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Published: October 5th 2007
In the beginning
The gang disembark the truck for spot of elephant trekingWell we have returned after the most amazing 3 days ever! - this is gonna be a long one, cos want to capture it all for historical purposes, so sorry for excessive detailing!!!
We booked our 3 day trek with Eagle house 2, a 2 night 3 day trek off the tourist trail to the hill tribes and doi inthanon in northern thailand. Cost about 60 euro each including accom and all our food and water, and entry to national parks etc.
We set off at about 8.30am on the first day with our little bags (advised less is more for long walks) and our group. Group was made up of a canadian couple on honeymoon, emily and jason, a french canadian guy from montreal etienne, a german girl, marielle, and a scottish couple james and jen. We hoped into the back of the songthaew, like a truck with two benches in back for us to sit on. First stop was for elephant trekking in the wilderness! Scary stuff i found, steep ravines, and narrow grassy verges that these enormous animals carried us along. Our elephant (christened Nellie -like the song) was the only one without a
Elephant trekking 1
Mireal and Etienne up front, note the lack of guide on our elephants head .. hmmm 'driver' and just had a rope tied to her ear attach to back of another elephant, but luckily she was well behaved!!! That lasted an hour including a little dip in a pool at the bottom of a waterfall - which one of the heffalumps pooped into!! Loveleeee!
Then we had our packed lunch of chicken, rice and fried egg, and back into truck and off up the hills!!
We drove for some time, and arrived at a cave in what seemed like an isolated little spot. We all were given semi-working torches, and headed into 'bat' caves. We went quite deep into these caves, which were pitch black with all sorts of HUGE spiders, and bugs, and bats swirling round our heads. We all look a bit stunned in the photos as we couldnt see a thing, so the flash was never prepared for!!!!
Didnt stay long at the caves, and piled back into the truck for another long drive. The roads were windy, and not roads at all just dirt tracks with pot - wedges missing all over them.. a bumpy steep ride with the engine roaring driving through a tribe village along the way
Elephant trekking 2
James and Jen behind us, their elephant was pregnant and a little moody (one that had some road access, which ours pretty much didnt). When we were about a 5hour drive from chiang mai, we were then deposited by a rice paddy field, (like in all the 'nam movies) and off we went. Hot, sweaty, and tough going walk through many of these fields (rice is grown in water, so just muddy verges in between each section to walk along and try not to slip), and then into the rain forest. A lot of the walk was muck trails with a few bamboo logs for bridges over water here and there. A lot of steep mountains etc... and the last leg involved crossing the river/streams about 6 times so shoes had to come off and this had to be done barefoot and with shorts rolled up. (ignoring all internet warnings re shoes, long pants preferably tucked into socks etc) Paul ACTUALLY got a leech on his foot! Ick ick ick! most of our group did, but lucky for me i didnt. That walk took about 3 hours and we arrived in the village at nightfall. Told we could go with the tribe ladies and wash in the river if we wanted to, but
Elephant trekking 3
Down we go! .. some the terain was really steep, really had to hold on a little put off by leeches so declined, and resigned ourselves to being a bit pongy for the few days!
Set up our beds in a bamboo hut, with some mats to sleep on, blankets, and mosquito nets, with a squat toilet out back (thrilled about this, cos thought we'd be going au naturelle). Then dinner was served by the tribal women running the 'karen hotel'. The village was part of a tribe called the karen people. Dinner was an array of rice, some kind of chicken stew, and some fried meat and veg dishes with fruit. unfortunatley me no like, so just had a little and filled up on bananas! After this we looked at some of the local wares on display for us to buy, and then we were invited to one of the huts for tea! Wish we had photos of this, but thought it impolite. We met the family, and all sat cross legged on floor drinking 'green tea' (all tea that comes from the tea leaf - which is always green) and watched the man of the house smoking his home grown real tobacco rolled in banana leaves, and chatting to the family.
The animals (pigs, buffalos, cattle) live under the house, and the floor is made of bamboo, so if they have any leftover food, they just lift up a bamboo covering, and drop it down on the animals heads!!! There is very little waste in the village, and it pretty much operates as an eco village. They have a little electricity for light of late, operated by solar panels donated by government, but mostly light is by fire or candles. Our guide Dat, is actually from a (different) karen village himself so he could speak the language and translate for us!!!! on the days he is not trekking, he lives in a village similar to the one we were visiting. That evening was fairly amazing, but alas no picktures! Then back to hut for well deserved sleep.
