Tuesday 17th August 2004
We had a good two days trekking in the jungle and meeting the hill tribes.
The first day was the hardest of the two. We got picked up from the guest house and driven to the market to get supplies and meet our guide.
We drove to the elephants and had a ride - they were ok but nothing great.
We were driven to a dam and then had a 25 minute hike to some waterfall magic. We had lunch then hiked uphill for about 40 minutes - hard work but ok.
We rested then walked to some paddy fields, played with some catapults, then hiked up and downhill for about one and a half hours to the village we were staying at.
We had dinner then the local children sang for us and then we sang for them. They knew most of the songs we sang - "twinkle twinkle little star", "if you're happy and you know it" and "head, shoulders, knees and toes".
We went to bed at about 10pm and had a good night's sleep.
The next morning we got up at 8 a.m. and had some breakfast, tea and toast, (so much toast).
We hiked for a couple of hours mostly downhill.
Although the sun was not out, the humidity was very high so it was hard work hiking.
Bamboo rafting was fun but hard work. The guide stood at the front pushing us along with his pole; I was at the back doing the same and George was sitting in the middle relaxing.
The sun came out and we both got a bit burnt. We got back to have a nice warm shower and the food they gave us was just wonderful.
Tomorrow, (the 18th), we are going, by bus to a small place called Pai, north-west of Chiang Mai . We intend to hire a trials (dirt) bike to get around.
We will stay for a number of days and then go back south to Ayutthaya, just north of Bangkok for a few days before I come back to the U.K. on the 28th.
George says: I've had the most wonderful Thai massage today, (all above board), with our travelling buddy Jackie. Simon wasn't keen so didn't join us; I think he may be wondering round Chiang Mai as I type. It certainly stretched away the aches and pains from the two day trek. Imagine Simon punting a bamboo raft down a river in a dense jungle and me catapulting stones from a handmade catapult, then walking up hills with waterfalls and loud jungle creatures. I'm averaging about one cake a day here - yum !
