The world according to K

7th June – 19th June 2007

Pictures -in no particular order, the Jungle trek – one of the villages posing in his best outfit outside his house-the guide on the trek before I shouted at him- me in a much needed waterfall during the trek -a close up of the sweaty mess that is me after the trek, the village long house, group sharing the dubious pipe with granny, a close up of a very ill me on the overnight train from Bangkok to Chaing Mai- group photie of Heather me – Emma the reunion
Ok so after Geoff left me in Thailand and after a wonderful laid back time on the island of Koh Tao, where the dogs are wonderful – ie.they guard you on the beach and walk you to your door at night- I stayed in Bangkok for a couple of days and then headed to Northern Thailand to Chaing Mai.

This involved me getting the overnight train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and given that I had a really bad cold after diving in Koh Tao I felt dreadful on the train journey. See photie above showing me with headscarf and scarf around mouth to stop the air conditioning irritating my throat. I know I look gorgeous.

Chiang Mai is a lovely part of Thailand- very chilled and laid back. I stayed at Lucy’s Guest House and met up with Gemma and Jay again. I really found the place to be welcoming and its rather like a small town trying to be big. It was originally the capital of Thailand but has somehow retained its roots in architecture and the manner of the people. I ended up doing yoga for a couple of days and then venturing out on an organised trek into the jungle to a remote hill tribe. This involved an overnight stay in one of the village long Houses.

I met up with a lovely group and although the weather starting out was appalling with torrential rain we managed to get to the point by journeying on the back of elephants to start our trek into the jungle.That was the point when the sun came out ….OMG—That bloody trek — now I thought I was relatively fit but I was NOT prepared for this trek- especially after 4 hours of walking through dense jungle – up hills, across rivers and streams without little or no break .I began to struggle badly – lagging behind the group often losing sight and swearing loudly. As the oldest ( as usual ) of the group I couldn’t believe that we never stopped once for a proper break. No not a cup of tea ..just a bloody breath stop.It ended up where one of the crew in front – his legs went from under him and I ended up shouting at the guide ‘to bloody well stop now…”.

Then and only then did we mange to get into some shade and get some water.The guy who virtually collapsed rallied round – but I was shocked at the state of myself. Sweat – the like of which I’ve never experienced was pouring from me- and I was just throwing water down my neck and over my head. I knew I was very very dehydrated and seriously exhausted- the guide even looked concerned- but then everyone appeared to be in the same boat. Later , much later around three quarter of an hour break later and when I was able to speak again – I told the guide just how bloody stupid it was to not let people rest at all and keep them walking in the blazing sun. It was obvious he was new to this and just didnt realise the danger.The others thanked me after wards..but no one- including me – had the bottle to shout stop before the young lad collapsed..how stupid is that?

So much for my jungle prowness – but at least I had a go. The overnight stay in the long house in the village – a wooden house on stilts- was lovely. A wonderful simple meal of vegetable curry and rice – and the family sharing time with us and with Granny passing around a suspicious looking smoking pipe was an experience to treasure. However the most hysterical time was me deciding to take them up on the offer a massage.

Great I thought a lovely massage after such a hard day’s trek. Wrong – the two young women ( in their 60’s) sat either side of me and started pummelling my back at the same time. Ok I can live with this I thought..although its not the most gentle or exhilerating massage I’ve ever had – perhaps it’s particular to this hill tribe..after quarter of an hour of this – they obviously grew bored and after talking for awhile to each other over my back they began to haphazardly just rub here and there as though it was just something to do whilst having a gab. The last straw came when the little 4 year old boy who was filthy dirty after playing in the mud outside – and who kept entering into the “massage area”, was told for the upteenth time to leave them alone blah blah. He ended up sitting on my back and pinching me – so there I was- all three working on my back doing what I think has got to be the worst but most hysterical massage I’ve ever had. I even paid them .

At least it was better than the German woman who was in our group. Her masseur was aged about 90 – had no teeth and smoked a pipe throughout the proceedings- I was lucky I suppose.

After about a week in Chiang Mai I went back by train to Bangkok for one night. I met up with Heather ( Sergio the Italian ) and Emma who I had met in India at the beginning of my trip. Lovely reunion and we made plans to meet up in VIETNAM.

On the 19th June I left Thailand and flew to HANOI in Vietnam. Before I left I was pullled over to the side by Immigration in Bangkok…..it was then that I discovered that I had overstayed my welcome in Thailand by three days..so had to pay a fine. AAAH well such is life ..over a month in Thailand who would have believed it when I was only planning to stay about 2 weeks. …