Hope all of you  chickedees are great and looking forward to Christmas.

Arrived in Chiang Rai last night. Weather very cool here, even had to wear long sleeves!

 Have a few days to catch up on so here we go.

Day 2 of the Trek.

Woke up early after only a few hours sleep (well, more doze then sleep), feeling a little stiff, but none the worse for wear for sleeping in a bamboo hut, on a bamboo floor. I was cold during the night so ended up sleeping with fleece zipped up to chin and hood pulled up.Woke up with sleeping bag over my head, so was a little confused to begin with. Washed by splashing some drinking water over face.

T and trousers were still (soaking) wet from night before, so took turns hanging them over a stick (with a sock stuck on the end) and holding them over the fire. Eventually got them to a wearable damp, which was fine as within five mins of walking they were wet with sweat.

While everyone was eating breakfast popped back into the hut to get changed only to put my leg (up to shin) right through the bamboo. Opps! Luckily everyone was too busy eating to have seen. Quickly pulled it out. I thought I had put a hole in their hut, but saw that I had managed to tread on the only hole in the floor. My leg was covered in scratches (to go with the bites and bruises), and the arm of my sunglasses was twisted out of shape.  Geat!

Some woman from the surrounding Hill Tribes came down to sell their hand made goods. And Ibrought a few braclets.

We started to walk, and it was uphill. The weather was really hot and within 5 mins was dripping in sweat, was breathing hard and my heart felt as though it was in my throat. After more then 20/30 mins we were only half way up the hill. Everybody else was out of sight. I looked up and all I could see was jungle rising up and up and up with no end. My breathing felt really hard so stopped to have some water. Pun Pun (tour guide) was standing with me telling me to breah deeply and meditate. Meditate my arse we were half way up a mini mountain in the jungle with no end in sight. Started walking (climbing)again and within a few mins couldnt breathe. I was covered in sweat. My head was banging, my heart was in my throat which felt like it was closing and I couldnt catch my breathe. I have never felt like this before. Starting to panic I dumped my bag a went to grab my inhaler in the front pocket only to find it wasnt there. In the rush to get ready I just dumped everything in main bag. Panicking empty entire contents of rucksack on the jungle until I found inhaler. After about 5 mins of sitting and breathing deeply I began to feel semi normal. Turns out I was near the top of the hill (mini mountain) and apparantly it wasnt nearly as steep as some of the ones we climbed on the first day. dont know why I could manage it yesterday and not today, but felt like I let myself down. also first time I have had an asthma attack that wasnt down to pollution or joking around singing/shouting myself silly. a little worrying.

There was no way I could carry on going up so went back down (with Pun Pun), and to the next village (turns out there was an easier way to get down the sheer drop the day before), where after waiting about 30 mins (Pun Pun dissapeared and was left sitting with enquiring villages who kept asking "How many killos" and pointing and laughing. Made me feel just great! Wasnt to insulted though as this is there way, and you find that most Thai good naturedly laugh at westerners). After waiting was taken by a local man by motorbike to the hill tribe/village where we were staying. I should point out here that I have never been on a motorbike before in my life, and am generaly scared of all things that speed. The ride was about 30 mins and wasnt to bad, didnt have visor which was kinda worrying and the road were mainly dirt tracks or gravel, but made it in one piece. Every now and then forgot that I was on the back of a motor bike and relaxed  looked around and enjoyed the view only to go speeding round a corner with me shrieking and holding on tight.

Where we were staying was beautiful.  In the rmiddle of two villages (Karen Hill Tribe) and surounded by views of rice fields, mountains and jungle.  To get to the hut you had to climb a wide 3 step  ladder on the left was our (bamboo) hut (2 steps) and on the right (one large steps) was a platform with a bench around the edge which  you could chill out on.  The porters hut was at the end.  All of this is made out of wood and bamboo. The loo was at the bottom of the hut down a little slope and thankfully not flooded.  Though by now I am the master of the flat/squat loo ;-)

As the others had yet to arrive Pun Pun took me down to the village, which consisted of raised (on stilts) huts which has a sleeping/living area and a large porch area which to recieve guests etc on.  There are chickens, pigs and dogs running around everywhere.  In the wet season everybody works in the paddy fields and farms.  As it is the dry season nobody works, and the woman and young girls sit on thier porches and weave sarongs, scarfs, bags etc to wear and to sell to tourists.  They sit with their legs stetched out front, feet flat against the side or a block, with a piece of materail stretched  around their backs to keep them straight.   Really amazing.

When everybody was back, all washed in stream again which was freezing, and bashed my foot on a hidden rock. Then just sat around played cards and chilled etc.  Pei-Ju went through some stretches with me, but legs still felt like stone. The local children came and we cooked eggs for them (well,  Pei-Ju cooked the eggs, everybody else was to tired or chilled), apparantly even though there are chickens running around everwhere they are used for meat only and the children only get eggs when tour groups come. In the evening we went up the hill to vist a  Karen Hill Tribe village, which is basic, but self sufficient. Once a week people come selling meat, but everything else is produced by themselves. The people of the Karen tribe have a very simple and beautiful way of life.

In the evening after we had dinner (which was rice, tofu with cashew nuts, spicey potatoes and red curry.  did try some of the spicey food, but I am always a little worried to eat spicey food whilst sharing a bamboo hut with 10 other people). All the local children came and sung to us.  which was really great. It was dark and a bonfire was our only light and they were really sweet.  When it was our turn to sing them a song we were like a group of kids not knowing what to sing and pushing everyone else to the front.  In the end we decided on head shoulders knees and toes, knees and toes.  This is obviously a popular choice as after we had sung the first line the children joined in knowing it better then us.  Very funny.

After the went we were entained by B.o.b again and then bed around 9pm.

Oh should also mention that whilst stepping up onto the ladder for the hut fell over and bashed my already bashed knee making it bleed.

A really great day!

My time has run out.  Have a thrilling day tomorrow of 5 hour bus trip ton Chiang Mai, then 12 hour over night train to Bangkok.  So will update again on Saturday. 

If I dont speak, email, hear from you have a fantastic Christmas. Have a roast potatoe and glass (or two) of Champagne for me

Enjoy

Jude:-)