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Published: July 15th 2006
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Yesterday we got back from a 3-day hill tribe trek outside of Chang Mai. Our group was nice-two Dutch families with sons, and this 23-year-old Canadian guy doing a round-the-world trip and gather video clips and material for his doctorate on communication and body language. He had some crazy stories about the 4 months he spent in Africa. The first day was 3 hours of uphill and I thought I was going to die. All I could do was breathe. We spent the night together on the floor of a hut raised on sticks-talk about quick bonding. I'd hoped to see how the different groups lived but really it was too commercialized and the only people we saw were the ones selling us water or trinkets as we passed through. The green hills were beautiful, though, and it was kind of rainforesty walking up and down, climbing over and under logs, crossing creeks on rocks and bamboo trees at every turn. The third day was by far the highlight since we walked to the elephant camp were we got to go in pairs and ride on top of an elephant on a wooden bench. I was riding with the Canadian, and he
of course jumped right on the neck because it sounded more exciting and he could get better footage with his camera. It was pretty bumpy but it was fun to be so high up. Later I slid down on the neck, too, and it was amazing how you could feel the big muscles working below you. And then every so often his floppy leathery ears would swing back and flop over my bare legs like a skirt! After the elephant ride, it was time for the white water rafting. Very refreshing! It was definitely the least amount of guide instruction I'd ever had. He didn't go over anything about digging your feet into the sides, or how to fall out of the raft...but we all made it back in one piece. Then we got on bamboo rafts and had a nice float down the river. This time our guide did all the paddling and we just laid there.
Back in Chang Mai, we decided to splurge and stay at a nice hotel. Wendy found a bargain through a travel agency since they give you a discount if you book through them rather than walking in. We paid $20/person per
night. Upon arrival, we got out of the tuk tuk (motorcart thing) there in front of this spectacularly fancy hotel, all nasty from our trek, and there was a big step up to the platform of the hotel. The moment I stepped out, the hotel doorman reached down a hand to pull me up to the platform as two other uniformed men opened the front doors for us. Talk about service! The beds are nice and firm and the bathroom has a sunken tub.
Last night we decided to check out the night life. We walked to a street full of bars and all Thai women with foreign men. Hmmm. Definitely prostitutes. They far outnumbered the men, too. As we passed one bar, two of the women called out to us to stop and have a drink so we figured why not. It was a great place to people watch since it was right on the corner. They would stop and chat with us from time to time when they were not working on a customer. It was interesting to see the process of it all. Usually the guy would come in and sit down, and then one of
the girls would walk over and chat him up, sit down, then get å drink for him and they'd talk some more, she'd laugh a lot, and then they would leave on a motor bike. One of the girls (On) who we were talking to told us this sad story about how she had a boyfriend from California in Chang Mai, but he was a cocaine user. He'd promised to take care of her and said that she would not have to work anymore, but then he died of a drug overdose before any of that actually happened, like a few blocks from that bar. The other woman, Noi who was a little older at 37, didn't share any boyfriend stories but she told us that she likes old men because they take care of you. They invited us to stay until the bars closed at midnight and go with them to a dance club down the street. It was packed with tourists and Thai women. Outside there was a big sign "No girly boys allowed". We danced and drank, and soon it became clear that On was working on me as a client! At first I wasn't sure-just thought
maybe she was really touchy-feely. But when she outright propositioned me I got the message. I also met 3 guys from California who were living the ex-pat lifestyle in Chang Mai. One had been there for 7 years doing everything from running a video store to having his own bar-but currently unemployed. The other two taught English to rich kids and doctors. Tonight we're hoping to see some Thai boxing and a transvestite show...
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charlotte
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quick question
the bar didn't happen to be utopia... and the club "spicy"... was it?