Well, we just got back from our 3 day trek to the hill tribes just north of
Chiang Mai. The first day we explored a beautiful waterfall, then hiked 3 hours to a Karen tribe village tucked in the mountains. We had one other American solo traveller, and 4 Spanish lady friends who did the trek with us and our guide was a Jackie Chan-look alike named
Som Dee.
It was up and down slopes through hot sun and misty fog, and then we came upon the small village surrounded by tiers of rice fields and lots of bamboo houses. We stayed in small bamboo huts on stilts and the villagers made us dinner of delicious vegetable curries and rice.
The next morning we got up early and hiked for 4 hours again through the blazing sun. Our Spanish ladies complained enough to give us plenty of breaks...which was really very much appreciated and then
we finally came down the mountain side into a small valley where 10 elephants and lots of water
buffalo were bathing in a river at a small elephant camp. We loved hanging out with the big wrinkly guys, and watching the kids give them all baths before our trek. We rode them for about an hour through the jungle, until we got to the next Karen village.
That night
Som Dee serenaded us with his Thai versions of American classics...Bryan Adams, "Everything I do, I do it for you" became "
Avry doooo,
dooooo faaa you"....very entertaining :)
The next day was the biggest adventure yet...Bamboo rafting. Which sounded very peaceful and relaxing meandering down a big calm river- We were so wrong! At 8am
Som Dee loads up all 8 of our bags on a bamboo tripod and we all line up in a single file trying to distribute our weight. In about 2 minutes our feet disappear, then our ankles and then
Som Dee says " Very quick...OFF!"
Som Dee and another villager found another piece of bamboo to tie on making it16 pieces instead of 15 pieces keeping us afloat. Drew and the other American guy were given the job to maneuver us through the river, which they realized quickly was much harder than it looked. We were banging against rocks and ducking under trees until they figured out how to put all of their weight
on their 15 foot bamboo poles while pushing off the river bottom.
Our favorite part was when
Som Dee said, "OK, sit down...small waterfall" All of us looked at each other, and stopped laughing when we started going over fast rapids, hitting rocks on the way down.
Liss was hanging on by one hand until someone pulled her back on. It was quite the adventure! Next stop Laos.....
Well, we just got back from our 3 day trek to the hill tribes just north of Chiang Mai. The first day we explored a beautiful waterfall, then hiked 3 hours to a Karen tribe village tucked in the mountains. We had one other American solo traveller, and 4 Spanish lady friends who did the trek with us and our guide was a Jackie Chan-look alike named Som Dee.
It was up and down slopes through hot sun and misty fog, and then we came upon the small village surrounded by tiers of rice fields and lots of bamboo houses. We stayed in small bamboo huts on stilts and the villagers made us dinner of delicious vegetable curries and rice.
The next morning we got up early and hiked for 4 hours again through the blazing sun. Our Spanish ladies complained enough to give us plenty of breaks...which was really very much appreciated and then
we finally came down the mountain side into a small valley where 10 elephants and lots of water buffalo were bathing in a river at a small elephant camp. We loved hanging out with the big wrinkly guys, and watching the kids give them all baths before our trek. We rode them for about an hour through the jungle, until we got to the next Karen village.
That night Som Dee serenaded us with his Thai versions of American classics...Bryan Adams, "Everything I do, I do it for you" became "Avry doooo, dooooo faaa you"....very entertaining :)
The next day was the biggest adventure yet...Bamboo rafting. Which sounded very peaceful and relaxing meandering down a big calm river- We were so wrong! At 8am Som Dee loads up all 8 of our bags on a bamboo tripod and we all line up in a single file trying to distribute our weight. In about 2 minutes our feet disappear, then our ankles and then Som Dee says " Very quick...OFF!" Som Dee and another villager found another piece of bamboo to tie on making it16 pieces instead of 15 pieces keeping us afloat. Drew and the other American guy were given the job to maneuver us through the river, which they realized quickly was much harder than it looked. We were banging against rocks and ducking under trees until they figured out how to put all of their weight on their 15 foot bamboo poles while pushing off the river bottom.
Our favorite part was when Som Dee said, "OK, sit down...small waterfall" All of us looked at each other, and stopped laughing when we started going over fast rapids, hitting rocks on the way down. Liss was hanging on by one hand until someone pulled her back on. It was quite the adventure! Next stop Laos.....
