Wedgieterians

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Hey everyone,

Since I last 'blogged' I have been a very busy girl.

The day after I last wrote, me and Michelle went to ride the elephants. I really loved it at the time, but now that I look back, I wouldn't ever do it again, it is really cruel as when that don't do exactly what the trainers (which by the way are 12 year olds) want, then hit them really hard with this thing that looks like a hammer. The elephants tread up and down the mountains all day and are boiling hot. While up on their backs in a crappy seat it feels like you are riding a in a car from the early 1800's. Nowa I realise that my experience with cars from this ear is limited, but from what I can imagine, it would have been about as uncomfortable. I did get a really SEXAY photo of me and the girl I went on the ride with, we look like we are hanging on for dear life, (which we were) and as though we haven't showered in a week (which we.....have but we may as well have not).

Next day, while still in Chiang Mai, I did a course in Thai cooking, so all you back home, prepare for a feast on my return. I was taught how to make : Thai chicken green curry, pad Thai, Banana cake and tom yum soup, and I am quite the cook even if I do say so myself. The course was quite rushed however because we went pretty early in the morning so the head chef shipped us out to take time for the next class coming in. I as also aught the difference between all of the different types of rice, chilli's, noodles and curry pastes.

The day after my Thai cooking experience, we caught 2 two hour local buses that took us to Chaing Rai which is just north of Chaing Mai and is where a lot of the hill tribes have settled after migrating mostly from Burma. For the past 3 days my tour climbed up and down the mountain, and out of all 13 of s, only 4 INCLUDING ME, carried our bags each day.

Before I tell you about the trek I must first tell you about the MORON of a guide that we had. A company called PDA (Population Distribution Agency), who were originally an organisation set up to help with the over population of Thailand and so got volunteers to distribute condoms to the tribes, also help set up small tours of people to go and visit the tribes, and also provide them with a local guide who knows the area. Well , we mst have got the bigges dickhead in al of Thailand. There are 2 vegetarians in my group, yet he insisted that they were infact 'wedgieterians' even after we told him he was wrong. But is is okay, because he went to 'Universe to learn English', which is lucky because he was also good at teaching us how to breathe (clearly I am not an expert on inhaling and exhailing after 20 years) and also taught us that trees do not infact die during Autmn, they just drop their leaves then grw aain the following year. Total idioot.

DAY 1 - We arrived at a homestay late at night where we stayed with a family in their house. After a short tour of the town, we were given diner and then a show by local kids fomr the school. They played us tradition Thai instruments and showed us traditional dance, then after all was finished, we spoke to all of the kids who taught us to say 'I LOVE YOU' in Thai.

Day 2 - WE set off in the last afternoon and climber to an altitude of 1200m, over 14km in the seering heat to get to the first tribe called Lisu who are from Burma, and came to Thailand about 50years ago. The trek was so hard and with a backpack containing clothes, sleepwear, sleeping bag, shoes, toiletries and 3 liters of water, it was bloody hard. The whole 1st day was completely up hill and extremely dirty. When we arrived at the Lisu tribe we had to have a 'meeting', which is really just a lecture given to us by the guide. After we had dinner the local women gave us a Thai massage which consisted of their feet exploring my crotch.

DAY 3 - In the morning we went to the Lisu school where children go to school up unitl the age of 12, where they go to th city and have schooling there. There was about 6 classrooms with 8 or so kids in each. But there was only 1 teacher who I assume just drifts between classes. The kids were really excited to see s and dragged us outside where they tired us out for an hour or so with their games and piggyback rides. Once we got back to out 'accommodation' out guide wanted us to leave straight away but we out smarted him and got him to leave at 2 instead of 11. He didnt want us to leave because it would take 6 hours to walk Well we left at 1:40pm and we walked into the Akha tribe grounds at 3:30-4.00. The Akha tribe was a lot more rustic (filthy) and we had the pleasure of using the most grotty toilet in all of Thailand. I didn't complain but it seemed everyone else was having a shitter of a time. I didn't mind because it is really good to see how other people live.

Day 4 - Today was more hiking, which again went faster that expected

Will write more later when I get to Bangkok in a few days.

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