Up at 7am, for breakfast. Releived to get french toast, and a mountain of it, with fruit and more green tea to stock up before the long day ahead!!!! Had a look round the village, bought some village goods, and then popped into another house, where the couple there were at work. She was weaving (proper weaving with village made cotton yarn)
Bat Cave
After the elephant treking we drove for a little longer to se bat caves, thousands of bats hang from the ceilings of these caves a bag - takes about week) and he was busy making a bamboo basket to carry rice and such goods. Each family has a rice field, and each harvest provides the rice for the year - like the thai's, rice for every meal. We thanked them for letting us come in - tableuuu in karen speak- and she promptly put on the hard sell, and sold some of her hand woven scarves to the girls on the trek! Then a quick visit to the doctor for some herb tea for half the group - we took a headstart on a steep hill, and off for our 7 HOUR trek! Left about 10am, and trekked through similar terrain as the first day, with a few more mountains, and got to our camp at about 5.30pm. Had to pass through some stream and river side areas again, and unfortunatley we went under leech attack again!!!! ick ick double ick!!! One guy, jason, had about 10 on his feet!!! Paul had one or two but caught them before they got to any serious blood guzzling!!! Again, lucky me, only a few on my shoes, and one managed to get up to the top
of my sock and was trying to get past it, when i yelped for paul to rescue me!!!! lots of deet and citronella on shoes helped my cause i think!!!!
We took a 25 mins break for lunch at the roadside (super highway karen style according to Dat) after a particularly gruesome mountain hike. Lunch had been made for us by the karen people and Det, and was comprised of noodles and vegtables, wrapped up in banana leaf 'lunchboxes' tied with bamboo string. Det swiftly carved us chopsticks out of bamboo, and sliced up some pineaple. We had a karen guy with us as well, carrying our food for the evening camp in a bamboo basket on his back! Paul gobbled his lunch but me no like again unfortunatley! A little put off by worm like resemblance of noodles to leeches also. I finally got over lifelong dislike of pineapple tho, and we had a treat of a wafer bar packed so had a bit of a refuel with water (and breakfast had been plentiful thank god). (Sure i be fading away :p )
Then some more trekking - see photos! Have to say trek was
both a physical and mental test of endurance, but lucky for me, my hardest test was the barefoot part the day before, and leeches had kept pretty much away! Paul found it gruelling too, but was in his element. Had been even a little too enthusiastic for my liking over the karen way of life the night before - was beginning to fear he may have me chained to a loom in some remote tribal village for the rest of my days!!! We had one rest on a ramshackle bamboo bridge in the afternoon for about 5 minutes, cooled by the rushing water far below (scary, but too tired to care), and then got to camp before dark. - One of the Karen men who was there at the camp bringing goods in for us was sent back (on a motorbike) to pick up one of the girls not that far back on the road, who had found the trek particulary trying, and could do with the treat. She arrived beaming but weary on the bike not long after us!!!!!
No arguments here, after being assured by Dat that we were well out of leech attack zone, every
Rice Fields
Each family from the karen people have a rice paddy field, during harvest time the stay in the hut in the picture. Rice is soley for the family and not for sale one of us piled into river to wash. The girls wore sarongs so as not to offend the karen people who were at the camp with us for the night. (this night we stayed out of the villages altogether.) Toilet and sleep set up pretty much same as night before, so at least no reduction in standards there!!! We had the preverbial feast that night, and while ready not to like, it was an inoffensive yellow curry with potatoes, no less, and pork, with fried pork and vegtables also, and as much rice as one could eat! Some beers and water and even coca cola, had been ferried in by the men, so chats and beers by the open fire was the order of the evening!
