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Backpack with Kerry & Nat
We had a little car journey to the waterfall to start our trek and after eating noodles by the waterfall we got ourselves ready.This includes puttingsocks on under our sandals because of the mosquitos and poison ivy-sexy! I'm noy going to go into grat detail about the first day of our trek but I will add that after 2 minutes we were nearly in tears because of the fast pace up steep slopes! We had to wear clothing that covered all our body and we had to carry our backpacks on the first day we climbed 5 mountains, walked over 10 km, and nearly killed ourselves. There was blood sweat and tears and lots more sweat. I have never had sweat literally pour off me- it was awful. By nightfall we reached the first hill tribe village. Iwas amazing to see these people living with no running water, no electricity and no money. But as amazing as it is to see, to experience a night of it is another thing. After another traditional meal we were given a massage by the porters that walk the trek with us carrying all the food and water, that was good! We then went to bed..... on a wooden floor.... with nothing but a sleeping bag! The night was awful.... there was a lizard in our mosquito net and more on the cieling, Russel the bloke on our tour snored like a pig all night and a cockrell started crowing at 4 am and I thought it was trying to get in as it was flapping about under us! W ended up getting up to go to the loo.... which just made us even worse- it was pitch black and we were scaed of all the animals wandering! The toilet was a shack with a hole in the groung and a bucked next to it to wash your business away- we were in hell! The next morning we awoke to aching muscles and sore bones fromthe trek and FLOOR! We set off again and that day was even worse I was so scared all day as we were walking at heights of 1300feet, right on the edge and where it had rained it was so slippery- it was awful I nearly cried. Then Russel the old bloke in our tour nearly had a heart attack. The weather was sohot and humid and that made it even harder. Thatday we walked another 5 mountains and again over 10 km AND SAW 2 SNAKES AND A HUGE SPIDER. We arrived at the second tribal village to a hige downpour so we put on our sarongs and finally had a shower. The village was even more amazing, we played with the children, they were beautiful, and we gave them presents of toys and pencils etc we had broughtfor them. We then paid for them to have eggs which they do not have that often, we cooked and served them and children came from around the village. There are over 100 children in the village and only 2 teachers so the older kids teach the younger ones. The average family earns 5000 baht which is around 50 pounds. We felt so honoured to spend time with these people it was a real eye openr that not many experience. That evening the children performed for us and we performed for them- ha ha yes it was a funny sight!! That night was a little better as we kicked Russel out and slept on a bamboo floor and there were no lizards! However we were woken to the sounds of talking and singing at 5am..... the villagers were setting up a market outside our hut. Selling there hand-made scarves and bags for pence we felt so guilty we all bought so much from them as we new what is pence to us is a weeks dinners for the family to them. After breakfast we set out on the last day of trekking.
This day was slightly better although it was still 10 km and 5 mountains again it was not scary!! And we saw sam amazing scenery on the was, also saw another snake and some awful bugs!! Kerry tried th porter's banana leaf cigarette! We arrives at a village out of the jungle and mountains in the afternoon and said goodbye to the porter's after giving them lots of tips.
In the afternoon we went onan elephant which was absolutely terrifying, it walked right to the edge of this hill to eat bamboo and we were convinced we were going to fall out. It then walked to the river and down this steep muddy slope.... oh it was awful but I enjoed the flat bits!!
We then went bamboo rafting which was so fun!! We got soaked as the guys splash you and tip the raft sideways but we were so glad to get cool!
When we got back to the hostel in Chang Mai we had our first shower in days, we absolutely stunk like I have never ever smelt before that!! We threw all our clothes out as donations and went to the night market in a sarong to buy something to wear!!
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