A night in the monastery. A day in the mountains.

The second day of trekking took us through more villages, paddy fields, and to our favourite scenic spot of the trip. JJ had morphed into GayJay for today. He burnt the back of his neck from the blistering sun yesterday, so wore my girly scarf and Joe's Vietnamese style hat - I think the trend might catch on!

Joe's sister-in-law gave us all a mini make-over using the Myanmar make-up. This is a bark that the women rub onto a stone with some water and it forms a yellowy golden paste. They apply it to their face in a variety of patterns and quantatites. Joe explained that it is used as sun cream, (GayJay should've had some yesterday) anti-wrinkles, spots and blemishes... so almost everything.

At our eleven o'clock break James tried some betel nut which he liked and we have an unhealthy, but tasty snack of deep fried samosas and spring roll style food.

We walked past a school when the children were on a break and they all came running over to the wall saying 'hello' or 'mengalabar'. You could tell we were in a bigger village and one that was on a main road. These children were not scared or shy. James and I guessed that they were all the naughty ones, as there were other students in class with teachers!

We soon got back onto untouched areas and to a tiny village with the happiest children we have met so far. For the third time this trek we managed to escape the downpour. We stepped into Joe's friend's house and the rains came down, we were blessed by the weather Gods!

We stopped for a break at the source of a river that leads to Inlay lake. Obviously James got straight in and I relieved my blistered hot feet with a rejuvenating foot dip. JJ was too laxy to get wet, but whilst James and I were drying off we turned around and saw him sat on top of a water buffalo! What a sight! Then Joe, who is positively scared of water buffalo sat on it next. James didn't want to miss out so the buffalo had to wait for its mud bath for us to take photos!

The village we are staying in tonight is the main village before Inlay. It was the first time we saw another white person and realised Joe had truly taken us to the back and beyond, as the other people hadn't seen half as much as us, we were so lucky. All three of us treated ourselves to a Myanmar beer and Joe had his favourite, lychee juice. James and I taught JJ and Joe shove ha'penny and the loved it. JJ just couldn't shoot, which is the easiet part of the game.

We had dinner and Snow's house, a lovely young lady who speaks perfect English. She educated us on the good music in Myanmar, and actually some of them were OK, not like the crap we have heard on the buses. One of the most famous singers is her cousin, and fortunately he was talented so we didn't have to lie to her! Joe took us around the village to see some of his friends who play the guitar and to play cupid for JJ. The family with the guitar were so sweet, the Mum requested for us to sing some English songs, which we ruined, but they seemed to like our renditions. The little girl was adorable and I could have entertained her all night, or was it the other way around? The Mum must have liked having us to visit as she vigorously shook my hand and held it for ages when we were leaving.

Joe had arranged for us to spend the night in the monastery, so after we played a dark game of football with the local boys we went into the monastery for our unique sleeping arrangements.