Hey guys,

So today is Doi Suthep day.

Which means a rather large trek up the side of a mountain to the temple on top of the world.

Geeeeet and Maureen came back from their three day trek into the jungle today so that means that we are all back together! yay! Mirthe and Sabrine left this morning to go ahead up the mountain so Paul, Maureen, Geeeeeeta, Adam, Lucy (who arrived last night) Shaaaaheeeen, Lyzi and I are going to make the trek this afternoon.

It's worth the effort if only not for the 6hour hike up the winding road or 45minute vomit inducing tuk tuk ride.

So there is a big story behind the temple and I will cut it into a bite size peice for you. It will make the story a bit distorted but you will get the gist.

Okay so one day there was a Monk called Sumanathera who had a dream to find a relic in Pang Cha, so he did. He set out and after searching and searching he found a bone that seemed to glow, the shoulder bone of buddha. He took this to the King, Dharmmaraja who did not beleive his tale but King Nu Naone of the north kingdon of Thailand believed in him and took the relic into safe keeping. the bone then split into too, the large piece staying where it was and the other calling to the King to place it on the back of a rare white elephant. The elephant was then released into the forest and it began to climb the biggest mountain nearby. Doi Suthep. (pronounced Doy Sue- tep) When it could go no further the elephant trumpetted three times and lay downa nd died. The monks took this as a sign and promptly began to build the biggest temple they could around the elephant and Buddha.

So that is where the temple stands now. Nearly at the top of the mountain with spectacular views. It's an incredible sight to behold if you manage to get to the top without vomitting in the back of a tuk tuk - taxi as the road to get there winds back on it's self but is a very fast road so the g-force and swaying can make even the most hardened body feel queasy. It took us a few minutes to stand once we had arrived.

Once you arrive though, it is not just as simple as walking into the temple. Oh no. These monks dont like to make life easy on themselves, there are nearly a thousand steps just to get inside the temple. 800 from the plato where you will be dropped off on your way up and 260 alone from bottom of the temple to the top.... Yeah it is not a walk for the sore footed, faint hearted or easily tired. We took a break every 60 steps which was hard going even then.

Dont panic though, there will always be a laughing smiling face of the temple guards to mock your attempts to reach the top to cheer you up.....

Ha, that aside, the temple is beautiful, utterly beautiful if not a little gold... ALOT gold, everything is a glistening beacon int he sun so take sunshades. All in all though with the little side rooms and the pagoda, the temple will take you half an hour to do if you arent the sort to stop and read or admire the statues and hard work put into the sides and floors of the temple buildings which in that case will take you at tops an hour for all your queasy triumphant hard work to get here int eh first place.

It is worth a look I assure you, especially with the balcony that runs the entire mountain top for a viewing platform down into the valleys, but if temples are not your thing, then make sure you head here first and then you will have seen every temple for ever more.

Appart from the sign saying Foreign visiters pay 30Baht this way whereas the thai's wander freely, it's a good day out!

I hope that this entry to the blog has been a bit of culture and history for once, dont worry though, back to mindless drivel in the next one for sure!

Miss you guys back home!

Next update coming up now!

xXx