Chang Mai

We arrived in Chang mai at 10am after leaving Bangkok the night before at 7.30pm - a mamoth train journey but not the 'epic' I imagined - oh well! We were picked up by the hostel that we had booked into (YHA) and although the room was clean, had aircon, a hot shower and mosi net, it was also at least a 30min walk (remember that heat!) to the main part of town and where everything was happening - it was also expensive at 550 baht a night. We moved today. You live and learn.

Chang Mai is great (still here). It has a moat around the old town where most of the Wats are (temples). We haven't been to any of these as there are so many and you can get a bit 'watted' out, but they are stunning as you walk past. We did visit Doi Suthep Wat (which is on a hill overlooking the city). It was absolutely stunning and had a great view over the valley. The temples here are so beautifully decorated and built, but then I have always liked Asian/Thai archetecture. We got to the wat on a motorbike we hired for the day... was a bit odd riding along in a vest top with a helmet that wobbled so much as it was three sizes too big (sorry mum - it had to be done!). Goes against everything Jon's always said to me about idiots who ride around in very unsafe clothing in the uk... er hem? Anyway, it was good to be out and about once I got over initial jitters. We also visited a place that was good for Thai silk and crafts - some amazing stuff and so cheap... was really annoyed that we got there with enough time to have a quick tea and then had to go... was a bit like having a 'shopping' carrot wafted under my nose. Jon had to practically drag me away by the teeth (or is it the legs?).

During our second night here there was an earthquake (well- strong tremor) which, understandably I think, had me checking for an escape route and making sure I was clothed enough for a quick exit. Jon however rolled over and said, 'go back to sleep Taff - it's only an earthquake' ?????. Man's ability to sleep never ceases to amaze me. There were aftershock tremors too. That didn't help. Nor did the insane barking of all the dogs in Chang Mai directly after each tremor... and the cockerals crowing at 1am. Was all a bit surreal actually and didn't give me the best relaxation and rest for starting out three day/two night trek the next morning - a trek Jon took a long time persuading me was a good idea (I wasn't convinced about the 'getting back to nature' part in the middle of the Thai jungle).

The trek began supposidly at 9.30am when we were picked up from our hostel... in truth we had to pick up other group members, faff about at the office, visit a market for supplies and, most importantly, have lunch before we actually started trekking anywhere... And when we did, I was so glad I'd opted in. The scenery was amazing from the start. We walked past grazing oxen and water buffalo, hill tribe villages, rivers and waterfalls and through the Thai jungle. The group we went with were a mixed bunch of four Japanese (elderly - around 70!) men, a Kiwi/Australian couple (Tim and Carly who I hope to meet up with again) Jon and myself and five twenty-something Irish girls. It actually worked out really well. The Japanese were the 'sobering' element to the group, the Irish girls and Jon the opposite, myself the Kiwi and Australian somewhere in the middle. Found myself laughing a lot which is always a good thing.


One of the first views

One of our first encounters on the trek was with a large black terrantula which prompted the question (from the Irish contingent) "is it poisonus?" and with the response of yes, "then why are we standing here?". A good point I felt (spiders never have been my strong point). After that we saw another large (as in bigger than my hand) dragon spider - the problem with this one being that it hung from trees in webs (I refused to go first after this). We also saw plenty of dogs (they're everywhere - literally) cats, pigs (also everywhere) waterbuffalo, chickens and cockerals (noisy b***ards) and elephants. Yes, the elephant ride was one of the highlights. They loomed out of the jungle almost silently. It was quite something. Shame about the uptight mahooter - seemed a bit teenage and moody and it took all my will power not to come over all teacher-ish and tell him to snap out of it (pointless really as he wouldn't have understood a word, although I'm convinced the teacher 'tone' is universal). Anyway, put it down to the fact that he probably spends too much time hanging out with elephants.


Breakfast

The first night we stayed in a communal hut, sleeping on the floor and shrouded in mosi nets (a similar affair for the second night too). It was a shame that Jon and I had holes the size of a terrantula in ours. No prizes for guessing what I spent half the night worrying about. It was also freezing as we were quite high up so I donned every item of clothing I had including a fleece hoody and just about managed to keep warm.



One of the houses where lunch was made

The second day was great again - more beautiful scenery, more great food (that I can't quite get my head around how they managed to cook it for so many so well in such limited conditions) more treking through amazing Thai jungle and villages and our final destination was a camp by a waterfall. It was stunning. The first thing we all did was get in the water and have a shower/wash... it was like a scene from Pocahontas with myself, Carly and the Irish girls all washing in the river! Very cold though.


At waterfall camp

The final day had us (briefly) treking again then bamboo rafting down the river. This was good to a point although Tim took a bit of a tumble on a 'rapids' bit of the river and turned a serious shade of green after whacking himself on some rocks. A large singha beer seemed to put him to rights though!

It was a great couple of days and I'm glad I went!