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Published: February 14th 2008
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Wednesday 30th January
Arrived in Chiang Mai and the reason - because the nuts and bolts had been stolen from the track!! haha!! Got a swangthew (open backed truck) to the hotel - SK guest house, a very nice place with a swimmin pool for 400 thb with a fan 😊 decided on a lazy morning booking tours and then sitting by the pool! Headed out for a wander around the town within the moat areaa and then back to the Mexican for dinner!! (something we cant find in Korea!!) Out to the night market - an amazing wander, so huge! managed to get an carved wooden elephant plaque for my wall and some clothes!! Really liked the atmosphere in CHiang Mai, far more laid back and friendly!
Thursday 31st January
off on out trek today, a total of 7 of us leaving most our stuff at the hotel! picked up by truck for our 1 1/2 hour ride north, first we called at the hot springs, where they cook and clean the bamboo, then back in the jeep and for a lunch stop before heading up through the rainforest, the views were amazing at the top, with
so many different types of birds. Headed over the peak and down into the Karen hillside village tribe - only 8 houses for our campfire and dinner - pork and potatoes curry, a quick dash as the heavens opened, so off we scurried into the local house and our mossy net for shelter!!
Friday 1st February
Up early to the sound of pouring rain and the startling realisation we had no waterproof gear!! (this is the first time in years theyve had rain in the summer!!) Aided with big corn sacks we had our brekkie in the smoky local hut before braving the downpour!! Definately needed my pole!! The first hike took about 2 1/2 hours up through the forest, it incredibly green due to the water! we had to go across many bamboo bridges, step stone rivers and came across two hunting tribes en route! Our second guide kept our spirits hight with Thai songs!
We made it through the rain to a clearing of huts for our place for the night, lunch and a dry off before back out for about 3 1/2 hours to the waterfall.
Seemed very dangerous in the rain! very very
steep and many steps!! my knee was loving me!! haha!! but the bumby crossings over the river were always fun!!
A definate overview of rainforest life, which although i enjoyed made me realise that mountains, where you can see more are far more my thing!!
Back for a chill out before dinner and a camp fire with the locals! Great music - a bango style guitar, cymbals, drum, gong and singing!! a fun night!! music obviously the common language of the world!!
Saturday 2nd February
Up early and finally the sun is shining! The rainforest looks a different place in the sun! and finally i can get my camera back out! terrified yesterday of getting it wet and it breaking!! so sorry for the picture gap! Had 2 1/2 hour hike back out of the forest so as a truck could come and meet us and pick us up! the views were breath taking, espeically as the fog was clearing yet sitiing on the tops of the trees, was so picturesque!
Met our truck and off it tok us to the Lihsu village- the country side views were great, really great to see everyday life, the farming and
the hunting, was very refreshing.
Stopped for lunch and then onto an elephant for our ride along the river before off white water rafting! hehe! so much fun! travelling with a group people made the experience so good!
Phrases i think will haunt us forever :
"crocodile" as our guide threw yet another rock in the river to scare us!!
"yellow flower" "green forest" " green vegetable" "bird" as you can see our guide knew incredible information about the local habitat!! whod of thought he was only a qualified guide!!!!
and of course his moto "no joke, no fun!" which involved us ducking as he slingshot stones over our head!!
All in all a fantastic 3 days just rather wet!!
Back in Chaing Mai and we met back up with our fellow travellers and with all 5 of us squeezed into 1 tuk tuk headed over the river to have some much needed dinner! where i highly recommend the burmese pork curry - yum yum!!
and the deep fried chicken in pandanas leaf, lots live music so a good night!!
Sunday 3rd February
Up and out to find walking street (a famous sunday market in Chiang Mai)
only to find it starts at 4pm! so headed down to the flower festival, the parade floats all there, couldnt believe the amount of detail they made with the arangements! def different to any flower arranging eve ever seen!!!Beautiful park and so refreshing to see everyone relaxing and playing with their families, def somewhere I could spend more time!
Headed back to the pool for a relax before meeting Hugh so the three of us could head to walking street!
The atmosphere was so good, lots singing and music, and of course shopping!! hehe!! bartering skills were needed!! getting pretty good now at the i dont really want it look!! hehe!!
Headed to a vegetarian place for dinner, and of course the obligitory foot massage!! hehe!! how could we resist at 60thb (80pence) for 30 mins!! 😊
Monday 4th February
Unfortunatly the day didnt start or end too well! woke up and both feeling pretty sick so change of plan and decided to head south in search of a beach! so out to find a train to go back to Bangkok, found one departing at 8.45 which would take 12 hours. This train ride had to feel like
the longest journey of my life! after not being able to eat or drink even water for 24 hours I arrived in Bangkok and collapsed as I walked into the pharmacy! after rubbing some kinda herbal thing under my nose to wake me up I was aided with hundreds of pills and sent to rest!!
Surprisingly not the best day of the holiday!! but to be fair to Pharmacists in Bangkok, they diagnosed and treated me to fell better within 12 hours! even if a little sore!!!
The outcome - food and water poisoning!! lovely!!
Well time for the off again until tomorrow!!! 😊 hehe!!
love you all!! keep leaving comments it keeps me happy at school reading them!! 😊
big hugs to all
love cer xxxxx
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da whale
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whale land
hay looks good place for me could flap around for hours in that muddy water no over heating the hot spring would be heaven and don't no what you mean about snoring !!!!!!! so you think the mini would struggle well tiger in tiger country may be not be any better. flowers just can't imagain how brill up close how long do they take making the show. luv da whale x x