I arrived in Chiang Mai at around 7 the following morning. I met two girls from Oxford and spent the next 24 hrs with them in Chiang Mai. They were only there for 48 hrs so they wanted to make the most of their time there so booked to go elephant trekking the day in an hours time and I thought as not to waste anytime I'd go along. However as the day involved we realised it wasn't just elephant trekkin we'd signed ourselves up for by rafting and a waterfall hike too.. so a very busy day after a night asleep on a night bus.
That evening they were exhausted but I decided to go check out the Sunday Market that takes place in the town- in a mission to go eat some weird things that came on sticks- but unfortunetly the rain had other plans and absolutely poured down so I found refuge in a little restaurant where I had some spring rolls instead.
The following day after changing hostels to a more lively one spent the day wandering around Chiang Mai looking around many many Wats.
There's something just so overwhelmingly calm about standing under a huge Chedi (buddist statue) while it towers above you.
I've never been one for religion- always suspicious of that 'one greater being' although for years now accepted that the teachings -whatever religion- are supplying guidence with good intentions to help anyone who chooses to listen.
Being the first day i'd truely spent alone so far, it seemed like a nice time to pause for reflection- and in what better way that by enjoying a cold Milo (a god in it's own right!)... all that thinking got me really hungry and I decided it was time for some Thai food so I head to a local cafe I've spotted and quite liked the look of.
Later that evening after booking to go trekking for two days I headed to the night bizzar to get a raincoat as I was sure as hell going to need one!
The next day (Tuesday) I got up at 7 and got picked up for trekking. In my group were two boys from near Oxbridge who I spent most of my time with, a spanish couple and a whole lot of french people... but I was pretty sure the extent of my french "Ou est la post?" wasn't going to come in very handy over the next few days.
The first day we trekked across through the jungle to a village where we stayed the night.. were my favorite quote of the trip so far happened- a drenched chinese man getting angry at his raincoat "this fucking shit, its made in China!!!" (A phase that would later reduce me and Raffi to tears of laughter several times over!)
That evening after dinner me, Malcolm and Raffi stayed up late in the village doing Chang runs in the rain until we decided it was probably pretty late and we should go to bed... tyhen we realised when we got back to our bamboo hut that it was only half 9!.. oh the shame! We spent the next few hours laughing at rediculious things such as my awful impression of the old women from Titantic "The women in the picture is me!".. which Raffi found hilarious , I think I may have damaged his stomach muscles!
Th next day, after a short trekk and me falling into a river, we got picked up and got taken to an elephant camp where we bathed with elephants and went on a walk- with no guide- we obviously looked like we knew how to drive n elephant! Afterwards, I went Zip-lining although as no-one in my group were I was with a bunch of crazy chinese tourist which just made it even more funny.
After some lunch we headed to go white water rafting- were we decided to make a crazy boat- aka the ones who just wanted to get drenched and go head on into the biggest waves... it was sooo much fun and we all got absolutely drenched as planned!We even got in a race with all the 9 chinese people who all were in one boat which I found hilarious.
We returned to our hostel worn out and laughed out!.. what a brilliant couple of days.
We decided as were all exhausted that the three of us would splash out and go to this place tht sold these amazing bugers which we accomplied with a Chang tower. Good times.
So a busy successful few days- and hopefully there will be many more to come!
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