Hello,

We made it to Chiang Mai on the 12 hour night bus. Its not as bad as it sounds, as there were movies playing to pass the time.

We were dropped at Good Place Guest House at 6am and they offered us tea and coffee and a 3 day tour into the jungle. We took them up on this, and were booked in for 9am the next day.

Things looked a bit dodgy when our tour guide told us his name 'Crazy' and before we were allowed past a tourist road block we had to sign into the jungle, and sign back out on the way back - just so they knew we had all made it! By this time we were wondering what we had let ourselves in for! There were 14 of us heading into the jungle to be split into 2 groups. We were all squished into the back of a truck, when suddenly we pulled over to let Crazys Dad and Sister into the back with us! They had to sit on the floor, and Craig went on the roof rack while Andy stood on the tail gate!

Our first day of actual trekking started after lunch. It seemed nice and easy. Then the rain started. It poured and poured and poured and didnt stop. We were all soaked to the bone! Also the narrow, vertical tracks we were following turned to rivers. There was no handrails, and no marked path - this was proper jungle trekking! The guides were so fast and it was difficult to keep up with them, they laughed at us because we were soooo bad! The arrived at the first village we were to sleep in 2 1/2 hours later. We soon learnt that the villages children take the same path as us to school every day, and it takes them well under an hour, The Shame!

Dinner was delicious, cooked by Crazy. Green thai curry, stir fry veg and rice was just what we needed to fill our hungry bellies! The village children also put on their traditional dress and danced for us. We sat round drinking, with Crazy trying to make us sing until bed time.

The next day we were to trek in the morning again. The rain had still not stopped. It didnt really bother us being wet as it wasnt cold, and the group we were with were all a good laugh and all in it together. It was tough going and there were a few slips and falls. Adam fell down a particularly steep path, but didnt want to dirty his shorts (which were white) on the orange clay floor, so kind of cartwheeled instead. He earned a round of applause from our group and saved his shorts! Lunch was spent at another village on the way. We all cleaned up in a waterfalll and sat down to noodle soup. Then we walked for another hour in the rain to the elephants. They had to be herded down from the jungle where they had been 'grazing' I think! There were 3 big ones for the 9 of us, and 2 babies. We felt really rude climbing onto the elephants, as you step from the platform onto its head and then along its neck onto the basket. Adam and I bagged a basket, while Rob had to go bareback! He had to sit on its head, and tuck his legs behind its ears. There were no reigns, sturrups or anything! He soon got the hang of it and said that his ears were really warm and the flapping kept the bugs off him. The elephants were amazing! They can go over all terrain, I'd chose one over a 4x4 any day. They were controlled by the village men shouting at them from the floor. We rode for about 1 1/2 hours through streams, up mud banks and through thick jungle. Getting off them was a bit trickier as we had to jump from its head onto a path next to them. We walked to the next village for an hour and settled in for the night. Adam had a shower and came back shouting that he had a leech on him! It was on his leg from the waterfall we think but he didnt notice it because it looked like mud. He took a photo of his leg afterwards, which I think he is putting on Facebook. The rain finally stopped and we sat out playing cards and drinking after another yummy dinner.

The next morning was hot and dry. We walked (again) for a couple of hours. It was worse than the rain! It was too hot and we all sweated buckets. We ate lunch and then climbed aboard the bamboo rafts. Our raft man was very good and fast. It was lovely and peaceful on the River. Adam, Marie and I soon lost the others on their rafts and admired the lovely scenery. You had to keep your wits about you, as we all almost got taken out by various overhanging branches on the way. I wasnt paying attention and didnt step over a really thin vine. I'm not sure what happened but it was more like a trip wire. It caught me round the ankles and I fell on my knees. The raft kept going forwards, but I wasn't moving because I was still tangled in it. Adam crashed into me and fell over too like a dominoe! By this time the raft man had stopped us and we were right at the end. My foot had gone through the Bamboo planks and was stuck! After much tugging and us all getting the giggles I was free! We were all abit more careful after that. We all had a go at punting for a little while. I wasnt very good. It may have been a coincidence, but every time I had a go the raft seemed to be 1 foot under water instead of floating on it!

After the rafts that was it. Our jungle adventure was over. The whole group agreed that we had had an amazing time. We hadnt seen a single other tourist and had enjoyed every moment of being in the jungle. The villagers were all friendly and our guide was really knowledgeable, after all he had lived in this part of the jungle all his life. Adams highlight is walking down the steep slopes and finally learning to walk as fast as the guides, and mine is riding the elephants who were unbelieveably agile in the jungle. The group we were in are all meeting up for dinner tonight. After that we have to go to the night market to replace all the clothes that got destroyed by the mud and rain!