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Published: October 23rd 2007
Landing in Mae Hong Son
I loved this place !!!!Saturday 13th October - Today finished sorting out the piles of stuff I am leaving for Gee, Jon or Beer to give out to the little ones while I am away. Then I had a bit of time on our newly installed internet before it was shower and Bupha, Plob, Pear and friend picked me up at 4.15 and drove me to yes, that place again - Udon Thani. Met Bupha's friend who had booked a bus ticket to Chiang Mai for me and then we had dinner at one of the many roadside cafes along the lake. Then it was off to the bus station for me and drive back to Thung Fon for the others. Had to wait for the bus about hour and a half. Boarded a very luxurious bus - seats had more leg room than first class in a plane !!! At 8.00pm we took off. As soon as we took off, we were handed a packet (full size) of creamy biscuits and given a drink of lemonade and a bottle of water. Then it was all trying to settle for the long journey. I found it a bit difficult but managed to get some sleep
Long Neck Hill tribe lady
These eople have to be seen until we had a 2.15am-2.30 am comfort stop and you could make purchases of all sorts of "travel" pills sold in little individual packets, eg sleeping pills, panadol, lomitil etc. Past through the towns of Lamphang and Lamphom before reaching Chiang Mai at 7.15 ish.
Sunday 14th October - I got a tuk tuk straight away to the airport and made a booking to fly the 35 minutes to Mae Hong Son which is west of Chiang Mai. It is a beautiful small city surrounded by mountains and is very lush and green all round. As soon as I landed made a couple of bookings and I was off in my vehicle to a beautiful temple - Wat Prathat Doi Kong Moo - in fact there are two of them. From here you had a lovely view down over the city. Then to Wat Phra Nom (Wat meaning Temple, Prat, Buddah and Non Sleep - so it was a lovely temple with The Sleeping Buddha inside. It was then onto a little boat over for an hour's elephant ride. I am a softie when it comes to elephant rides - just so relaxing. It was a very pleasant hour just
Elephant Ride
Wonderful !!!! plodding along in the jungle. After that, I was on a long boat travelling down the River Pai to the village of the Long Neck tribe. What a beautiful lot of people and I had a very interesting chat to one of the teachers there, met the oldest lady in the village - 80 and then a little bit further on met her daughter. So was an interesting afternoon. It was then the return trip down the river on the long boat and my driver, Key? met me and took me to a guest house - Princes and my room overlooks the lake and two large temples over the other side. After a shower for myself and then it was a shower for the city, I then went for a wander but didn't get too far when it bucketted down and I was taking shelter under a tree but a lady called me over, gave me a chair, shook my Tshirt as if to say I would get a chill. It was just a quick shower so it was then off to find a cafe to have a Western meal. Thought I had come across one, but they didn't sell
food. The young girl told me where to find one and then kindly drove me there. Enjoyed the meal and when it was time to come back to the guesthouse, one of the patrons and her little girl brought me back on their motor bike. People are just so kind over here and nothing is too much for them to try and help you and many won't take any money - they just give you a big smile and say "Your'e welcome". So many though are quite taken aback when they ask me where my husband is. I say - no husband. "You come alone" Oh, you very strong". The number of times I have been told that and if I were given a dong, kip or baht I would be very rich!!!! So now I am here at the guesthouse where the net is free but the only drawback is that is closes at 9.00 so won't have time to put any photos on but at least I am up to date with my text at long last. Is a bit hard trying to keep up to date when I am writing what has already happened but trying to
Who is this beauty
No, I am not joining the Hill Tribes keep it in date order.
Monday 15th October - Up early and Key introduced me to Body (my guide) and Siam (driver). Headed off at 9.00 to Shen Village for coffee. Beautiful setting with huge bamboos and poinsettias. I think I am about 3 kms from the Myanmar border. Next onto the Hmong Village and China Village for lunch. Saw a mud hut being erected and had some tea tasting. In this area pines, tomatoes, coffee, tea, teak, bananas, cabbages and rice are grown and there are mountains all around. Just beautiful country. Another Shen Village and then onto the Li Su village. Had to walk about 1km through thick vegetation to get here but took it very easy and Body had my luggage. There are about 20 huts here and this is where I spent the night with a lovely old couple. No electricity. One of the villagers showed me her handicraft and of course I had to buy something. She had a dear little baby that she carried around on her back. Went for a little bike ride around the village and was greeted with big smiles and hellos from the villagers. Had a nice meal of
At Li Su Hill tribe homestay
I couldn't get much of a tune but as caused some comment while I have been carting it around with me chicken and was funny as the man was outside chopping up vegetables and I thought it was in readiness for dinner but it was for the pigs!!!! After dinner was entertained by one of the men there with a little spinner, bamboo cracker, and a musical instrument. Also had music from the next little hut as well. Tonight I did sleep under the mozzie net as no fan to blow them away. Did have to get up in the middle of the night but managed to make my way down to the "hang nam" (toilet) by torchlight. It was definitely a dark night! but so peaceful.
Tuesday 16th October - Up and had a nice breakfast cooked on the coke fire and set off at 8.00 on the back of the motorbike while Body walked down with my luggage. Called into a beautiful national park to get my ticket to visit Fish Cave (Thanh Blah). The National Parks over here are just beautiful and the gardens all very neatly trimmed. Fed the fish here and then onto through magnificent forsts. Stopped at the Tuesday markets and then on again up, up, up to stop for a view out to Myanmar
and looked at the stalls of the Black Tribe markets. We picked up three children at this stop and had to drive one girl to hospital as she had been bitten by a bee and the other two got off and seemed to know where they were going. This seems to be the norm - pick up and drop off somewhere. Went onto Tham Lod (Lod Cave). This cave is the largest in Thailand. Walk done with a guide who carries the lantern. Onto a bamboo raft and then into the Cave - Certainly huge and spectacular. Had lunch here and then stopped off at the Black tribe markets again and took in the view once more. Went to the Tamua Forestry Meditation Monastery and once again, beautiful setting and over a little brook. Mewt the head monk and he told me he had been to Canberra 10 times and that Jimmy Barnes had been to this place twice. Back to Mae Hong Son for coffee and then to airport to catch 5.05 flight to Chiang Mai.
Was a good short flight of only 30 minutes. Got a Mr Niwat for taxi and he drove me to the Chiang Mai
Holding up the Lod Cave
Seeing whether my "Weeties" worked - Lod Cave is the largest cave in Thailand and you can see why when you are in it Night Safari. What a huge and amazing complex. Had a nice meal before going on two little trams that takes you around the area to see so many animals including lions, tigers, spinrgboks, wilderbeest, ostriches, spotted hyenas, water buffalo and many others. The zebras were a real zebra crossing and were an arms length from me on the tram. The last stop was the elephant. After this there was a fantastic musical fountain with laser show. Once again, this was great and in the water the forms of the animals appeared. Then I had my photo taken with Master a one month old tiger. Just a gorgeous little thing and then after I had my cuddle he was put back with another cub and it was so beautiful to see them as Master put his arm around the other tiger as though to say - I am not back with you. Mr N picked me up and drove me to a nice hotel just near the Night Market. Did a wander around until I nearly dropped but just such an interesting place and went to bed really tired.
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