We had a small introduction to the Thai countryside on a fantastic day trip to Kanchanaburi (afew hours west of Bangkok) where we visited the Bridge over the River Kwai, Sai Yok waterfall and had a rickety train journey through the Kwai valley. Our guide was extremely camp and kept calling us, and the only other western girl on the trip (everyone else was Japanese), 'sexy ladies' and asking us to marry him. Difference in colour still seems to cause abit of a stir here despite the wide-spread tourism, as I experienced first-hand during the trip. I was having a nice cool off in the waterfall, surrounded by local kids playing in the water, when a Muslim family decided that my pale skin was some kind of mircale and proceeded to make me pose with each member of the family for, what felt like, hundreds of photos. Very embarassing!!
I am currently in an internet cafe in Chiang mai, which is about to close, after moving from our nice posh hotel, included in the trek, on one side of the moat, to a very cheap, but not totally disgusting, guesthouse on the other. The jungle trek was absolutely amazing!! Our guide, Luke (not his real name) picked us up from the airport and from then on I felt we were in safe hands. He came from one of the hilltribes and has been leading treks for 7 years. He spoke English, Thai, Spanish and some Japanese, aswel as his own tibal language. I think I'm slightly in love. Haha. The truck ride to and from the Mae Ping area we trekked in was pretty terrifying - Mum would have had a fit!! The actual walking was hard work, up and down hill, but atleast the air was abit cooler up there. It even got quite cold overnight at the first village where we stayed in a hut on stilts. The food was fantastic - lots of interesting curries and fruit and veg, and village life was so beautifully simple - showering in the streams and going to bed by candlelight. The elephant ride was alot of fun (and no I didn't cry like I did on that horse in America). We named our elephant Jack, and Louise got to ride on his head because she is a crazy kid! I think the best part of the trip was the bamboo rafting on the last day. Despite being totally petrified before I got on I actually enjoyed the rapids we went through (literally went through upto our waists, not over) the most. I got to hold onto the tripod for the bags which meant I also got to try fishing with Luke's home-made rod. Haha. No luck, I'm afraid!
Cookery lesson tomorrow and the amazing Chiang Mai night bazaar again tonight, as we loved it so much the first time around.
Next stop Laos, following a three day journey on the Mekong river!
Here is the first lot of photos I have managed to put onto Picasa, let me know if you can't see them.
https://picasaweb.google.com/115396624801108203436/BangkokKanchanaburi#
Brilliant! I had to lean back so I didn't fall off the elephant's head when it went down hill, so well done Louise! Keep safe love John and Liana xx
ReplyDeleteLen, no one can see your photos. Have you enabled them for public viewing? Next to 'Albums' there's a bit that says 'edit visibility'.
ReplyDeletexx