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Published: January 6th 2007
night nght!
sleepy time on the train...to the Karen's Hilltribe we go. From Bangkok we took an overnight train to Chiang Mai. This was fun. We smuggled in our own snacks and beer and had just enough time to indulge ourselves before the carman transformed our seats into beds.
Once we got settled in Chiang Mai and organized our trek we went to get supplies. It was cold so we sought out long sleeved gear at the night bizarre. So much shopping I thought I was going to burst. Stall after stall and street after street, this place never ends and sells everything.
So now we are ready for our trek. We wake up on Christmas morning to a lovely breakfast of toast, eggs, bacon, and Sivet coffee which John brought over from Indonesia (woo hoo!) There are eight people on our trek: me and John, two Dutch girls, and four people from a little island near Madagascar, plus two guides, Paul and JJ.
When they say trek they mean trek. Uphill. With a backpack. Over rivers we went, some with rickety bamboo foot-rails. I hesitate calling them bridges. A bridge implies construction and some sense of stability. Neither of these were evident in
the foot rails we tip toed across. There were spiders and it was cold- everything you look for in a good jungle experience.
John went native and trekked barefoot. He lacked flip flops and didn't want to hike in wet shoes for three days. What a trooper!
We past waterfalls, rivers, jungles, and as we get closer to the Karen Hilltribe who will host us for the night, we see their water buffalo and cow pastures. After our last uphill climb I can't decide if my legs feel like lead or if they are just numb all together. But I make it!
This hilltribe is known for their handicrafts and we stay with the White Karens. The girls wear white until they marry and then don a red skirt everyday after that. Everyday- the same patterned skirt, same color. Quite limiting their fashion sense I fell, but it is probably hard to break with tradition.
Speaking of tradition, the woman's family asks the man's family for marriage. This is all accomplished over a single shot of whiskey. I like this. I am intrigued. The woman's family goes to the house of the man she wants and
both families sit down. The woman puts a shot of whiskey on the table between them and the families chat as usual. I imagine the conversation to go something like ' Did you see that old woman Miller down the road had on a blue skirt today. She must be behind on her laundry or she is giving Mr. Miller the boot'. Anyhow, no matter what they discuss no one mentions the tiny shot glass that has turned into the huge elephant in the room.
If the man accepts the woman, he takes the shot and wedding plans begin. If he doesn't accept her he just leaves the glass there. Eventually the woman gets the hint (he's just not that into you) and leaves. No one mentions weddings or anything related. It is impolite to say no, so the whiskey routine helps both families save face.
For dinner we have green curry, tofu, and other Thai delights. Much different than the traditional Christmas dinner but lovely and exactly what I wanted for my Christmas Adventure in Thailand. Later we sit by the fire and drink whiskey and for a second I fell like I'm home. Until I wake
up on a bamboo floor and have to pee but don't have a flashlight to find the outhouse and get scared of the pigs and chickens and dogs that live beneath the stilted house. But more of that in an upcoming photo montage of the trek. (I had to take a disposable camera and now have to wait to get it developed and put onto a cd) New Years and other related adventures coming soon to a blog near you.
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Lisa Minkey
non-member comment
Monkey on a train
I am glad you are having fun Monko! We miss you here! But keep the travels alive for This Guy!