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Published: April 1st 2011
Here is my last blog in Thailand, I've had such an awesome time but my month (and a bit) here is just about over. On the 2nd of April I fly on to Japan, and I can just imagine that that is going to be a bit of an adventure.
Righty, righty, let's get on with the blog.
After I'd recovered from my elephant mahoot course, I booked to go on a 3 day trek to see some of the Hill Tribes that live in Northern Thailand. I was extremely excited on the first morning, as I was FINALLY going to go see the long-necks. I have no idea why I was so desperate to see them, but I was and it was finally happening :D.
I learnt that the Karen Long-Necks were originally from Burma, and that they fled to Thailand to escape the dictatorship in Burma. The Karen Long-necks are refugees and not Thai citizens. As such they have to apply for new visas every 3 months and they live in special areas given to them by the Thai government. I felt a little sorry for them as tourist after tourist came into their village, taking pictures of
them. It must feel very much like living in a fishbowl or a zoo. Still, they get money from the tourists, so I think they are more than willing to put up with it.
The long-necks wear the rings around their necks as originally they lived deep in the jungle, far from everything. Tigers lived in these jungles, and the way a tiger kills it's prey is to attack the neck and break it. The chief of the Long-neck tribe believed that women were to important to risk, because without them the tribe would die out (no babies!), so he had the rings put around their necks to protect them. Eventually, the rings became a sign of status too, as before the long-necks fled Burma, they were a rich tribe, with the rings made from gold. Now the rings are made from brass, and the young girls start to wear them from the age of 5.
I used to believe that that the rings couldn't be taken off, but apparently they can be removed, and the tribes women sometimes do this to clean or change their rings. Most women end up having 25 rings around their necks, and let
me tell you, it weighs a lot!
After seeing the Long-necks and their village I went on yet another elephant ride. This was pretty dull after having done my mahoot course but at least we go to have lunch at the elephant camp. Once we had finished our lunch it was time to start the 3 hour trek to the Lahu Hill Tribe. I thought our guide was joking when he asked us not to cry during the trek, little did I know.
Now, in hindsight I feel like a bit of an idiot. I mean, what did I except? I was going to see a Hill Tribe, but I don't think the word 'HILL' really registered with me. I thought it was going to be a 3 hour trek, mainly along the flat, in the jungle.
The trek turned out to be the hardest walk I've ever had to do to date. It was a 3 hour trek, UPHILL, in the scorching Thai heat. We were all dripping with sweat, our clothes completely soaked through, and we were needing to drink water near constantly to replenish the water we were losing. Towards the end I was really struggling
even though the temperature was finally dropping, I was walking uphill for about 30 seconds and then needing a minute break to recover before I could make my feet move again.
Eventually we made it to the Lahu village, and I am glad to say it was worth it. On the way up I had been too busy concentrating on my feet and trying not to keel over, but once I was at the top I could finally take in the view. I was beautiful up there, surrounded by jungle as far as the eye could see.
All the houses in the village were made from wood and bamboo, and are the traditional stilt houses with leaves and grass used to make the roof.
My first priority on arriving at the place we were staing at was to have a shower and try and make my face turn back to a more human colour (as opposed to a right, tomato red). The toilet and shower-room had a lovely view, this was because it was only completely blocked from view on three sides, the last side had this huge window. It wasn't as bad as it sounds, as the
window was facing out towards the jungle and mountains, and it was on a slope. Because of the slope the bathroom was on, it would have been very difficult for someone to walk around and peer in (though not impossible!).
Once everyone had caught their breath, we were suddenly bombarded by the women of the tribe, asking us if we wanted a massage. If you said no, you were just asked by another woman a couple of minutes later. Eventually, giving in to the pressure, I agreed to have a massage. I was escorted into a room with matresses on the floor (that later turned out to be our bedroom) by what I assume was a mother and her daughter. Once I was lying down, they both proceeded to massage me at the same time. It felt a little like being attacked as I never knew which part of my body they would do for neck. There didn't appear to be any method to the massage, and they would just randomly decide which bit to massage next. This meant that you could have one woman massaging your foot and the other digging her fingers into your neck...not particularly relaxing.
Lady from the Lahu tribe
This is the woman who started nursing her child (the one in her arms) while giving me a massage at the same time!!!The most surreal part was when one of the toddlers running around, decided she had had enough of 'helping' with the massages (squeezing your feet, coming up to your face and smiling at you, and generally laughing hysterically at everything the whole time) and went up to the older lady who was massaging me and started whinging. Before I knew it, the lady had pulled up her top and was suddenly nursing the child at her breast, all the while massaging me with her other hand. Talk about multi-tasking!
