Entries about mai

Onto Chiang Mai! We left late in the day for our train up to the mountains, only to arrive and wait around for an hour before the train arrived and another hour before it left. Yes this is no japan. When Carl and I bordered the train we found our selves split between two compartments. I chose one with a nice Thai family in it who gave me loads of advice on what to see and do. But Carl chose one with two small, loud, crying children. From what I have heard that was one hell of a mistake.

When we arrived in Chiang Mai, the next day we were excited by they nice warm air.

This was because the aircon on the train was unajustable. It was like some one thought, "ok they paid for air-conditioning, well they're going to get as much as we can give them". We walk around the train station till we found our driver to the hotel that had been booked for us back in Bangkok, and met some of the people we would be trekking with in the days to come.

The next day was filled with driving from temple to temple

, which was abit boring. Until we visited a tiger zoo. That was awesome stuff! We got to play with them and pat them, but just when we got comfortable with them we were reminded by their roar that these cute fury cats can still kick our asses.

The next day 730 came and left, and it was only by chance that Carl woke up to find that my alarm had not gone off and we were late for our trek. We scrambled about, grabbing things we would need before running down stars to find literally a truck load of people waiting. Whoops! I started chatting to the others on the trek. There was a young English couple of the same age as me, a German family, German couple and some Danes.

The truck stopped for breakfast and we all piled out to eat some crazy fried food, along with really fresh fruit. After breakfast our guide asked who wanted to sit on the roof. I was reluctant to do so at first but leapt upon it when I saw the others go first. It was the best thing I could have ever done! The warm breeze on your face and magnificent views made the car ride ten times faster.

After another hour of driving, the truck pulled up at the elephant lodge for a play and a ride. Of course I picked the biggest, craziest elephant in the whole park, 'tuk tuk'. We feed him and got to know tuk tuk before we climbed up on top. All the elephants kept putting there trunks over their heads as if to ask " more food please" but tuk tuk went through all the bananas we bought in the first 5 meters and gave up on us. Instead he started eat bits of trees. Then he chased the other elephants and stole the bananas of fellow trekkers. When he exhausted that option he proceed to snap a tree in half and drag it behind him. Finally at the end of the ride he pushed a trainer out the way and stole a bunch of banana leaves from inside a hut, almost knocking Carl off. He was a crazy one!

Another 20mins up the road we started the real trek. We saw magnificent mountain rangers, wildlife, waterfalls and rivers! we walk to a local village where they grew bananas and they were the best bananas i have ever had. As night fell the guide through a small "banger" into the forest to let the other village know we were coming. It was the loudest explosion i have ever heard, i almost fell over in shock.

We continued on to the camp site and 'settled in', which consisted of swimming in the freezing, raging torrent that was the creek just down hill and warming up around a camp fire with a few brews. After an amazingly scrumptious dinner we sat under the stars and sang songs that we all knew despite the language barrier. Surprisingly Carl didn't know how to play any song even tho he study guitar for 5 years. looking up at the sky everyone but Carl and I was in awe of how many stars they could see. But in reality the number of stars was about the same that you see back in Adelaide.

The next day Carl and I had to say our goodbyes as we only had time for a two day trek rather than three days like the rest. We set off in different directions and about 10 mins later we started to 'koowe' to the other group. They quickly responded with another small 'banger'.

About half an hour into our trek we were dripping in sweat and decided to have a shower under a water fall near to the trail.

It was one of the best experiences of my life. The water was warm and cooling all at the same time. After we had bathed we trekked on down stream until we reach the bamboo rafts. We hoped onto one and were washed down stream at an alarming rate. over rocks, down rapids and under lower growing trees. it was epic fun, especially when we got to splash other groups as we pasted by.

Over all it was a truly awesome trek!