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Published: March 25th 2006
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The last few days were spent exploring the mountains near the northern Thai burma border. The surrounding towns are called Na paek, Mae Aw, and Rumthai. We stayed in Rum Thai, literally meaning "mixed people", because residing in this town are chinese, Karen, Thai, Burmese, and Shan. All choosen to end there migratory lives and become care takers of this village. Many of these people were involved in some type of illegal trade or just living in very poor conditions. Twenty years ago Mr. Hillary, the man who runs the guesthouse, was involved in opium and marijuana farming. Today he runs a guesthouse in a town that is totally provided for by the queen but theres a catch. He owns nothing, so if he leaves he has no money. Also he can only have four in his house so his children and grandchildren must leave in order to maintain only four residents. He seems ok with this because he is working directly for the queen and also because "the village is now safe, clean and no one is hungry". We had a great time with him. He grows his own coffee and tea which is dark and strong and a
nice way to begin our mornings.
Although the Rum Thai and the resevoir are beautiful Melissa and I felt it was a bit polished. A great place to meet up with traveling friends at night but during the day we nted to escape into the real country. We decided on the villages surrounding Rum Thai which are beautiful chinese farming villages situated in the mountain valleys.
So yesterday Melissa and I hopped on the motorbike and rode to where a small terraced farm meets the base of a mountain. We found bamboo tools laying in the middle of the dirt farm. As if the farmers had just vanished as soon as the rains stopped and will return again with the rains. We continued down a dirt road and bounced along for 2 or 3 kilometers until the bike just couldn't go any further. Covered in dust and sweating from the direct sun we ditched the bike and dissapeared into the jungle. We followed a cattle trail for awhile and then skidded down the hill to a smooth clear river with giant boulders scattered all along. The river was cool and a releif from the sticky jungle.
With
our running shoes on we walked the river and stopped to swim in the deeper holes along the way. It was soo refreshing. We spotted some small Na peak children, two thirteen year olds and a fifteen year old, swimming and running like lizards on the rocks. I stumbled down to them like a giant white ogor. They looked at me like "Are you lost?" but after some charades and melissa using the LP language section we found out they were spearfishing with small bamboo hawaiian slings. They offered me to try and I jumped on it. The fish they shoot are so small, only three inches long. They just stick their head in the water and blast em. I tried for hours but managed only to scrape scales off. They looked like little shad, I think they were carp.
At one point one of the younger boys said I am your guide and took us down the river further. He held melissa's hand the whole way and cleared leaves and branches for her. He was such a gentlemen. Which was good because I was too busy with my head underwater trying to shoot fish. I wanted to show
these kids that all foreigners arn't just weird people who take pictures of them. We stopped near a heavy flowing waterfall and they cooked five or six fish over the fire, including one slimy catfish/tadpole type fish. As it cooked Melissa and I both said to eachother, "I aint eaten that". the fish would bubble liguid out of its pores and at the end looked like something you would only find in the slimmiest asian markets. I looked a melissa, you going to eat these? She shakes her head and makes a gag noise. So I ate em. Lots of tiny bones and scales and a little meat. I save the tadpole for last. I held it in my hands and thought maybe I could offer it back and one of the boys would eat it but they just kept insisting I eat it. When I finally took the first bite, I heard them chuckle alittle. I think they played a prank on me but I kept on going and finished the little slimy toadfish, thinking the whole time, I'm the first person to ever eat one of these.
After the meal and another swim the guide said "lets
go" Mel and I followed and they led us through the jungle back up to a nice cattle track and out of the woods down to the farm where our bike was. Again the boy held Melissas hand and pointed out waterbuffallo laying in the grass and hidden waterfalls. You could tell some of these falls were his favorite. He must have felt the same way my brothers and I do when we take our friends out on our boat. Just proud to show them a what we love and hope they feel a little of the joy we feel fishing in some of our favorite areas.
It felt so good to finally have the chance to show some locals who we really are. Its hard to get past the politeness in the restaurants and the buisness people who want you to use their services. Finally we just got to hang out and interact with no underlying intentions.
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