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Published: October 25th 2010
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Hello everyone!
Sorry for the delay in updating the blog, me and the Fish got sick so it meant a few days stuck in the hotel but we are better now after litres of rehydration solution and antibiotics. We got our flight from Delhi to Bangkok at one in the morning both of us showing the beginnings of food poisoning so it wasn’t the best flight. In fact it was probably the worst ever, but we survived and arrived in Bangkok a little ahead of schedule! It was straight to the hotel and that’s where we stayed for 3 days before venturing out to try and find a pharmacy. After a day of antibiotics we started to feel better and managed to get out to book our travel to Chiang Mai. We managed to see a bit of Bangkok but sadly we both felt so rough that we couldn’t do too much. Hopefully we will see some more before we fly out. However, we did manage to see a few temples, have a massage (compete with them standing on James) and do a boat trip to see some of the smaller villages on the last day. Then it was off
to Chiang Mai, which ended up being an epic adventure! Got to the station and all seemed to be well. There had been whispers of flooding on the line but nobody at the station seemed to know anything about it or they weren’t telling us! Train left on time and we even managed to share a dinner between us! The train man came round and made our beds up for us and we all snuggled down to get some sleep. Next thing we hear - “No Chiang Mai, Bangkok” When asked why the guy just repeated the phrase and that was probably all we heard for the next 3 hours back to Bangkok! Turned out that the train line was flooded and the train couldn’t get through.
So we arrive back at Bangkok station at 1 in the morning, knowing that we had booked a trek and a cookery course to start the day after next in Chiang Mai and there was pretty much no chance of getting our money back. Luckily the tourist office opened up (think they thought their luck was in with all the stranded tourists!) and offered bus tickets to Chiang Mai leaving ‘first thing in
the morning’ at a slightly inflated price. So we booked our ticket and by then it was 2am so we decided that there was no point in paying for a guest house and we would just sleep in the station on the floor. Just as we got our blankets out and tried to make the dirty floor cosy, we were offered a space on a floor in a nearby office by one of the tourist office guys with the rest of the refugees. So off we went, it actually turned out to be a guesthouse floor but it was much cleaner and free! Although not the most comfortable nights sleep!
Up at 8 ready for our bus, which actually turned out to leave at 10 but at least we were on our way to Chiang Mai! The bus was pretty comfy too with food included so we just went to sleep. We arrived in Chiang Mai at 9 and were promptly picked up by our guesthouse. Then it was off in search of food, where we ended up with a Thai hotpot - seems the Thai version of fondue where you just pick what you like and then cook it
in a type of broth. Very interesting and tasty (if you don’t overcook everything like we did!) Then it was a good nights sleep in a bed for trekking the next day.
We were picked up and taken to the elephant park where we got to ride on an elephant, which was amazing! Our elephant was very hungry and managed to eat 3 bags of bananas in the course of our ride but it was cool seeing his trunk coming up to sniff at us. If we didn’t feed him he would flap his ears and blow down his trunk at us - he was very sulky! Then it was off to lunch ready to start trekking and to meet the rest of our group, which were all really friendly. After walking for 2 hours we arrived at some waterfalls where we all had a very refreshing swim and we then walked for another hour to our camp for the night, which was like a big tree house! The view was amazing and it was so quiet. We sat around chatting and listening to our guide playing the guitar then it was off to bed, which was like being
a brownie/scout again. All of us in the same room with some blankets! The next day was a hard core walking day! We had to walk up over the hills to the next village 1 hour straight up! Then 1 hour supposedly flat - I don’t agree. We all needed some lunch once we had completed that and a nap! After lunch it was just another half hour to the waterfall camp but just as we started to walk so did the rain. This wasn’t a little bit of rain this was everything soaked in 2 minutes whether you have waterproof clothing on or not! But we kept going until we reached the river which had now turned into a raging torrent, where our guide just said take off your shoes and socks. There seemed little point in this as we had already been squelching for the last half an hour but we did as we were told and crossed the river trying not to get swept away. Luckily, waterfall camp was just the other side so it was a chance to get a little bit drier and ready for swimming in the waterfall. That night much beer was drunk
and many card games played, it was a great night. Next day the sun was shining again and it was a much easier walk down the hills to be picked up for the bamboo rafting.
Bamboo rafting consisted of 5 lengths of bamboo being tied together with bicycle tyre and us being told to sit on top of it - very wet! But fantastic fun especially when you had to go round corners and try and hold on while hitting all the rocks as our guide seemed oblivious to how long the raft was! The best bit was when we just stopped at the side of the river and were told to get out and walk as it was too dangerous to be on the raft so off we went wading Bear Grylls style! Whilst the guides took the raft through a section of rapids. It was great, we got off very wet but laughing our socks off! After all that adventure it was back to Chiang Mai for a well earned rest, which is what today is and hopefully another massage. Tomorrow we go on a cooking course and then the next day we start to make our way
to Laos. Hope to hear from you all soon lots of love Sam and James xx
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Mum M
non-member comment
Upside down face
Pictures look beautiful but what is that on your chin Fishy? You look like Mr Upside Down Face again!