ascent was done in about 5k of that distance. They also failed to mention that it was just
Waterfall
Day one of the trek. We ate lunch from banana leaves at this 200ft waterfall about STRAIGHT UP. And then up, and up, and up some more. Then more up. Holy fuck was there ever a lot of UP. At one point I had one of the guides practically pulling me up from atop, while Sam, our tour guide, was pushing me from the bottom. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to insist on being strong and wearing my own pack. Too late now, so on I trudge.
The beginning was lovely, with rice and corn fields, and misty hills in the distance. Even the middle was amazing, with the jungle growing all around you, and waterfalls and birds calling. And trekkers huffing and puffing and trying their best to put on a good show when you know all we wanted to do was be back in our hotel in our comfy beds.
Seven hours later we arrive at the Lisu Hilltribe. Immigrants from Burma, they have been farming the hills in this area for the past two hundred hills. At first they grew nothing but opium, for the quick and easy yeild with high payback. Due to government watchfulness however, they have mostly switched to just about every other growable thing
Lisu Village
This was our home for the night at the Lisu village. Obviously more opulent than a regular village hut. you can think of. They farmed everything from coffee, to oranges, to cabbage, to weird stuff I never heard of before. All on hills that are 60 degree angles. Every year they burn the fields and start over somewhere else, cutting back the jungle and making farm land out of it. Westerners don't know what hard work is, until they see these people working. I believe that opium is still grown today in great numbers, however it's obviously a taboo subject, and I didn't get the lowdown from any of the guides.
Although some of the hilltribe people wear western style clothing now, alot were still in their original outfits. The Lisu tribe is said to have the most decorative and colourful outfits, with the most handiwork put into it. They were amazing outfits too. Incredibly beautiful, and hours and hours put into them. Unfortunately I didn't get a great picture, as I felt odd asking them if I could take their photo's, as if they were some sort of museum exhibit.
That evening, after a well deserved rest, we toured the village a bit, bought some handicrafts, and then a dinner and a show, again by the
local children. We were in the Lisu village, however there were children there from the Akha tribe as well. They apparently live in the village to go to school, as the school in the Akha village is not as good, nor does it go to as high a level as the one in the Lisu village. So, another dance performence by the children, which was wonderful. Then, oh sweet heaven! A one hour Thai massage for my sore and tired limbs. Bliss, I tell you. Bliss. Feels almost like I have been smoking opium of my very own by the end of it. And, because we are so high up, it's also blissfully cool. No sweaty nights sleep tonight. Just a dreamless oblivion.
Day Two: Almost a relaxing day! Only 7k to walk today, so we have time for a relaxing morning, followed by a trip to the preschool and grade school in the village today. Such a rewarding time for us all I think. The children were extatic to see us, and more than willing to play away the morning with us. With the older children it was a sharing experience. They taught us a few Thai
words, and we pretended to teach them basic english words that they already knew. Still alot of fun though. The fun can only last so long though, as soon enough we were donning our packs for another day of trekking the hot jungle. Not near as difficult as the previous day, however at this time any kind of hill is a little bit of torture. Four hours of walking today, and we reach the Akha village. Again, immigrants from Burma hundreds of years ago, and grow anything and everything on the hills (including opium. I got the impression the Akha were king of the opium fields) the Akha and the Lisu, as well as all the other tribes on the mountain (there are 6 in all) all have their own language, religion, customs, dress, etc. Alot of relaxation this afternoon. Wasting away the hours reading until sunset, then a mosy around the village. With visions of bird flu in my head, we walked through their chicken plantation. Hundreds of squawking, chirping, crowing, shitting chickens everywhere. And they were more than happy to end their chorus late late at night, and start at three in the freaking morning. Goddamn chickens. Since
then I have been sure to eat nothing but chickens to make sure they all come to their demise. Next day is another long one. 14km, so another early night for us all.
Accomodations for us were very basic. Not quite as basic as Jungle Camp (which I still think of, by the way. God I loved it there!), but basic none the less. At the Lisu village boys had to be seperated from the girls, with one inch foamies that were hard as rock on bamboo mats. In the Akha village it was a free for all. One giant sleep over with 12 overtired and giddy adults. So when I say it was an early night, I mean relatively early 😊
Day Three: What goes up, must come down So, if you think that the first two days were full of ascent, you can almost imagine how much descenting we had to do on this day. Easier on the lungs, much harder on the poor legs. The only saving grace is that it was not the rainy season, and the trails were dry and not slippery. Didn't stop some of us from having a few tumbles,
Field worker
Harvesting rice though. Nothing serious, just a reason for us all to laugh at the poor bloke who happened to be sitting on their ass at that time. More farm fields, everywhere the eye looked. And where there weren't fields, there was thick dense jungle. It was really amazing, actually. Some of the most beautiful land I have ever seen. And exactly what I imagined it would all look like. Mist hills and villagers working in the fields. Very national Geographic.
Sam had promised us air con hotel rooms, hot showers, and Pizza Hut at the end, and I think I speak for us all when I say that was the only thing keeping us going. Then Halleilujah! It's over! We stink. We are filthy. We are tired. And now, we are done. What a feeling of accomplishment!
This trek was like nothing I have ever done back home. It was 10 degrees warmer, and a hundred percent more humid. Much harder than the hikes in the Rockies. But I did it!
So now we are back in Chiang Rai, and have an evening of self entertainment to look forward to. Yet another night market, where I spent all
Trekkers
We look happy. Don't we?? the money I saved the last three days in the jungle. A lady-boy show on the main stage, then off to the Tipi Bar, where it was fun fun fun. (Thus my drunken ramblings blog that evening).
Next day saw us off to the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Laos, Myannmar, and Burma all meet. This is the centre of the opium trade. Still didn't see any actual opium fields though, of course. A whilrwind trip into Myannmar where the hawkers don't leave you alone no matter how many times you say no. Then a fast boat over to Laos for a whirlwind trip to that country (and when I say whirlwind, I mean an hour, tops) where I purchased some snake whiskey. The label informs me that it's good for rheumatism and upset stomach, and I should drink two shots a day. A whirlwind visity to the opium museum, which was very interesting, and I would have loved more time there. But, it being a whirlwind kind of day, time was a luxary I couldn't afford.
Back to the city. By this time I am so bagged I was actually in bed and asleep by 10pm.
Today it's back to Chiang Mai, then an overnight train to Bangkok, where the first two weeks of the tour are over. It will be sad to see the ones who aren't continuing on go, but all good things must come to an end. I just hope the next group will be as fun as this one.
Speaking of groups, I am much more at ease now with being with the tour group. Now that I am used to it, it's really been a lot of fun. There is time for 'me' time if I want, and if I don't there is always someone to have dinner with.
So ends another epic blog by yours truly. I hope I have not rambled on too much, as I am wont to do, I know.
Until Bangkok,
Cathy
Advertisement
Tot: 0.242s; Tpl: 0.018s; cc: 10; qc: 75; dbt: 0.1738s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Sista
non-member comment
Didn't even read it
I can't even read your blog because i am just way too excited!!!!!i got my fucking acceptance letter!!!!!!!!! i go to school in January 2007!!! OH MY GOD!!!! i can;t believe it's actually happening!!!!!! holy shit!!! i wish you were here to do the happy dance with me!!! AHHHHHHHHH