The next day, woke to aches and pains, and a breakfast of veg omelette on rice, and green tea, eaten by all. While we were eating, the Karen men were all working down by the river building our bamboo rafts, on which we had to travel for 1 hour down stream on. Thankfully the waters were low enough to travel this way, as it would have meant a 4 hour walk in
total to the truck pick up spot. We travelled four to a raft with a 'driver' (karen man with long bamboo pole at front). We were all told to roll down trousers as we may hit rocks and fall on the bamboo and get splinters in our knees!!! And also to put cameras in plastic bags in case we fell off!!!!!! Our bags were secured onto bamboo tripods at the front of raft, so we thought best to save the photo taking for before and after!!!! (again, a pity, but afraid to risk the camera). Paul was appointed rudder to the rear of the raft, and off we headed downstream. The rafting was amazing. Some whitewater, and sometimes a rough ride, but luckily we were the second raft so the first one operated as our 'test' raft ahead. I lapped up the scenery, and hunched down for the bumpy bits, while paul sweated it at the back with his bamboo pole. Twas a test of skill, strength and balance, i'm told!!!!!
We arrived a little wet, but very happy and impressed with experience downstream and hour later and promptly, headed again into the rainforest for thankfully just an
A Bigada Piggy
Animals are kept under the house. The dont often eat the pigs or water bufalo as they can't store the meat for very long, these are normally sold, chickens and frogs etc .. are normally eatin as they are small hour of trekking. The truck was met by cheers from all at the roadside not long after!!!!
To wrap up the trek, we drove to a village some way away to stop in a 'restaurant' for noodle soup (again fussy eater me, no like, but there was fruit, and coke, and kit kats to hit the spot, and i ate half the soup, while paul lapped it up beside me). Then piled back into truck for another 2 hrs, constantly uphill to the highest peak in thailand... 2500 metres, with a road the whole way up. Up there there is two fantastic buddhist Wats (temple) and gardens. The two temples at the peak signify the king and queen of thailand (who are revered like religious deities). The view was amazing, we were above the clouds, and photos galore were taken!
Then another 1/2 hour drive to a waterfall. There had been some plan for swimming in this, but that was promptly abandoned when we saw its power that day. Luckily on the trek we had no rain, but during the drive it had bucketed down and swollen the river it seemed. It was fantastic to look
Karen Village 1
The one we could 'drive' through!!! Didnt stay here tho!!! at, and to be honest we were all too pooped for swimming, so we were happy enough!!!! We piled back into truck and travelled another hr and half down the mountain and back to chiang mai, tired, smelly, and very happy after an amazing 3 days!!!
Twas a trial, but one we'd definitley recommend! We tipped our guide 100 baht each, and wrapped the 800 baht up in a leaf (like the lunch). We hoped it would be good tip for him (nearly 20 euro), and gave it to him on parting back in chiang mai. We thought he was fantastic guide, and were so thankful to him for leading our trek and returning us to civilization in one piece. As trying as the journey was for us, he was up early making our breakfasts, and late making our dinners, and made time to talk to us in the evenings, and point out fruits and plants, and gruesome bugs all along the trek. He also told us that the gruelling (for us) 7 hour trek would take him a mere 3 hours if he was along... although the rainforest IS his home, and he does do it at
least twice a week. Made us feel like weak pampered westerners!!!!! Although, have to say, we feel stronger and toughened by the experience, and wiser for what we have seen and tried to describe here!!!!
We slept well in our fan room last night, with hot water, and pillows on our soft mattress after a well deserved pizza (not very ethnic, but took a break from the thai fooding for the evening). We're meeting our trek group tonight for some drinks, we may be unrecognizable to each other, now not covered with grime and mud, and river water, but looking forward to swapping recovery tales and email addresses over some 'ice cold' chang beers!!!
Also, booking our 2 day slow boat trip down the mekong river to laos this afternoon, which is meant to be a trial but one we know feel well prepared for!!!!!!
Sorry for the long entry here, but again wanted to ensure this one was committed to our own annals to remember always! Thanks for those who had the patience to read, hope yee got a flavour of the experience from the blog and the photos!! (And are also glad
Havin a break
a little break, beside the 'super highway' as Dat called it! we made it back alive and uninjured eh!!!!!)
Fantastic fantastic fantastic!!!!!!
Signing off now.... journeys to plan, and boats to book!
x Paul and Elaine x
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John S
non-member comment
Fantastic
Looks fantastic, and dont worry about the length of the posts Elaine, the longer the better!!