Trekking in Chiang Mai

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How the Plans changed…

No, we are not in Phuket by now. Instead, we made the choice to go trekking in North Thailand, Chiang Mai, for four days instead. We figured that now that we were close, we might as well go there now, instead of having to go back to that part of Thailand, just for doing the four day Trek. So that, was what we did.
The bus to Chiang Mai was a night bus, 12 hour drive, and luckily we both got some hours of sleep. However, when we arrived, at 6 in the morning, we got out of the bus and had the chock of the day. We were both wearing T-shirts, and it was freezing! None of us had brought any warm clothes… How stupid was that, we didn’t even check for the weather up north before we left, we just figured it would be warm, we are in Thailand! Oh well, we learned our lesson. We were driven to a little guest house, where some breakfast and a shower was provided. Here we had to wait for three hours, before being picked up by the tour guide. I was so lucky, to borrow a sweat shirt from a guy, who could tell I was cold, so my day was saved.
Around 9 30, we were picked up, and realized we were the only two people going on the trip, with three guides! Joey, the main guide, said that was very good though, so we were very excited for three days, with all the attention on the two Danish tourists!
At first we went to a butterfly farm, I’ve done more exciting things than that, and we didn’t really see any butterflies, which I kind of think was the whole idea. After that it was an Ochid Farm. These very popular and expensive flowers were everywhere, and it was good to see how they actually grow them, and how much it takes. It’s a long process, and they are very sensitive, it’s not easy to make a beautiful Orchid. We learned that much!
After the flowers, we went to the local market. Here we both bought some warm shirts, for the cold nights, and then we shopped for dinner with the guides. We almost got to pick what we wanted, great! Chicken, rice and vegetables.. Lots of vegetables.. Perfect for the two health freaks! (Who eats candy very very often though?)
Then- Elephant Riding! A thing we had been looking forward too! It was at first, quite a sight, to arrive to the farm. Elephants everywhere! There was a little baby Elephant, and of course I wanted to say hello. For some reason I didn’t notice the big mamma standing right next to it, so suddenly I hear the guide yelling, quick quick, away, come over here! And the Mamma was getting angry at the stupid Danish girl, trying to charm its baby elephant.. So I got out of there, quickly!
After looking around for a little bit, and having lunch at the farm, we went riding. It’s a lot more comfortable to ride an elephant, than a camel! That huge animal, is just to big and lazy, to make any surprises on a ride. It was fun to try, but at the same time, I couldn’t help thinking about the poor animal. It can’t be fun to please tourists every single day, and during the free time being tied up to some pole, and getting slapped if you’re not following commandos, They didn’t look happy either. But, I paid for the riding, so Yes. I was supporting the event, and telling them to keep on going, so all the tourists can keep on coming there everyday, riding for half an hour, taking some pictures and then leave again. I regret I didn’t feed it with some bananas.,. That was the least I could have done.. Next time..
We drove a little up in the mountains, before getting out of the car, to walk for three hours up the mountain. Our goal was a bamboo house on the top. So a few water breaks on the way was very necessary! It was very warm and humid, and hard to walk up and up and up.. After a hour we were far in the jungle, with many mosquitoes and I only wonder how many other animals.. We didn’t see in Spiders! Thank god.. The trees were very close, and at some points, the “fourth” guide, who was a local man from a tribe in the mountains and showed the way, had to cut down leafs and trees and sticks, for us to be able to pass. Around four, we reached the top, and saw our hotel for the night! A bamboo house raised from the ground, with a room for sleeping, a small kitchen with open fire, and another little bamboo house besides the bigger one, with a hole in the ground.. For whatever you sometimes have to do. It was a beautiful view from up there, and amazing to be sitting on top of a mountain, far in the jungle. So peacefull and quiet. On the opposite mountain, there was a small village, housing the black lahoos. (There are four different Lahoo Tribes, Black, Red, White and Yellow)
The guides started cooking the dinner over the open fire, and we helped. Learning thai cooking, it seems so easy, but the way they handle the food is something you don’t just learn. And they are so good at it, the dinner that night were so tasteful! They served it for us on the deck outside, and they didn’t eat with us for some reason. That they never did on the trip, which we never really found out why. I guess it was to be polite. We really felt like queens, and every time we tried to help with anything, like bringing out our dishes, they came running and said no no no, here, give it to me and sit down. It wasn’t easy just to act like “queens” but we quickly realized, it was no worth trying to help, cause they wouldn’t let us.
