Chiang Mai & Trekking (February 8-10)

As I announced in my last entry, I did a trekking tour on Wednesday and Thursday. It started chaotic because I first got onto the wrong vehicle. There are so many tourists and different tours that one can easily get confused, especially when several people are starting at the same time from the same guest house.

Our group was really nice. We were six French girls, three Germans (a couple and me) and one American guy and had a lot of fun together. The first day we separated because part of the group had booked walking only and the other part walking plus elephant riding and bamboo rafting. I was on the walking only tour and our guide was really good, he explained a lot of stuff and was able to answer all questions. The jungle here is not spectacular because you don’t see animals but it’s still worth doing the trip because the landscape is very nice. We spent the night in a small village, all together in a bamboo room. It was not the most comfortable night because the mattresses were very thin and lying on the ground. The thin blanket plus my silk sleeping bag wasn’t really enough during the cold night but I won’t complain, I had worse nights in my life.

The second day started turbulent. The man from the German couple got lost on the way. He was walking at the end of the group taking pictures everywhere and didn’t notice that the group had already advanced quite a bit. We waited for him but he didn’t show up. We were first doing jokes but it got more serious when time advanced. The two guides were looking after him but couldn’t find him. We really started to worry (especially his girlfriend) and didn’t know what to do. One guide was staying with us and he seemed really worried either. He always told us that he was so sorry that we couldn’t go on but we told him that sticking to the programme is really not important in this moment. After more than an hour the other guide found him. He took the wrong trail and instead of waiting he went on walking and walking without realising that he is wrong. Anyway, after we got the news via telephone we continued our way to the waterfalls. It was really cool to swim there and jump into the pool (maybe you saw the picture on Facebook). We had a little puppy with us who was really tough. They told us that he would be perfect to become a hunting dog. He tried to cross the river at the upper part of the waterfalls but he didn’t make it and was flushed down the same waterfall I was jumping (I suppose like 4-5 meters high!). I really thought that this is impossible to survive for a puppy dog but he didn’t have any injuries!

Our part of the group was then supposed to separate from the rest of the group (like the day before) in order to walk but we didn’t have the time anymore. Instead we went to the bamboo rafting with all the other people. I had enough of walking anyway so it was ok for me. The bamboo rafting was a relaxed thing without rapids or so. We saw some elephants from the elephant camps drinking at the riverside, so at least I have a picture of them.

As our group was really cool, we decided to go out in Chiang Mai in the evening. Together with another German couple I met at the guest house in Chiang Mai, we went to a more upscale riverside restaurant (really good food!) and then to a roof top bar. It was really sad our ways separated the next day. I could really have spent more time with them!

Yesterday I took it easy, slept long and did some sightseeing in the afternoon (with a bicycle without motor!). I also went to a Thai massage for the first time. When she took my leg, I thought: What the hell is she doing? Thai massage has nothing in common with what we understand of massage. First, it is a full body massage, second she is really pressing deep into your muscles and third she is using elbows, knees and feet to have more power! I cannot really say that I enjoyed it a lot but it was an experience! To conclude my stay in Chiang Mai, yesterday evening I had some beers with Dan from Canada who I met in the guest house. Before I visited the night market in another part of the city. I must say that I really enjoyed Chiang Mai, it's a city you like because of its atmosphere and not because there is so much to see.

I have finally arrived in Chiang Rai, close to the Golden Triangle (border between Thailand, Laos and Myanmar). It will be my last destination in Thailand before entering Laos. The plan is to rent a motor scooter tomorrow to discover the area (the city itself doesn’t look particularly interesting) and cross the Mekong river the day after tomorrow.