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Published: September 25th 2008
What a great day we had yesterday!!
Had an early start, picked up from our hotel at 8am in a mini-bus/tuk-tuk type thing?!! It was good as their were only 5 of us and 2 guides. After an hour or so drive north of Chiang Mai we had our first stop to see a hillside tribe camp which was interesting seeing all the huts that they live in and what their daily life is like as well as seeing that everything they use comes from the ground...medicine, food!!!
Back in our van and a short journey later we pulled into the elephant camp which was great although a little sad! Got to feed a baby elephant some bananas which we loved they were so cute, then we got a chance to ride on the back of a massive elephant it felt so high up and they have really rough skin. After an hours trek downhill then uphill through the jungle it was time for lunch which was lovely we could watch the elephants whilst we were eating! Got to try Dragon Fruit which is really nice kinda tastes like kiwi!
Our next drive was extremely bumpy and we
guide (Don)
blowing bubbles from a leaf!got thrown around in the back of the van a bit! When we got out we had an hours hike ahead of us, all up hill, through rivers, over rocks..... it was quite a climb!! Finally at the top we realised it was worth it as we turned a corner and saw the waterfall, and we had a well deserved swim in the freezing water!! Chilled out whilst our guides did some fishing....and lost his shoes!!! On our trek back down the guides climbed a tree and picked us a grapefruit to eat back at the van, didn't taste bitter like normal was really nice!
Another bumpy ride later and we arrived by the river.....put on our lifejackets and helmets.....got given some VERY brief instructions and it was time to hit the water for some white water rafting! LOVED IT!! Zoe at the back by herself almost went over the rest of us a few times in the rough bits!! We even spotted a Snake on a rock next to the river which made us determined not to tip over, we even overtook another boat that were going backwards!!! After a few screams and getting soaked it was time
to take off the helmets and life jackets for what was supposed to be chilled out Bamboo rafting, but we sinked a bit and were sat in the water all a bit worried about the snake we had seen earlier just up river!! At the end of the river was the end of our day, had time to dry off and relax with some locals playing football before our drive back to Chiang Mai and our hotel for a good nights sleep we were exhauted almost fell asleep in the van!!
We keep trying to decide what bit we liked best... but the whole day was just AMAZING!! Really going to try and do the white water rafting again at some point on our trip, hoping we make it to New Zealand to do it!!
After what was supposed to be a lie in we were up early again wanting to get to the train station to book our tickets to Ayutthaya for tomorrow (Friday). After deciding it would be nice to walk, we ended up walking too far in the wrong direction a couple of times, but finally got there!! Had quite a lazy day from there
just walking around old and new areas of chiang mai and had a short ride in a Tuk-Tuk after realising that Zoe had left her sunglasses in a toilet about 2 and a half hours earlier!!! Luckily her hand gestures were up to scratch and the cleaner understood her eventually and went and got them from the office!
Back at the hotel now we are packed and ready for our early(ish) start tomorrow morning, have a 9 hour train ride ahead of us but hoping to take in some nice scenery on the way!
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