Hill tribe trekking
December 16th, 2008I had signed up for a 3 day trek through my guest house, struggling to wake up, eat breakfast and fit everything into a day pack I managed to get everything together by the 9am pickup. Lots of people had told me it would be cold so I took my sleeping bag which took up most of the room in my day pack then tried to fit a few more things around it.
Unlike NZ where tramping (trekking) means 20 kg’s on your back, carrying your gas cookers, all your food and possibly a tent, plus gear for anything from snow to sun, and stumbling along a bush path marked by intermittent orange triangle. Trekking in other parts of the world, usually means a guide, places to stay each night with all food provided along the way. I think when I describe NZ trekking experiences to other people they either a) think I am crazy and wonder why I would do anything so painful sounding or b) think I am super hard core outdoors where in reality I am neither, or though maybe slightly crazy when I think about it. So really this trek wasn’t exactly the hardest thing I have ever done, but a few hills to make it challenging enough to feel like you’d achieved something.
In my trekking group were Donald and Malieka from Holland, Ivan from France, Henry from Canada and 4 British guys traveling together (how anyone can travel in a group of 4 for a year is beyond me, I have bet that by the time they get to NZ they will have gone separate ways). We also had 2 guides who were really cool. Firstly we stopped by a market to pick up supplies then drove an hour or so out to the elephant camp where we went for a short ride, by now I have ridden a lot of elephants, but they are just so cool! I brought some banana’s and fed them to our elephant along the way then had to fight off his trunk as he was looking for more.
When we were walking over to the elephants we noticed that it was mating season and a couple of elephants were *ummmm* enjoying themselves a bit, kind of looked as though the male had an extra leg…..after charging through the bush and knocking down a few tree’s we had some lunch where Edd thought it would be a great idea to eat a huge spoonful of chilies…even the Thai ladies serving lunch felt sorry for him.
Then it was about 3 hours walk mostly up hill to our village on the side of a hill (it is hill tribe trekking after all) with beautiful views of the valley around us.
We stayed in a raised bamboo house where we had delicious food and played the guitar by candle light all night with a family and our guides. Although we could really only manage a handful of songs: Let it Be (although only the chorus) Wonderwall, and that annoying “mia-hee, mia-haa mia-hoo” song….hilarious repeating those all night before it was under our mosquito nets for the night only to be woken bright an early by roosters who seem to have the skill of sounding like they are inside your head.
Back on the trail it was a steep climb for the first bit but then easier for the rest of the day. Fro lunch we stopped at a waterfall, cold and way too much waterfall but nice for a dip and a relaxing lunch then lying in the sun for a bit.
Our camp for the night was a similar house but in the jungle, not a village, again a nice dinner then we lit a campfire and sung a few songs and talked before heading to bed.
Our final day was a short walk to the white water rafting base where we rafted down the river for about an hour, I was a little scared as my last white water rafting experience in Peru had almost killed me, but we managed to stay inside the boat this time and the rapids weren’t quite as life threatening. Then we transferred into a bamboo raft which floated half sunk down to where we had lunch, hung out in the sun where the boys played football for a bit.
Great 3 days, not too hard, lots of different stuff to do and great people, plus very cheap, only 1500 baht ($75NZD) for everything for 3 days, almost cheaper than not doing it! Back to Chiang Mai I said goodbye, a little sad as everyone was meeting for drinks later, but I had a bus that night so had a quick shower, some food then it was off to an overnight bus to Bangkok where I learned that the airport had re-opened (yay) and everything would be all good for my flight home. Actually 6 of the 8 people are heading to New Zealand in the next 6 months so hopefully I’ll catch up with them all.
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