We were up early to get our minivan for our 'Trek', on the bus was a middleaged Scottish couple and a Dutch Indonesian couple with their toddler.

We drove for an hour before coming to our first activity, elephant riding, Dave and I got on the first elephant which, after a lot of coaxing, led throughout. The ride took around an hour, up one ridge and down the other side, it wasn't far, the elephants were loath to move. At the end we could buy bananas and feed our elephants, it was cheap and offered some photo opportunities, especially the baby elephant which hadn't learned the lessons its elders had.

After that we walked through a village (Karen?) were we saw the local women weaving cloth and pigs rooting about in the mud streets. We then headed off to a waterfall. If I was told we could go swimming I would have brought some gear, but when we bought the trek we weren't told. We then headed on a trek through the forest that would be banned in most western countries, walking on the tops of walls a few inches across twenty feet above the river, up steep, slippy rises wth no rails. We eventually reached a Hmong village which was even more destitute than the last. We stopped at what I think was the guides own cafe where we were given a spicey, clear soup, a moutain of vegetable fried rice and pineapple and watermelon for dessert. It was then off to the bamboo rafting.

At this sight we stood and watched one Thai stringing 7 or 8 bamboo logs together with sticks and rubber tyres while 5 or 6 other Thais just watched. Half an hour later we could go. On each boat there was a Thai at the front polling and steering and one of the trekkers at the back polling and steering, whilst a couple of people sat in the middle. As I was with the Dutch couple and their kid I did the polling. At first it was hard enough just to keep balanced (see photo at home when it arrives). At the end I was really getting the hang of it. After this we were dropped back at the guesthouse.

We were rather tired so we had a few beers and an early night.