After the most bizarre massage in the world, it was dinner time. 'Off' our tourguide had been cooking for us in a giant wok over the fire in our house. For dinner we had green curry and cabbage with tofu.
We were all pretty exhausted, so we sat in the house by candlelight (as there is no electricity) and listened to one of the Tribe's men play the guitar and sing. When people started to go to bed, we relocated outside onto the terrace, and it was pretty magical to be sitting there under thousands of bright, clear stars, listening to music. I felt so lucky to be there.
I slept in a long room on a matress on the floor, with a mosquito net, with everyone else from my tour around me (some snoring!). The house is made of bamboo, and there are gaps in the floor so you can see through it to the ground below. That made walking around fun as you were never convinced the bamboo could hold your weight and you had to watch out for holes.
The night ended up being quite long, as even though I was shattered I had found myself waking up every hour or so. Still, I felt well rested by the time I had to get up. We all sat on the floor in the 'room' next to our bedroom and had a simple breakfast, where I had my first experience of pineapple jam; very, very sweet but nice. Then our group split up and the people who were only doing two days had to head off first. I was doing three days, so we set off a little later and our walking itinerary involved walking to another village and to two waterfalls before stopping in a jungle camp for the night.
The walking was so much
easier today as most of it was over flat ground, with only a little bit of uphill. The downhill parts were a little interesting, with most of us slipping at least a few times, but we survived and made it to our jungle camp by about 3pm. By about 7pm, after we'd showered, eaten and relaxed with a couple of Chang beers, we were all ready for bed (pathetic I know!). We held out until about 8.30pm and then all gave in and went to bed and promptly fell into a deep sleep. It was because we were so tired and went to bed so early that we missed the excitment of that night. At around 9-9.30pm there was an earthquake of about 6.8 on the richter scale in Burma, right next to the border of Thailand and Laos. People could feel the earthquake as far away as Bangkok in Thailand and Hanoi in Vietnam. We didn't feel a thing and thus were none the wiser.
The next morning we woke up bright and early, refreshed after a good sleep. We had a filling breakfast before an hour walk to the place where we were going to go whitewater
rafting and bamboo rafting. It was only after we'd finished these things and we were sitting having lunch that we were told about the earthquake. My firsts thought was 'cr*p'. As I'd been in the jungle there had been no reception on my phone, so I hadn't been able to receive any messages or phonecalls. I just knew my mum would have been being to get hold of me, and was probably worried as I'd obviously not been picking up my phone or replying to any messages. I tried to text her straight away letting her know I was ok, but still being in a remote area I wasn't sure if/when my text would get through to her.
I just couldn't believe that I had known nothing about the earthquake. It is either the 3rd or 4th earthquake I've slept through....
Sure enough, once I got back to civilisation (Chiang Mai) I started receiving text after text on my phone. I hopped on the computer, only to find an email from my mum and messages from my friends asking if I was Ok. I felt pretty awful for having worried everyone, though at the same time I felt very
loved from all the messages I had got.
I managed to phone my mum on skype and update her with how things were, and while I was sitting there talking to her I felt an aftershock. It felt like the whole room moved at an angle, and it made me feel ever so dizzy. Made me feel pretty glad not to have been awake for the real thing!!
The next couple of days after my trekking tour were extremely relaxed. I spent the day time chilling by the pool or playing around on the computer. In the evenings, I went into Chiang Mai town to explore the famous Night Bazaar that is there every night. At the Night Bazaar they have stall after stall selling everything you can think of.
The first night I went to the Night Bazaar, I also decided to have a head, neck and back massage. Thinking back, this was a bit of a mistake. I stupidlythought it would be relaxing and forgot that it would more likely than not be a massage in the Thai style. Sure enough it was a rather painful experience, and sometimes I couldn't tell whether it was my back
making the horrid crunchy noises, or the elbow that was being dug into it!
After my two days of doing just about nothing I thought it was time for another tour. I had decided to do a bicycle tour of Chiang Mai and the tour had some really good reviews.
We set of at 8am and the first stop was at a Chinese temple. We had the different Buddha images explained to us and we walked through a dragon structure and a tiger structure as doing so is supposed to bring you luch and power respectively.
