The local school

The local school looked like a lot of fun... and apart from one boy sitting in the grass amongst a pile of books I did not see much learning going on! Unfortunatley we were only there for a few minutes but I managed to get some funny shots of the children.

I am only in Chang Mai for one more night, and to be honest after all of that treking I am now ready for bed. I am staying in a lovely hostel - the 'Parami Guesthouse'- only about 6 pound a night, and the best so far!

Back to Bangkok tomorrow, where big markets and ping pong shows await!

Karen

We caught this cheeky buffalo eating some ones pants! It definetly has a guilty look on its face!

This little piglet was so cute!

This was a lovely tribe, very welcoming and happy people. They were also completely self-sufficient, and survived on rice, corn, vegtables, chicken, pork - but unlike the other tribe also ate buffalo.

Elephant-back riding

Elephant back riding was fun, but i have to say I did not feel completely safe up there! We rode along the river to our trek guides tribe 'Karen'.

The trek to meet the elephants...

Our lunch - rice, pork, cucumber and lime.

As we walked on from this bull, I looked behind and low and behold, it had decided to charge after us - I let out a little squeel and started running for my life, luckily the trek guide had it all in hand and stood there looking fearful with his knife in his hand.

The seven hour trek to meet the elephants....

Lisa

This man played us a lovely tune on his instrument during breakfast.

My bed... suprisingly comfy!

In the distance you can see the first tribe we visited - 'Lisa'. They are completely self-sufficient and survive off rice, vegtables, pork and chicken.

Jungle Trek

'Jungle Man'

I was wearing my very practial yoga shoes.....

To be honest I thought this trek would be a light walk through a bit of jungle - nice and easy for the tourists. I was very wrong, we walked for five hours through thick jungle - often very steep hills that I practically had to get dragged up. On the second day we treked for seven hours straight, only to stop for a quick dip in the river and a bit of lunch.

This was our trek guide -so sweet and all smiles - he grew up in 'Karen' one of the jungle tribes that we visted at the end. He could not believe that in Europe people walk around without talking to each other and that some people do not know their neighbours.

This is one of many amazing views on the way to the start of our trek.

There was a pot that you shook and out came a stick with a number on it- you then went and matched your number to a fortune - and this was mine... I forgot to mention that the night before this trek I left my bank card with all my travelling money in an ATM machine...'Lost items unlikely to be recovered' could not have been closer to the truth. (luckily I have a back-up card!)

On our first stop we visted a massive Cave - and during the Burma War the people in the local village used to go and hide down there.

Day 1 of the three day trek! A lot of people say I resemble the 'chiwawa' - I agree. When this picture was taken I could hardly work out which one was me.... I think i'm the one on the right but i'm still not entirely sure.

The City of Chang Mai

I spent the whole day here but wish I had more time to explore..... I did not realise how tired I was by the end of it, I must have walked about 30 miles!

This guy is actually made from wax..... I had to watch him for a good 10 minutes to make sure he wasn't breathing - very convincing!


The above dish cost me about 3 pounds. Crab meat and rice, with a portion of prawns.... yum!




The above photo is 'Wat Chedi Luang' - an ancient temple- it was a few thousand years old!

I have just come back from treking in the jungle. I have spent the past three days with three spanish men and a couple from Holland - they speak quite good english but for some reason I find myself speaking very basic english with a japanese accent - just like my mum used to in foreign countrys. 'We want burger..... you understand?' So I apologise if this next blog is very simple!

I will start form Monday - after an interesting nights sleep in the B.M.P Inn, I headed to the center of Chang Mai - very busy place, massive golden temples on every street and lots of monks! The above picture is my first ride in a tuk-tuk, these are fun and so far they have taken me to the the places I want to go for about a pound.