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Published: January 25th 2013
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After a couple of days and an awesome night out and a Thai cooking class in Bangkok I went straight to Chiang Mai. It was another 12 hour night bus. I didn't sleep a wink and it was soo cold with the air con on. I met a few people on the bus and ended up staying with them in their room they booked. We arrived
at 7ambut couldn't check in until 10.30 so we dumped our bags and went for breakfast. We then hired bikes for 1 pound for 24 hours and then cycled around the city looking at different temples. One temple had an event to do with the monks where they all had baskets and the public had to give them free food. They had markees set up with loads of different food stands from curries to noodles, drinks, IceCream and weird disgusting jelly stuff. All the food was free and we just walked around trying all the food. We were pretty stuffed after so good job we cycled around for a few hours to burn it all off!
After that I went on the 3 day jungle trek. It was such a great experience, I really enjoyed
it. The first day we went to a butterfly tent which was pointless and boring as they only had small brown butterfly's. then we went for an elephant trek. This one was really cool. It was longer than my other one and the elephant stopped in a stream and covered us in water. We also knew they were really well looked after because they had days off to wonder around the jungle and live in the wild and we saw one during our walk and it was amazing to see an elephant in the wild just doing its own thing. After the trek we had lunch that was served wrapped in a bamboo leaf which was well cute, then we walked for 6 km up a mountain. It was seriously tough but the scenery was awesome. I was ready to quit and join the 2 day trek by the end of the walk but I powered through lol. During the walk our tour guide stopped and made us some chop sticks out of bamboo and walking sticks out of bamboo. He was a proper jungle guy, he would have no problem surviving in the jungle cos he just knew so
perfectly how to use the environment to his advantage. Anyway We got to the top in time to watch the sunset behind the mountains which was quite lovely. We slept in a cool little hut with skanky mattresses and covers but we all slept fully clothed anyway cos it was so cold at night. The north is so much colder at night than the south. The day seems to be just as hot though.
The second day we went to couple of waterfalls and I had a shower in one as it was the same tempreture as the bucket of water we had to wash ourselves with at the hut lol. In the evening we went to another camp but it was quite a dangerous walk in the pitch black with 2 torches between the 4 of us. we had to walk next to steep drops and over ladders laid over some rocks over a river. we joined them around their camp fire and we all had beers and played games. Then our guide got really drunk so we had to go back to our camp with him and stop him from falling over lol.
Third day we
did another walk and white water rafting which was good fun, but wasn't that amazing cos its dry season so the water was low so it wasn't that mental which was a shame. Then bamboo rafting which I thought would be boring but it was actually really nice cruising along the river laying on bamboo taking in the scenery. It was really nice. After the trek some of us met up again and went for dinner and went to the night market, but we were all so tired we didn't stay long.
I then went to Pai, it was only a 3.5 hour journey but it was so horrible because it was sooo windy the whole way. There were hair pins every 3 metres! I never get travel sick but on the way back a few days later I few up 4 times!! (Did have a few drinks the before though) lol. I had a really early night when I arrived cos I was still recovering from the trek. The next day was my birthday and I kinda wanted to do something memorable for my birthday, but in the end I decided I missed the beaches and thought id
go for second best! I found an outdoor swimming pool, took a good book and swam and sunbathed all day. It was lovely! Then I went and had a manicure and pedicure followed by a huge rib eye steak! It was soooo good especially since there wasn't a single trace of rice on the dish! Then in the evening a group I met on the bus met me to celebrate my birthday, they got me a few drinks and we had a good evening. Next morning was the journey back to Chiang Mai, which is Actually today when I was sick cos of the stupid windy roads!!
I am getting the night bus to Bangkok
tonight. one night there and then
a 7am flight to Melbourne. Can't believe Thailand times are over 😞 boooo! It just flew by!
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Zoe geddis
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Hair pins!
Just found it in the 3 hour journey from Chiang Mai to Pai there are 730 hair pins! No wonder I was sick!