We then went to visit an old leper colony. It was created by an American when he discovered that Thai's contracting the disease were thrown out of their homes and disowned by their families, forced to seek shelter under bridges. The old leper colony is pretty much deserted nowadays, and Sun, our tourguide, said this was because Thai people do not like to go there and be reminded. However, some of the old houses (built in a very western style) are occupied.
Next stop was at a local bakery. These people work from 8am until 9pm at night to make the cakes,
donuts etc to fufill their orders. We were allowed to sample some of their wares and they were tasty but extremely sugary. It seems Thai people have a very sweet tooth.
We then stopped at a school, where we got to meet and play with some Thai children, and a pottery factory, where we learnt how they make pots from the local white clay.
Lunch was had at a local orphanage. The parents of a young disabled boy set up the orphanage after their son died. The orphanage is for children from the hill tribes, to give them somewhere to live and a chance at a better future.
The area we'd been cycling around was full of 700 year old ruins of the old Lanna Kingdom. We stopped and saw this beautifully preserved Buddha, known as the White Buddha (though it has been stained black by time). People come from all over Thailand to pray at this ancient Buddha.
Continuing in the Buddha theme, we then went to a Burmese style temple. Burmese style temples have the buddha(s) displayed on the outside and the wealth on show (usually a solid gold peak on the temple), whereas Thai style temples
have the Buddha(s) and wealth hidden inside.
After a little more cycling we stopped at a local sweet factory where we could see the gooey little sweets being made. We got to try some of the flavours; melon, herb, durian, coconut. Some of the flavours were really nice but the texture of the sweet was just plain odd!!
The last and final stop was to a local market where Sun went around explaining all the things on offer to us. He also bought lots of things, encouraging us to try different fruits and meats. He pointed out a bowl of ant lavae, which are apparently delicious in soup with some vegetables.....hmmm no thanks!!
Then it was time to head back so I could rest my poor little abused legs.
A couple of days later I went on a trip to Doi Inthanon. Doi Inthanon is a national park and it is the highest point in Thailand, with lush jungle and many waterfalls. It is a beautiful area and much cooler than Chiang Mai as it is so high up.
I was picked up bang on time, and after getting the other people in my group were collected it was
an hour or so drive to the national park.
First stop was at a waterfall. There seems to be an abundance of waterfalls in Northern Thailand and just about every tour you go on takes you to see one. The waterfall was the biggest I'd seen in Thailand, and the spray caused a mist to hang around the area.
Then it was into the minivan again to go to the highest point in Thailand. Driving there was lovely as because the national park is so high up, you are above the clouds, and when you look down towards Chiang Mai, all you see is a sea of white cloud.
The highest point in Thailand isn't all that remarkable, but it is in an ancient jungle that is far lusher than any other jungle I've seen here, simply because it is much cooler at Doi Inthanon than anywhere else, 20 degrees being about the hottest it gets (it was 11 degrees while I was there!!!!). The jungle is full of birds singing, all different type with lots of varying colours. At the actual highest point is a monument to the old Lanna King, King Inthanon. It is after hime
the whole area is named. He wanted to preserve this beautiful place and protect the trees, as he believed that without trees, there would be no water, and thus Lanna would starve. After he died it was his daughter who scattered his ashes at this place and built him the monument. She later went on to marry the King of Siam, unifying Siam and Lanna, creating Thailand!
Next we went to see the King and Queen Pagodas. These are surrounded by beautiful, well kept gardens, with many varieties of flowers that wouldn't survive lower down (due to the heat). Because we were above the clouds, it was gorgeously sunny, but still cool and fresh. It reminded me of one of those rare, perfect spring days back home, where you can feel that winter is at last over and summer is on it's way. I loved walking around the gardens, it was so peaceful that I could have happily stayed there all day.
We then went to see the King's Project in the hill tribe area. Traditionally the Meo hill trive in this area used to grow poppies for opium. The King's Project is where the King has asked
them to grow flowers, fruit and vegetables instead. The Meo take wonderful care of the place and seem to really enjoy their work. There is a large waterfall which is used for irregation and hydropower.
Lastly we went to visit a Karen Hill Tribe (yet another Karen Hill Tribe!!!). It was interesting to learn that the Karen are the only hill tribe that build their villages in valleys, the rest usually build their villages at the very top of a hill. The fact that Karen tribes build their villages in valleys is probably why I have been taken to see so many, as they are obviously the easiest to get to.
