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had a look around at trekking opportunities. We wanted 2 go as soon as possible. Our hotel were doing one for the day and we liked the look of it so booked us in. A 3 day, 2 night trek in Bong Duet National Park.
Before departure we had 2 secure all our valuables in the safe - we put everything in a envelope which was sealed in front of us, i then had to put my signature on 3 of the sides. This is all to ensure the safety of it while we were away. There have been loads of stories of valuables going missing while away so we thought this this safest measure. What made us feel even safer was that on the way we stopped at a tourist police checkpoint where an american expat explained that every trek group had to check in and that the guide had to give an detailed internary of where we were headed. There were 6 of us in our tour group, a nice small number and we had plenty of room in the jeep. (at lunch later that day we saw at least 10 crammed into a smaller jeep !!) The first stop was at a market about 30 mins outside of Chiang Mai where our guide bought supplies for the trip - he managed to somehow buy and leave behind a loaf of bread. From here we went to Mork Faa waterfall. The pool at the bottom was too shallow to swim in but we did go underneath the falls and had a group photo in front of them. After lunch we headed to the hot springs where we soaked our feet in the hot water pools (artifical though as pipes bring the water down from further up the hill - there was however a geyser further up). This was the start of the trekking!!! We walked to Pong Noi Karen village where we were to spend the night. We all slept in one large room on the floor, there were plenty of blankets and we had a mosquito net.
The next morning after breakfast we set off on a 4 hour trek to the elepant camp (we must have walked up and down at least 3 hills) Once there we had luch by the river. We fed our left over orange peels to an elepant that had crossed the river to come and see us. from here we travelled by elepant ( Jo and I weren't properly strapped in and had to stop ourselves slidding out). Wished this portion of the trek had lasted longer as it was great fun to walk through the jungle on the backs of these graceful giants. Not once did they lose footing, even though the path was small and steep in places. It was the a short walk into the village where we would be spending our second night. we had the option of having a shower - although in reality this was just a barral of cold water and a scoop. much needed though. The village celebrating christmas, i have no idea why there were celebrating so early as when i asked i was told that they were protestant and that the catholic villages celebrate on the 25th which seems a bit starnge. We were invited to join in, so we went over to say hello and to sample some of their cooking but as we had our own dinner prepared for us we did'n't stay long. After dinner which was delicious we played games round the campfire. If we got it wrong we had to try some of the local whiskey or get soot painted onto our faces. The whiskey wasn't as bad as i thought. Then we had a walk round the village in the dark and were invited to share some local tea with a family in their home. The mother of the house was a bit wierd, proabably had had too much whiskey and kept telling the only man in our group that she wanted to have his babies.!!!
In the morning we went down to the river as the next part of the journey was by bamboo raft. (4 hours). All 7 of us had to balance on the one raft. For most of the time it was easy to balance, their wer only a few occasions where we bumped into things and got stuck that we really had to hold on. The scenery that we passed through was gorgeous, we were the only raft along this part of the river so it was really peaceful. At the point we got off their were loads of whitewater rafting grou[s heading out, it was obvious that the small raft that we had been using wouldn't have been able to go any further down river. after luch we got back into the jeep and headed back to Chiang Mai.
Went up to the tribal museum the next day to get more info on the various tribes in the north - their origins, ways of living and the methods they use on the land. The top floor of the museum was dedicated to how the king has helped the tribespeople by improving the way they use the land (stop slash and burn) and to turn from opium production to cash crops that will give them a better profit. From here we then went to Wat Jet Yot which is modelled on the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya (India). We didn't make it to see the original so Jo wanted to see this one which was much easier to get to. The 7 spires represent the 7 weeks that Buddha was supposed to have spent in Bodhgaya after his enlightenment. On the way back into town we stopped off at Wat Chiang Man which is the oldest Wat within the old city walls. That night We went out for food with christina and Shaun from our trek group and went out for drinks afterwards - ended up in a regge bar as it was the livliest.
I really wanted to see more of the painted umbrellas that we had seen decorating some of the bars and restaurants. For this we causght a white sawngthaew to the village of Bo Sang. We had a look at the Umbrella making factory and in thier show room. I would have loved to have bought one of the umbrellas but there was no way that i would be able to carry it around with me or get it sent home. In the end i bought myself a small fainted fan to remind me of the day. There wer loads of shops and stalls surounding the road so we had a look round these for a while before heading back to Chiang Mai.
The next day we headed for Doi Suthep - had to get a shared red sawngthaew ( it would wait for us while we looked around the temple) Wat Phro That Doi Suthep is one of the north of Thailand's most sacred temples. It's said that it was built here because a white elephant carrying an honoured Buddha relic collapsed here. There were 309 steps for us to climb from the road up to the temple. From here their were views of chiang Mai but because of the heat it was a bit hazy. After we had been dropped off in Chaing Mai we visited Wat Chedi Luang which included a ruined temple that had partially collapsed due to an earthquake in 1545. The emerald Buddha that is now housed in Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok was orignally housed here. That night we made our way down to the night Bazaar and walked up the strret covered in stalls selling various souveniers and clothes. I was really good and stopped myself from buying anything but instead had a grat time looking around. We started at the bottom and worked our way to the top, then headed over the river to the Riverside Bar. It was more expensive that other places we have been but the atmosphere was great and they even had a live band.
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