Shambhala Meditation Retreat

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Geo: 19.91, 99.83


It was lovely meeting Catherine and Janice again, it had been a while since I was last here and I was all broken from my motorbike accident, they're delighted to see me back to my old self as I really was a sight for sore eyes last time and, they're pleased to meet Danny.


Janice has a meditation retreat near Chiang Rai and is planning to open up again soon for the start of the season although she is aware there's a lot of work to be done before she would be ready. Danny suggested us going to give her a hand for a few days and she was delighted by the idea and grateful for our support and company, so we arranged to leave the next day and get moving again.


To get out to her retreat we tried to catch a local song hew however we couldn't't find the right station we were looking for so ended up catching a bus instead. It takes a couple of hours on the bus as it's almost Chiang Rai before we get off at a roadside market and start the walk up the mountain to Shambhala hoping to catch a lift on the way although there's the three of us!


The walk up was fun, thankfully it's a beautiful day and the surrounding area really was stunning but nothing seemed to be passing us on the road, we were beginning to think the 10km up could take us some time. We decided just to try and stop any transport after a while and luckily a truck stopped and we all jumped in however it took us to a nearby village and dropped us there. We decided from here to flag down anything and luckily Janice jumped on the back of a passing bike to head up hoping we would follow soon. Thankfully we didn't have to wait too long before Danny and I jumped in the back of a jeep which was heading the rest of our way to Shambhala... result.


We met Janice at our stop and made our way to Shambhala Meditation Retreat which is in the most stunning setting and I'm glad we've arrived. Janice shows us around the many cabins and chill out areas as well as the extensive gardens and yoga platform which overlooks the valley, and after a while takes us up to her house where we'll be staying which is even further up the hill! It's a beautiful spot and Danny and I have our own wee hoose while we're here which is nice, overlooking the village and below Janice's home so she has some company too.


Janice takes us to the local Lahu Village which is once again further up the mountain, and both Danny's and my legs by this point are starting to ache... we're not used to all this climbing but by the end of our stay it is much easier! The Lahu Hill tribe Village is a real eye opener, all the houses are built on stilts cut into the side of the hill with their animals residing underneath and everyone is in very close quarters to each other, it is a real community which is a pleasure to see and be part of. We're introduced to a few people on the way past, there's an open area where they have dance once or twice a week and there are lots and lots of children and dogs!


We manage to find Joe who we've come looking for who normally takes care of the grounds at the retreat and we're welcomed in for tea. This is a real unique experience, shall we just say that Joe was busy smoking his pipe and sent one of his girls out to get his wife to come and make our tea, which was served with warm beetle nuts roasted by the fire. Danny and I were fascinated by Joe's pipe smoking routine and I have to say it's the first time I've seen anything like it! Over tea Janice discussed the work that was needing done and Joe's booked in to get the place ship shape again while we're there.


There's a number of cabins to be cleaned out, gardens to be cut and trimmed back, in fact the path to Janice's house is so overgrown we could hardly find it the first night and she's delighted when Danny volunteers to cut it all back... mission 'find the hoose' has begun! Tools in hand, off he set and the transformation was quite remarkable, honestly we couldn't even see the house the first night, but by the time Danny had finished they're was a nice clear, and all lit up path.


Janice is really pleased for our help and company and I start cleaning in the kitchen and cabins, trying to get everything spic'n'span. I'm glad that we have use of the kitchen, it's nice just being able to cook up some food instead of eating out all the time and I realised how much Danny enjoys cooking too, he's quite the chef and we share in making breakfast and dinners which we sit and share each night. We went down to the local shop for breakfast a couple of times and Danny and I play 'chili roulette' now this was hilarious and became our morning challenge. We would load up our breakfast of omelet or fried rice with chili's and let the games begin, a spoonful each where you're not allowed to look what you've scooped up and see who's eyes are twitching the most with the amount of chili found, I swear Danny was twitching more than me, but it was a fun way to kick start you're morning!


We bought food from the local shop of pork and vegetables, rice and fruit and were delighted when we realised we could also order food so arranged for buffalo and potatoes to be delivered next day both of us looking forward to a steak. Now this was heaven, I never thought I'd be eating steak here but it was amazing, sorry but I don't ever think I could be a vegetarian... Steak for dinner, breakfast and dinner again, we ended up with so much of it and cooked from proper rare steaks with mash for dinner, with poached eggs for breakfast and stir fried with local veg, garlic and chili, it lasted us days and all for only 300baht. The local kids all know where we are and I'm pleased with their wee visits, they really are very sweet, and we're often walked up and down to the local shop by one or more of them which is nice.


Our days consisted of breakfast before we started our work for the day, Janice making fantastic smoothies for lunch and Danny and I cooking dinner at night which we enjoyed in the dining area overlooking the valley, before heading back to the house in the evening where we tended to watch some downloaded TV with the whole episode of Breaking Bad being a first for me! During our time in Shambhala we manged to get all the cabins back in shape and all clean and ready to be checked into, the paths were clear, the gardens tidy, the house found, the platform back in order. The curtains, bedding all washed and ready for guests, the kitchen and dining areas clean and ready to use and generally looking much much better, our hard work had definitely paid off.


It was a lovely experience and we only left when our visas are due to run out again, unfortunately though it means an end to Danny and I traveling together which I've really enjoyed, I guess it was nice to feel 'normal' for a while and share my life with such a lovely, funny guy and not always having to make every single decision alone! Danny's Indian Visa is ready for uplift which he applied for when he left Langkawi and realistically I've already taken up and extra month of his time but for me it was worth having our time together which I hope Danny enjoyed too, so it's time to head back to Bangkok and get going again...all good things and all that.


We don't do the whole farewell thing, instead everything is left on a very positive note... you just never know if we'll meet up again for some adventures in the future, I didn't expect when Danny left Langkawi that I'd be writing this...

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Photos

In local Lahu Village with Hmong
Cooking up hot bettlenut

Janice and Danny
Local Lahu Village

Janice and I
Local Lahu Village