Trek in Northern Thailand

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Hi all

Here is our news from the past week -

Travelled on an overnight train just over 12hrs to Chiang Mai last Friday (3rd). Stayed in a lovely guesthouse for one night before our trek began next day. Went out for a meal with our group - all lovely including two girls from Harrogate very randomly. Whilst we were in Chiang Mai there was a festival going on called the Yee Peng Loy Krathong Festival - dancers on stage and markets all around - lanterns being set off into the sky so that all above the sky was filled with hundreds of orange lights.

Trek began the next day - stopped to do elephant riding on the way - slightly disconcerting when the man steering ours kept jumping off the neck and just letting it walk wherever! We seemed to have the naughty one who didn't want to go anywhere except when he was fed bananas!

Neither of us had realised that when they said 'trek' they actually meant full on hardcore hike up Thailand's highest mountain off road! Such hard work - one girl in our group had just run the London Marathon and said that this trek was harder work! Just to give you an idea of what it was like! Stayed in tribal villagers' wooden huts - first night it was right next to a waterfall - we had to wash in the river but because women have to be covered up here we were all given these sarong dresses which we had to wear in the river at all times so washing wasn't very easy! After dark the men of the village began setting off fireworks - was cool as it was Nov 5th but i don't think there was any connection! They seem to love anything with loud bangs (fire crackers, fire works) in Thailand. They set off the fireworks by holding them in their hands and lighting them and just holding on to them until they shot up into the air! If they didn't go off they would just go back and pick them up and keep re lighting them until they went off! Pretty scary considering we were all standing about 2 meters away and they found it absolutely hilarious if any of the fireworks looked like they were about to come shooting straight towards us!
Slept in the wooden huts which were basically outside so pretty chilly at night.

Next day we continued up the mountain which was even steeper, hotter and harder than the previous day! Needless to say we all looked pretty grim by the time we reached the next village. Large community of villagers called the Karen Tribe - such an amazing way of life. Again had to wash in the river which was freezing but completely ridiculous watching everyone wading into the brown river with nice bottles of shower gel!

In the evening the children in the village came and sang for us and we had to do the same in return! Slept in a hut on stilts this time - not the most comfortable way of sleeping but a real eye opener seeing how these people actually live day in, day out.

Woken up when it got light by the cockrels crowing outside! Mostly downhill this time but actually that seemed to be harder work as it was pretty steep! We were all pretty grateful to get back to the guesthouse and have a shower and get rid of our dirty clothes which the poor people in the guesthouse had to wash! Went out for some food and had a few beers and went to a bar called Pornping Hotshot but was just a normal bar - with live music and comedy acts (a man who had rather exaggerated his special area with what looked like a balloon)! He found out we were english so we became the butt of his jokes but obviously we had no idea what he was saying about us.

The next day (us vain girls) went to a pool so we could do our first bit of sunbathing - but the pool happened to be at the local school! So while we were sunbathing we could hear the little children practising their songs including a thai version of twinkle twinkle little star, very sweet.

Boarded the train back to Bangkok in the afternoon - was 2nd class this time so a bit of a change from the last one but we managed to sleep pretty well. Got into Bangkok around 6. All went for breakfast together then went our separate ways. We took a cab to Siam Sq and have now checked into a really nice hotel - called the Asia Bangkok - slightly over budget but we are treating ourselves for one night! Hope you enjoy the photos.

Will tell more soon
Kathy and Phil xxxxx

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Comments

[Blem]

wowwwwww
I can't believe you've packed so much in already - mad and sunita didn't do a thing in thailand and they were there for over a month! I'm missing you tons and am very jealous of how amazing a time you are having. Hope you are coping hair-wise. amour x