It was like most of the other villages I have been to see; houses made of bamboo, one long room split into a living area and a bedroom. The kitchen is in the bedroom as the tribe people like to keep the fire going all night and use it to keep warm (just imagine the fire hazard!). The cattle and other livestock live under the stilt house, which I have to say doesn't make the place smell particularly nice.
Surrounding the village is the land that they use
to farm. It must be hard scrapping a living up here as the land isn't very fertile and they have to wait for the raining season before they can grow rice.
I decided to buy what I have christened my Thai ManBag, at the Karen village. It is a traditional shoulder-bag used by the tribes and all the mahoots at Baan Chang Elephant Park had had them. I'd really admired them while at Baan Chang, so it was great to find some for sale. I've only ever seen men using them (hence why I have the suspicion they are man-bags) but they are brightly coloured and have tassles (!!!!) so I am sure I can get away with it in the UK. The men here don't seem to care that the bags look a bit gay, but that is probably because they are very liberal and there are no taboos about being gay here.
I think my tourguide for that day, May, might have been the first lesbian Thai person I've met. I don't know for sure that she was a lesbian but I have my suspicions. In Thailand you say hello in different ways depending if you
are a man, woman or ladyboy. You say Sawadee Ka if you are a woman, Sawadee Krab if you are a man and Sawadee Ha if you are a ladyboy (the term Thai's use for a gay man). It had enver occured to me to ask about gay women, so I didn't know if they had a different ending for words (it makes the sentence polite!). May seemed to be using 'En Ha' at the end of a lot of her words, something I'd never heard before (not that my Thai is all that great). Couple this with the fact that she wore very manly clothes and brushed her hand over my arse at one point (accident or not?!?!!?!) and I had some pretty STRONG suspicions!!!!!!!
Alas, it was then my last full day in Chaing Mai (and to be honest, my last proper day in Thailand as the next two days were going to be all about travelling 😞 ). It was time to get on with the things I had been avoiding, like washing my clothes, changing some money into yen (nearly impossible as apparently none of the banks here hold Yen....) and generally getting myself reading
to leave (the daunting prospect of trying to repack my bag!!). It was the first sunny, sunny day in about 5 days, so it was a shame that I couldn't just sit by the pool the whole day doing nothing (though I did cheekily manage to squeeze in about 2 hours of sun worship), but I reckon that if I'd done that I probably would have got burnt....so it was for the best I guess...
For my last proper evening in Thailand (not one spent on a sleeper train!!) I had organised to go to a traditional Khantoke meal, where you get served traditional Lanna food while watching and listening to traditional dances and music.
I had to sit on the floor for dinner, and a low table (the Khantoke!) ladened with food was put in front of me. There was so much food but I didn't have a clue what most of it was. It was all incredibly yummy and I ate loads, all the while listening to the reedy sounds of the traditional Lanna music.
After I'd finished my food, my Khantoke was whisked away and the dances started. The first one had Thai women with
huge gold spikes on their fingers come out and dance. The whole dance was about the careful and graceful movement of the hands, fingers and feet (least that is what it looked like to me).
Then came some more dances, where the women wore a range of outfits and performed lots of different dances, in which all of them were slow and precise.
Next there was a sword dance. A young man came onto the raised stage with about 8 or so swords. He performed a complicated dance where he twirled some of the swords and then balanced them on certain parts of his body while standing on one leg. Then he put two swords in his mouth, and started to balance the other swords between his shoulder and the blades of the swords in his mouth, all the while dancing. Very impressive.
Then we had one last dance that was performed by candlelight, and then we were told to head outside for the hill tribe show. This show allowed us to see all the different hill tribes' traditional outfits, dances and songs. Some of the instruments that they used were particularly weird and interesting.
All in
all it was a great last evening in Thailand!!!!!!
And there it is, my last blog in Thailand. My next blog, all things going well, should be from Tokyo in Japan, where hopefully I will get to see lots of Cherry Blossom :D. I've had such an amazing time in Thailand and met so many nice people that I am sad to be leaving. However, I am also very excited about going to Japan, especially as I am meeting up with an old school friend there (Woop, see you soon Beth!!!).
Take care everyone, especially with all the earthquakes, floods and conflicts going on. Let me know what you think of the blog :D
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Chantal
non-member comment
hey, You seemed to have had loads of fun in thailand after the tour. You did so much in such a short amount of time! Really cool. Have fun in japan and stay safe!