After dinner, they made a fire next to the house. Here we sat for some hours, singing and talking. The Guides drank Local Whiskey, and were pretty drunk after an hour or two. Specially one of them, Jackie Chan, were very entertaining. He was also, always singing during our walks, all different kinds of songs, but all English. Most of the time he made up his own English words though, and his own lyrics. But he, Jackie Chan, was playing and singing for us that night. He wish he had a guitar, but he didn’t, so he was playing the drums on the cola cans and a plastic bottle.. We had great fun!
It was a new experience to sleep in a bamboo house, on a bamboo mat, with just a blanket, in the cold mountains, but some hours in dream land were achieved.
The next morning we got up around 8, were they had been boiling water for us, so that we could get a warm shower. I have never tried to shower in a bamboo house, with a pan of hot water, but now I have. I have felt cleaner than after that shower, but it was better than nothing. Then breakfast was served. Omelet and toast!
We packed up our stuff and headed down the mountain. On our way we visited the Red Lahoos, but just for a few minutes. On the bottom of the mountain were a waterfall, where we had our lunch. The guides were just so surprisingly good at being in the nature. They were building water Pipes out of bamboo, and our lunch was rapped up in banana leafs! Before we ate, they made a basket out of banana leafs and bamboo sticks to serve pineapple in, and cut out eating sticks of wood. We were just sitting there, watching. They were also playing in the water, jumping from the highest points, doing crazy things, running in the forest to come back carrying trees on their backs.. It was so great to see!
Then the trek went up again.. Up to the top of the opposite mountain, to visit the black lahoos. Here they had a little shop, where we could get our long waiting candy! Mmmm! After five hours of walking, it was very good. After putting out stuff in a new bamboo house, we went walking in the village. The Lahoos are a group of people who moved from the south of China, to Burma in the 18th century ( If I remember right) and then after some issues with the Government came to Thailand. They live in the mountains to be closer to the “spirit” and the sky if they get sick. They have their own language. But I think some words are the same as in Thai. The guides could understand a little bit. They lived like nothing had happened for many many hundreds of years. They were self provided with everything, they grew they own rice, corn, and had chickens, cows etc. The kids were playing on the dirt, playing football and running around. The mammas were cooking and the men were working in the fields. But they looked very happy, and were so friendly to us. We made many new friends there, among the kids. They came up to us, at first they were shy, but after a while they were climbing all over us.
That night we had a gourmet dinner. Three or four different dishes, and fruit for dessert! Mmmmm so good. After that, the women in the village offered one hour thai Massage for just 100 bath (15kr), and we didn’t say no. Later we played the guitar in front of the fire, with some of the local people and the guides. Another great day!
Day three, we woke up at seven, and had another hot shower. Then breakfast, and then we had to leave. Down the mountain, to another waterfall on the bottom. A bigger one. Beautiful!
We walked along the river for a while, until we arrived to a dirt road, where a car with a gummy boat was waiting. White Water Rafting! Yes, we were so excited! We got on a life west’s and helmets, the guide explained for a little bit, and off we went. I don’t think it was the wildest possible rafting, but it was great fun. And one of the guides fell in the water. Now we have tried that too. Very soaking wet we had lunch, and then went for bamboo rafting. This, I think we both could have lived without. We were very cold, and after just a few minutes we hit a rock, so we had to get of the bamboo boat and in the water. Freezing! I think the guides could tell we mostly just wanted to get in some dry clothes fast, so after just half an hour we arrived to shore.
The last scheduled thing was to visit the long necks. This tripe, as the name says, holds the people who wear rings around their necks. Only the women have to do it and they start when they’re 5 years old? Its said, its for protection of the tiger, and for beautiful posture. It can’t be comfortable, and we tried to wear just a fake half one, and it was so heavy! They get used to it of course, and they say it’s not bad at all. This village was very touristed though, and it seemed like they were just sitting there, for people to come and take their photo, and buy some of their self made scarf’s and other things.

The guides dropped us of at the bus station, after three great days, we said goodbye, and headed back to Bangkok. Now we are here for a few days, and then we are going to head down south, towards Phuket.
Happy December everyone!

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