CHIANG MAI DAY 8

WEDNESDAY 10th we needed an early alarm for an early breakfast and it seems everyone has an early breakfast as we had never seen so many other guests at the same time. 8.15am our driver and guide was waiting for us and after introducing himself Kai took us out for a day in ‘Doi Inthanon National Park’ south west of Chiang Mai.
Our first stop was at a small market where Kai wished to buy some food for the children as he suggested we have lunch at a ‘Karen hill tribe’ school which was fine by us. We toured round the stalls with him as he spoke to most of the sellers where he bought a couple of barbequed frogs which we were to have for lunch, although we didn’t know that. On returning to the 4x4 he noticed one of the back tyres was slight flat and as we would be off roading would like to get it fixed. It took 3 garages to find one that could deal with the problem and whilst he waited in a large smart, by Thai standards, garage with a low round table and round matching stools to take refreshments we chose to have a look around the immediate area – namely the fields. Kai joined us to see people at work in a very large rice field behind the garage where onions were being planted that would be ready for harvesting in 4 1/2 months as the rice crop for this year was finished. (Unlike the centre of Thailand there is only one rice harvest in the north.) This large field was owned by several farmers but was not a co-operative although they all helped each other but when their crops were sold the individual farmers kept the profits.
Our next stop was the elephant ride. There was nothing touristy about this place, although there were one or two foreigners looking at a baby elephant as we arrived. We were to have an hour’s ride on the mother and baby would accompany us. So stepping off a high wooden platform onto the elephant’s head and sitting on a double metal seat took some doing, and we didn’t have much time to wonder where to put our feet for comfort before we were off. Thankfully Kai had warned us about hanging onto the frame as we went down the steep tracks otherwise we would both have gone over the young driver’s head! We hadn’t got very far through the trees before mother refused to move as she had lost sight of baby who was 13 months old. Already into everything we had called him ‘Mishchief’ and now he was trying to eat the bamboo leaves and failing miserably. Once he had caught us up and gone ahead, after the mahout had grunted at it, we were on the move watching the route so we had time to bring our arms in as we got tight against the trees. Another stop as Mishchief began to throw dry soil over its back whilst mum kept making a lot of rude noises from behind – looked like she had a bit of tummy trouble as she failed to deposit round balls of dung – more like cow pats! At times the steep banks were so slippery Mishchief struggled to climb up but got there in the end with more encouragement from our mahout. As we approached the river Mischief got into trouble from the staff in the compound, as well as our Mahoot, as he uprooted a young sapling. On reaching the fast flowing river I wondered what would happen now – would we get showered as they both began to drink the water? We didn’t - they both behaved themselves as Mum kept a careful watch as she chose the best route to cross. Back at another platform it was just as difficult getting off as getting one but we survived although our legs, arms and back ached. We had had our photo taken as we set off which turned out well and was already in an elephant dung frame with ‘Mae Wang’ written on it so we bought it as a souvenir of another adventure in our lives. That was after we had paid 20 baht for a bunch of small green bananas as a treat for mum that she devoured before Keith was ready to film her so we bought another bunch but she wasn’t ready to eat those.
Time was getting on and we missed having lunch with the children who were playing on the lawn area in front of the school. There are 40 children being state educated here their ages ranging from 7 to 12 plus a kindergarten and all of the children were dressed in blue and white uniform. As we alighted from the car they all smiled and greeted us in Thai fashion with hands a prayer and a slight nod of the head. Armed with bags of food Kai lead us to the dining area where neat rows of high tables and benches filled most of the room with a large stage area behind where we sat. We were introduced to the three volunteer teachers who hope to become teachers themselves soon. After sampling some lovely food, not only that bought by Kai at various stalls on route and some provided by the school we climbed over the style between the school and the village to meet some of the Karen tribe. Under nearly all the stilted buildings was small black pigs or lovely faced cattle and all very clean. We visited the house of an elderly couple where the old lady with a beautiful complexion was sat on the floor weaving a long piece of white silk with bands of colourful colours at each end that will be made into a turban. The loom was very simple and attached to the wooden wall with a wide belt that was placed around the base of her spine. Different pieces of bamboo were inserted amongst the threads but it was a large wide polished piece of wood shaped to a point rather like a sword at one end that was used to tighten the thread once it had been pushed into place. The husband was smoking a very large joint which we put out shortly after our arrival. There was much chatter between him and Kai and as we left Kai told us “the old man says you are so big – what did you eat?” They laughed as they understand when I said he was my happy Buddha! Although the village looked very primitive signs of modernisation were evident with satellite dishes. Electricity has been installed in most of these hill villages but some are not happy about it. Having bought the dishes and TV’s they now have to work extra hours to pay for it.
We left the village travelling on a very uneven road which in the rainy season will be impassable. Whilst we would have liked to have gone bamboo rafting Kai thought the water too cold and had suggested a walk to a waterfall which is used to promote the Park but its location kept secret to most people. By now it was 3pm and for the next 2 hours we began our trek firstly through a small orange grove where under plastic tunnels chrysanthemums were growing. Continuing through the forest of various deciduous trees and magnolias common to the area we encountered steep sections where thankfully someone had put a few bamboo rails along the route to help us until we heard the thunder of the waterfall. What a sight as it poured down various levels. Kai had warned us that the bamboo bridge may be missing as on his last visit it had been washed away and we may have to walk across the river to reach the other side. Right! Thankfully the bridge has been newly constructed but we let Kai go first to try it out! We crossed over so many delicate looking bamboo bridges and walked the narrow tree trunks on this trip that eventually brought us out into the terraced rice fields where people were still at work. The rice had been hand cut and left in criss cross bundles to dry but in some areas women were beating it with a stick after it had been laid on large tarpaulin sheets. Small groups of men sat around and Kai suspected they were drinking the rice ‘moonshine’. As we walked down through these fields the sun began set as we reached the village it was almost dark. Whilst Kai hitched a lift on the back of a small motorcycle to bring the car back to us Keith settled down to have a beer at one of the small round marble tables by the river. I had a nosey around and found two stalls selling petrol out of large drums with glass indicators which one stall holder refilled for my benefit as I took a photo. It seemed none of the villagers spoke or understood English.
It was 8pm when we arrived back at ‘Baan Orapin’ after a really great day out. The only tourists we had met were a few at the elephants and a small group of Italians staying in the last village for a couple of days as part of their 4 month stay in Thailand - they don’t like the cold weather either!