Blogs from Um Phang, North-West Thailand, Thailand, Asia

After all the ruins and temples we decided that a big dose of the great outdoors was just what the doctor ordered. Keen to avoid the crowds of tourists heading to Chiang Mai we decided to step off the well-trodden backpacker route, and head out to the village of Umphang, in the west of Thailand, very close to the Burmese border. The only obstacle was a long minibus journey, followed by4 hours in the back of a songthaew (a pickup truck with benches in the back) on the cliff hugging and travel sickness inducing “Sky Highway” – 164 km and 1,219 bends! We sat crammed in (Cel) and hanging off the back (Jonny) with a varied mix of people from different tribes and ethnicities – and no other tourists in sight. The majority were Burmese refugees, ... read more

This has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life I was so glad when Marco was able to join me and see why had stayed away from home for so long. The people here touched me and changed my life for the better I will always be grateful!... read more

Lat weekend a student invited me to his wedding. He had spent the last month fixing his house for his new bride. I was excited about seeing the ceremony but not about the 4 hour ride to Umpien Camp. He had got permission from the Camp Commander (Thai) for many of his friends to come. Many people were very excited because this would be their first time out of the camp in years. That is something you forget that they just can't come and go that this idyllic setting is in some respects a prison. We were told that we would be picked up at 6am but like many things here time is relative and the truck for us didn't come till 7:30. Being the foreign teachers we rode with the groom in the nice truck. ... read more

I there I have been here a week and just wanted to share what my daily life is like. I wake up at 7am to the crowing of roosters and the slamming open of gates from them opening the tore I live behind. I have about 1/2 mile walk to school. They provide all meals! Burmese breakfast is usually noodles in a sauce and some sort of bread type thing mushed in and slightly spicy. Not my favorite I prefer when we get fried eggs. I teach from 9-11:45 and then from 3:30-4:45. During the middle I have lunch wander around or work on school either from the role as teacher or student. After my last lesson I have a Burmese class. It is one tough language! Dinner at 6:00 home at 730-8 ( again a ... read more

Day 2 started out spectacular. After a half hour walk from the camp site, it was suddenly there: Thilawsu falls, Thailand's biggest waterfall, and it seemed to come straight out of a Jurassic Park movie! Covering multiple levels, the water thunders down a total of 200m through several pools. Impressive. We climbed around for about an hour and a half and saw a lot of people jumping off the lowest level, despite the "no jumping" signs. While climbing down, I got myself a nasty cut in the foot as I stepped into a sharp branch; OUCH! After preparing a quick bandage from toilet paper, we had one more look from the lookout point and headed back to camp for lunch. After lunch we did a 9km trek through the forest, to an ethnic minority village of ... read more