Early start and before I knew it we were wipping up the country side in the back of a van. The trek group was large, about 12 people; I knew I was never going to remember all their names – “mate” and “hun” were going to become frequent words in the vocab! A good mix of people, mostly young and nearly all German or from Holland. We began walking straight after our lunch from a kebab box. No digestion time like in Chiang Rai! We waked for about 2 ...

Chiang Rai has to be a top place on the trip. Last night just as I was neering for bed I got a sudden hankering for spring rolls and darted down to the night market for a fix! Now I'm not going to lie, they were nowhere as good as the ones on Pub Street, Siam Reap! Let down. But I also got some fried shimps to ensure I had enough fat in my blood stream. The monssons really are hitting here, and the downpoors are getting more frequent. I darted home after a ...

The Trek with Natural Focus said everything I could have ever hoped for, and exceeded my expectation. A truck picked me up from the hotel and I was greeted by my fellow 6 treckers. The transport up here is like a van with the back cut off and benches inside. We hurled along the roads of Chaing Rai before stopping at the "Black House". It was created by the friend of the man that built the "White Temple" in Chiang Rai; I plan to visit that...

On arrival at Chiang Rai's old bus station I was under instructios to phone Poo, my trek leader. This was so he could collect me and take me to the hosel he had booked for me. After a war with the pay phone I suceessfully spoke to Poo and in less than 10 minutes a skinny enerjetic little man bounded towards me having disembarked his scooter - of course. What other form of transport was I expecting? He threw me into a tuk tuk and said he would meet me at the hoste...

Bangkok / Chiang Mai An early morning swim, followed by Breakfast, another swim, opening of presents and cards I have carried the entire trip; which may I add made my birthday, defo worth the weight! And then a transfer to the airport for a hassle free flight I arrived in Chiang Mai. I was collected by a strange little man who kept telling me that it was "pissing down" all the time and that I looked "cream crackered". Cheers. The realit...