We have been in Chiang Mai for the past few days. We went on a Hill Tribe Trek, which was really more of a hike. It was a good time though. Apart from a few short walks through some pretty dense jungle we had the opportunity to shower under a waterfall, boil eggs in some hot springs, ride on elephants and go bamboo rafting. At night we stayed in local villages in basic homes and under mosquito nets.

The elephant ride was a great laugh. There was a baby who came along with the group for a walk. He was very entertaining. Del and I had bananas in our pack and he could smell them. He kept on trying to put his trunk in the pack and fish them out. When we were finished he remembered that Del had them and was following him around everywhere. Also when we were in the river, the baby would just fall over and then tumble in the current, it was really funny to watch. When it was time he would right himself and just start walking again. At the end we did feed him and some others the bananas we had.

Our rafting experience was very different. The whole raft was built in the morning completely out of bamboo. It kinda sunk a little when everybody was on it. We went down one stretch of big rapids (well, big when your on a plank of bamboo) and I almost floated away. I was actually off the side of the raft as water rushed over it, but luckly I was able to grab onto a log of bamboo and pull myself back on. It was pretty funny. When we'd stopped for a short swim Del actually fell through the raft. He was standing there just chilling and all the sudden there was a big CRACK! and one leg went straight through. Luckily he came out unscathed. The guys had go into the jungle and cut down a bamboo tree to make the appropriate repairs, as you do.

When back in Chiang Mai we just looked at a Wat and wandered through the markets, very relaxing. Although on the trip Del's feet got eaten alive and it hurt too much to wear shoes as it rubbed on the bites. So to the laughter of many locals he walked around all day bare foot.

Today we leave for Laos and tomorrow we board a slow boat down the Mekong River...