Floating downstream and singing Supremes

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Fantastic to see the natural beauty of Thailand: the pale and elegant greenery of the bamboo forest, views of the mountains that border Burma, the rice fields, banana plants and fully-forested hills! Best activity: riding the neck of an elephant, big ears flapping over my legs and holding onto the soft brown head. Next best: river rafting on bamboo platforms then touring a damp and eerie cave. It turned out to be home to a large snake, a massive spider and insects you could put a saddle on and ride. Also numerous smelly bats. Fantastic!


The food was terrible but our guides, Nai and Pairo, were fun and enthusiastic. Staying in the Lahu and Lisu villages was about as contrived as I feared but the chance to teach two little girls "Stop In The Name Of Love" was absolutely precious. Injury list - Mike: skinned hands and battered shin from rafting poles, foot blister from hiking, sore muscles from everything and blood loss from leech - eww! Leslie: sore butt from elephant ride and bug bites.


Before I forget our group let me list them: Jeremy (NZ) and Merel (Holland) who we met on the bus from Bangkok, Rich (England), Alex (Canada), Roland and Amy (San Fran), Carlo (Brazil), and Nigel and Carly (Canada). Most of these people are in their early 20s and on vacation for only a few weeks or months. It's funny to see where their heads are, talking about digital video disc technology while we're entering an awesome corridor made of these gentle whips of tall bamboo grass. They haven't been away long enough.


Reminder to myself: return to Pai when ready to retire.

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Photos

Jungle trek, North Thailand
After the trekking, it's the rafting...

Jungle trek, North Thailand
Ninjas? No. Tourists-turned-rafters.

Breakfast in a little village, somewhere in N. Thailand
Our guides weren't hired for their cooking skills, but they made up for it with enthusiasm and friendliness.

Jungle trek, North Thailand
United Nations of Rafting: (from left to right) Merel from Holland, Jeremy from NZ, Alex from Canada and Carlo from Brazil.

Jungle trek, North Thailand
A rare moment with a flash. It was so dark that poor Amy kept walking into stalactites. Look closely, you can see the lumps on her head...

Jungle trek, North Thailand
It's a little awkward at first but you get used to it.

Jungle trek, North Thailand
This was my view from riding on the neck!

Back to Chiang Mai after Jungle Trek
Soaked to the bone, we're all exhausted, elated and ready for a cold beer.