While in China I pushed back my departing flight from Bangkok to Sydney a couple weaks. In part cause I thought it more worthwhile to spend more time in a place I have not been and in part in acquissence to the impotence of the US dollar. So with more time, after the islands I went up north.
I took a 12 hour bus from Bangkok to Chiang Rai, a small city just south of the border from Laos and Burma (where there is some awful stuff goin on). Arriving at 5am, I walked a cold, dark few Ks up to a great little hostel where I got my own (grimey) room for less than $3--no frills of course.
Soon enough I booked myself a trek in the mountains near by. Ended up with 2 Italians, an American chick, and a sensational Thai guide named Fido.
A long tail boat ride up the Mae Kok riverSoon enough I booked myself a trek in the mountains near by. Ended up with 2 Italians, an American chick, and a sensational Thai guide named Fido.
brought us to an elephant camp
where these Thai elephants were kept. (As bad as it may seem that they are held in captivity, they are safe here and otherwise going extinct.)
There were even some elephants with TWO trunks! yipes!
Only one grabbed for food though.
After a little ride on the back of these guys, we went off for a fantastic hike into the jungle.
these awsome bamboo forests,
and loads of cool waterfalls
After walking through what were once fields of poppy plants (now eradicated with the help of the US and their satellites), we eventually got up to a Lahu hilltribe village where we stayed for the night.
"Jesus came on 4-wheel drive," said Fido. And many were converted to the Western life that probably came with Christianity... Who can resist the advents of technology. "The big snake came and everything changed," said someone in town. The coming of the road, connecting the town to the outside world, changed their lives forever. Although one positive thing that it brought (I think) were solar panels (freely distributed by the government to any residence) that they use for light at night.
Such great fruit:
In the villages they seemed to make everything from bamboo: butter knives, spears, cups, tools, firewood, smoking pipe, and virtually every part of their houses seemed to be made from the stuff.
Walking through the hill side villages was pretty neat. They were all a bit different: architecture, dress, livelihood...
And it finished with a hot spring...they've figured out a pretty good formula.
Couple days later I rented a bike in Chiang Rai, as I love to do, and just road into the farmland/fields. Came across a cool Buddha sculpture on the face of a cliff
renting a bike $2, 4 hour bus ride $3,
etc. etc., i.e. you can really enjoy yourself! (it's just the plane ticket to get here that's expensive, of course). Then again, I go pretty much as cheap as I can; one could always spend more.
Lastly,
Lady-boys! I don't know what's up with this, but in Thailand there seems to be a third sex recognized by both society and officially by the government, I'm told. Lady-boys, not quite drag-queens but similar, they live everyday life as females. It's scary, you have to catch yourself sometimes. I've seen 'em as young as 15 or so up to late 20's, they dress hyper-feminine and often really look like girls/women. I think they're usually gay, although often act more aggressive than straight men... So watch out. Yipes!
Only one grabbed for food though.
After a little ride on the back of these guys, we went off for a fantastic hike into the jungle.
It was pretty darn lush.
Heaps of banana trees (with banana flowers, below), guava trees, rice patties,
Heaps of banana trees (with banana flowers, below), guava trees, rice patties,
these awsome bamboo forests,
and loads of cool waterfalls
After walking through what were once fields of poppy plants (now eradicated with the help of the US and their satellites), we eventually got up to a Lahu hilltribe village where we stayed for the night.
"Jesus came on 4-wheel drive," said Fido. And many were converted to the Western life that probably came with Christianity... Who can resist the advents of technology. "The big snake came and everything changed," said someone in town. The coming of the road, connecting the town to the outside world, changed their lives forever. Although one positive thing that it brought (I think) were solar panels (freely distributed by the government to any residence) that they use for light at night.
Fido and a few friends (and he had many, i.e. whenever we came across some people on our trek. He'd hiked it a fair few times) cooked up a storm in this quite rudimentary kitchen
The cracks in the bottom of the bamboo floor served as a convenient trash bin; from which the pigs below fed.
Such great fruit:
In the villages they seemed to make everything from bamboo: butter knives, spears, cups, tools, firewood, smoking pipe, and virtually every part of their houses seemed to be made from the stuff.
Walking through the hill side villages was pretty neat. They were all a bit different: architecture, dress, livelihood...
And it finished with a hot spring...they've figured out a pretty good formula.
Couple days later I rented a bike in Chiang Rai, as I love to do, and just road into the farmland/fields. Came across a cool Buddha sculpture on the face of a cliff
and some caves high up on the rock face with some cool statues inside.
I tell ya, it's quite a different experience traveling in Asia vs. Europe. When you go to temples and tourist sites in Asia, you aren't surrounded by throngs of tourists like I was in much of Spain+Italy. In some places, like these, I was there by myself: in a cave/temple with the statues, in a cool silence, alone.
More interesting and worthwhile an experience if you ask me. Furthermore, food is often less than a dollar or two, accommodation less than $5, fixing my shoes 20cents,
I tell ya, it's quite a different experience traveling in Asia vs. Europe. When you go to temples and tourist sites in Asia, you aren't surrounded by throngs of tourists like I was in much of Spain+Italy. In some places, like these, I was there by myself: in a cave/temple with the statues, in a cool silence, alone.
renting a bike $2, 4 hour bus ride $3,
etc. etc., i.e. you can really enjoy yourself! (it's just the plane ticket to get here that's expensive, of course). Then again, I go pretty much as cheap as I can; one could always spend more.
------------------------------------------
Met an Australian chick in Chiang Rai (who happens to live in an area of Queensland that I'll be going to in Australia) who I caught a bus down to Chiang Mai with. Just rocked up to the city and found a double room for $2.50 each...
Met an Australian chick in Chiang Rai (who happens to live in an area of Queensland that I'll be going to in Australia) who I caught a bus down to Chiang Mai with. Just rocked up to the city and found a double room for $2.50 each...
Chiang Mai is chalk full of temples; you can't go a block inside the moat (old city area) without coming across one or three. There are far more temples here in Thailand than there were in China; I reckon the Thai are far more religious a people than the Chinese--both in terms of the number of temples and, more significantly, their behavior. I even saw a monk bless someone's new car.
Although often similar, I quite liked checkin 'em out... here's a taste of walking the wats:
Although often similar, I quite liked checkin 'em out... here's a taste of walking the wats:
Traveling with the Aussie chick has been great. We get along real well and I'm getting to practice up on my Oz-speak before I return to Australia (where I did my undergrad degree). . e.g. an interchange we had a couple nights ago: Hudson-"i'm just takin the piss" Yasmin-"don't make me chuck the shits" Hudson-"well you better watch out or it might hit the fan".
We've been doin a lot of hitchhiking around Chiang Mai. The Thai turned out quite open to the notion--I've goten 4 in 2 days. One on the back of a little girls moped (just down the street). Don't know why, but hitchhiking is so much fun!
Lastly,
Lady-boys! I don't know what's up with this, but in Thailand there seems to be a third sex recognized by both society and officially by the government, I'm told. Lady-boys, not quite drag-queens but similar, they live everyday life as females. It's scary, you have to catch yourself sometimes. I've seen 'em as young as 15 or so up to late 20's, they dress hyper-feminine and often really look like girls/women. I think they're usually gay, although often act more aggressive than straight men... So watch out. Yipes!
awsome, hud. looks like the perfect spiritual escape. the architecture and sculptures are gorgeous. your treks and observations highlight how rich life can be when you're not doing 'busy work.' one gets a lot of perspective when life is survival. the simplest things are charged with beauty and meaning. of course, what do i know? i'm in nyc. thanks for sharing. your travels inspire. post again soon.
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