Up north

Northern Thailand. Completely different than the south. Better food, nicer people. Did a three-day, two-night trek in the jungle spending one night with ethnic minority village and one night in the jungle near a river. Best trek I have ever had. Very challenging. Tourists (those that are touring not getting high or drunk) tour during day light hours so went to sleep when the sun went down and woke when it rose. First time in my life that I went to bed around eight and was up by seven.

The lovely town of Mae Hong Son. This is where my tour left and returned from. It's really small but the scenery is typical of northern Thailand. I'm not known for planning ahead and this trek taught me not to. We were told it would take 90 minutes to trek to our place for the night, but 30 minutes later we were there. So as a group we just winged everything and understood that we got there when we got there.

Oohhhh........I cringe when I look at this photo as I have to many bad memories from this bus. Spent 8 hours on this up through the mountains. Cost me 2 American dollars (CHEAP!). Some people stood the whole way, even on the hair pin turns (it took us 30 minutes to go 19 k).There were about three stopping points where the military got on the bus with dogs checking for drugs and check national identity cards. What they are also looking for are people from Burma that have crossed the border illegally. The busses don't have scheduled stops from origin to destination. Who we pick up all depends on if we have enough room for them and all their cargo, and what they are willing to pay.

I only got these photos because I had to catch the 7 a.m. bus. Monks (all Buddhist monks) are out around 6 a.m. (first prayer is at 4:30 a.m.) collecting tithes from the local people. They all have these 'silver' bowls and people put food in them as they walk through the line of people. The monks take the food they need for themselves for the day and give the rest to the poor - sounds like a good welfare system to me. The reason why they shave their hair is due to the belief that suffering is worrying about earthly (materialistic) things. No hair, no worries.:) Mostly they teach and help the poor.

A close up of a monk getting tithes. Had a good chat with one when I was tired of walking as he wanted to practice his English. He asked me to explain forgiveness and how you know you love someone. So Buddhism must not have either of these. Also,an American couple that live here was telling me that when a person is about to die, monks need to be there, but some will refuse to ride a moto, so the family must pay for a taxi (which is expensive for the family, and not really needed as EVERYONE rides motos). Also, have heard of some becoming monks so they don't have to join the army during times of war.

Yep, it really was a challenging trek. Did not know that this was coming, but it was a nice surprise!! No leeches so I lucked out. In the jungle we ran across wild mango (can smell them a long ways away), plants that retract when you touch them, and a leaf so tough it can be used for sand paper.

THE ETHNIC VILLAGE (where we spent the first night). Caught this little bugger long enough to take his photo. All the boys had toys like this and would run with them. A very simplistic toy but kept them entertained and released some energy. Having some experience working with kids, I really liked seeing kids entertaining themselves and watching out for each other.

We helped this lady separate the rice from the husk by using our feet to bring the big peg down in the 'bowl'. It took her something like 4 hours of crushing rice for a gallon of rice. I learned that I don't have the patience for something like that. These people are VERY respectful. Example: when eating sitting down on the hard wooded floor and you need to get up, you never rise higher then anyone else until you leave the room. This is really hard to do if you don't eat sitting on the floor all the time.

This boy is an immigrant from China. He is playing a traditional instrument that looked interesting. This guys' tribe is so poor I saw one man so hungry he scrafed down food like he hadn't eaten in months. This was the first time I had seen someone eat like they don't know when they will get food again.

The school in the village supports one teacher. The sun panel is to run the TV for educational purposes ONLY and to heat water in the tank (way on the right). The reason why they have these is because the village offers us to spend the night here and gets money in return.

Our tour guide trades with the owner of this house eye medication to bring tourists into his house and take photos. (he is really getting a good deal!) Anyway, this is the kitchen. The smoke from the fire keeps the flies away from the food (the corn). It got pretty cold at night and you can see there's not much insulation. It's amazing what the human body can adjust to.

Bamboo is essential for daily survival of poor people. No bamboo, no people. :) Here our guide is making sticky rice. In the bamboo (naturally hallow) is rice and water which is then put on the fire. No sanitation worries as the wood is sterile. I am horrible in the kitchen, but this might be something I would be capable as when the bamboo turns tan, it's done.

This is what sticky rice looks like. It is a combination of cooked rice (above photo) and bean with coconut juice. You just peel the cooked bamboo back and chow down!! A great filler.

A rat trap made by our guide out of...guess what? .....bamboo.

Just to prove the dependence of the people on bamboo...they even use it as flower pots!!!

Another family. Notice the kid looks like he has downs syndrome...probably due to inbreeding as the village kids marry kids from the same village. Some girls were married to older men at age 13. Call Amnesty International!!! This village had a boss that lived in a nice house on the hill. This is who the village people work for and why they remain poor.

Where we slept in the jungle (on bamboo of course). Know now that I can sleep anywhere, on anything, just fine. No bathroom (toilet) so became quite comfortable going in the woods.

A few years ago this was all poppy (the illegal stuff), but the king (see Bangkok, first photo) has taught the people how to grow cabbage instead. Though they make much less growing cabbage in this steep environment some of the older generation don't understand that they will be killed if caught growing poppy. So, in school, kids are taught to explain this to their parents and grandparents. Satellites patrol the area and the government does burn illegal crops. These fields are so steep if I tried looking up I fell backward. Call me selfish, but there is no way would I spend all day out here for some cabbage that profits me hardly anything (I'd go for the poppy. Hehehehe).

This is mostly for mom and dad because I know they worried after hearing I spent 60 cents on accommodations. This is one of the better beds I slept in....oopps did I say that? :)

WAY up by the Burma/Thailand border. The Thai's say that Burma is about thirty years behind Thailand. Spies are everywhere looking for those that have crossed the border illegally into Thailand and living off the jungle. The people up here have no concept of bringing goods to a market and selling it for a profit. This was the only place in Thailand where the people will ignore you rather then gawk at ya (what a relief!!!) and the kids (immigrants from China) can read Chinese but not Thai. These people believe that homegrown tobacco will NOT kill you because it doesn't have any bad chemicals like store-bought ciggies. (hey, that's what I was told).

A school for the kids. Yes, the bare essentials but they get an education.

This photo is taken up on the border of Burma (only REALLY brave souls live there). In order to keep track of everyone (and so Burmese aren't living in the house illegally) the government has posted how many people live in each house (average 15). This area has been attacked three times in the last ten years. Just thought it was an interesting sign.

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