Hey Guys, well we've been away for 5 days now so thought it was about time we posted our first blog. Things got off to a flying start with us getting here on time but minus Blair's luggage. Thats right BA managed to leave it in London. Started off in Bangkok, took our lives in our hands with a taxi ride to our hotel. The hotel was clean but very basic. We managed to sleep through our first day so didn't manage to see much of the city but we are heading back there 2moro so will hopefully see it then.

Took the overnight train to Chang Mai. Very bumpy ride but managed to get some sleep and it was all worthwhile when we opened up the curtains in the morning and saw the thailand we had imagined. Rolling hills, banana trees, wooden shacks built next to grand colonial mansions and people riding motorbikes. Had a walk about Chang Mai in the afternoon and went to the three kings mounment where there had been a ceremony earlier that day. We did manage to lay a flower, light some insence and get married underneath it thou!!! An old man held our hands and started saying some thai then i love you, i love you!!! A local man translated and told us that we were to be wed very soon! (Don't believe the hype thou guys!) Went to the night bazaar and had yet another amazing dinner. Which cost about 1.20!!

Next morning we headed out for our three day jungle trek, which Sarah was not looking forward to!! Joining us was Chiyo from japan, our trek leader Dong and our local guide and cook Mr Sang. 4 hours and 16 buckets of sweat later we arrived at a local village were we spent the night. Not exactly the ritz but a bed all the same. The village looked like something from a hundred years ago, with the people living in wooden huts with no hot water, and animals living under their homes! Everyday they wake up with the rooster and go to work in the nearby rice fields. They rely on the motorbikes to transport them, their families and their goods to the town. We were often past by bikes with 3 or 4 kids on the back with no helmets!! It was eye opening experience and strange to think that people still live like this in 2007!

Next morning we were off hiking again. We climbed a hill called mama hill which was very steep and Sarah had to stop every 2 minutes for water while Blair skipped on up to the top!! We then descended on the other side and arrived at an elephant camp, where we had lunch in the shade and watched the elephants have a bath in the river. Glad to have a rest from walking we rode on the elephants to the next village which was a bit more luxurious than the last. In that it had a toilet seat!! After a delicious dinner of potato curry made by Mr Sang, we went for a wee nap which lasted around 13 hours!!!

Our final day in the jungle we didn't have to hike which Sarah had prayed for! We went bamboo rafting instead! 15 bits of bamboo lashed together with more bamboo and Sarah was ready to hike again!! However we survived even after we hit a rock and our guide fell in. After lunch it was back to Chang Mai in the back of a Songthaew.

(We now have photos so you can all have a good laugh at Sarah!!)

Love Sarah & Blair xx