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From Bangkok To LA
Hello everybody, sorry havent updated the pages in a while but we have been in the wilderness for the last few days not an internet cafe in sight.
Here is a quick overview of what we did
On Wednesday we got the overnight train from Ayuthaya to Chaing Mai, quite nice, i got got stuck with the top bunk, half the size of Becky's bed on the bottom.
Arrived in Chaing Mai on the Thursday at the Prince Hotel. No air con only a fan so nice and hot!Spent all day chilling by the pool, drinking watermelon shakes. Becky really likes them, but the last time i had one it came back up fifteen minutes later, so not so good for me.
In the evening we went to Chaing Mai night bazaar, their biggest tourist attraction. Some really good stuff, all very cheap. Dinner=Pizza Hut :)
We had to be up nice and early on the Friday morning as this was the start of the trekking phase of the tour. Had a four hour truck drive to the national park where we would be trekking. Stopped off to have lunch with monkeys snakes and spiders in a strange little hut.
Then we carried in for forty or so minutes up the mountain side till we reached the point where we would be waliking the rest of the way.
Two long hours till we reached the first village through the jungle. Tribal people were very friendly, one even did a little jig for us. Think he had drunk to much of their homemade whisky. We were all staying together in a small barn, quite comfy.
Woke up the next morning at six to the sound of all the roosters in the village. Had a bit of brekky then got cracking for the longest trek of four hours. Through the jungle again was really hard, but was worth it at the end as we were getting taken the rest of the way by elephants. They were all waitng for us in a big group and they brought the baby along as well. Me and bex got to steer our own elephant, well he was sterring us i think, into trees that he wanted to eat mostly.
On the elephants for an hour or so then we stopped for lunch at the elephant camp. One wanted to join us for lunch but was led away by one of the elephant men. Another forty minutes to the second village, i decided to walk, but Bex had had enough and took the bamboo river raft. Still beat her to the vilage tho :)
Accommodation not so good this time, no mossie nets. Just as we got there it started to absolutely piss it down, so got there just in time really. Had a really nice nice curry for dinner, then stayed up four a few hours teaching people how to play s**thead. Really good fun.
Again woke up to the sound of the local chickens and set off on our five hour river rafting experience. Two rafts had already been made for us, got on them and they sank. Not a good sign! They added a few more bamboo logs and we were on our way. First leg of the journey was a warm up for what was yet to come. Stopped off for a drink and some crisps along the river then got going again. We had been told there were some quite fast rapids along the way so were a bit nervous. We managed the first few quite well, but then came the big one. We had to wait for hte first raft to go as it was only safe for one at a time. They got stuck on a big rock, and the porter we had jumped out to move it. They then carried on down the river. Our turn. We were being steered by Grant and Paul. Not the most successful of boat men. First grant fell off the back off hte boat, when under the water, then the raft gopt stuck on a rock. The current was so strong grant was swept into another rock, cracking his chin open, then almost got stuck under the raft. Paul tried to pull him out, whilst me and another fella called Jim had to try and lift the raft off the rock. We got it free then it hit another rock. It went up in the air almost flinging bex of but she clung onto the bags for safety. The raft started to crack and one of the lags split and came off. We managed to get the raft free and were on our way, just a little bit more under the water than before. Me and Jim took over the steering and the rest of the journey was a little bit safer than before.
Finsihed on the rafts then had some lunch. Made our way back to Chaing Mai by truck, reached the hotel and had a nice shower. Then me and bex thought we'd have a thai massage. Unbelievably good, hurt a bit but after felt so much better. then went for dinner. Phil will like this one, went for a subway sandwich. Then went to O'MALLEY's irsh bar for a few drinks and some pool. Got home around half ten eleven, then went straight to bed.
Plan for today is to chill by the pool. We have more night in Chaing Mai, then we are off again tomorrow to Tha Thon, Chaing Rai and the Golden Triangle. Will update piccies as soon asap cos they are really good. Right thats me done time to go get some sun :)
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