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 my return to Chaing Mai after the Trek. The building was based on a temple although it was a house. The towering doors were ornately carved and made of solid teak. Its hard to even explain the house, but a huge table tunneled down the centre of the bulding, covered by4 huge snake skins, heads and all. Along the walls were water buffalow skulls. Really striking building. All those woodworkers out there will appreciate it!

Next a stop at the local market - finally I saw the dried chillies that I purchased in India! My guide told me I should find them in the rest of Thailand so I will hunt them down... a sack load will be coming home this time round! Get ready mum!

After about an hour and 30 were were really in the hills. Ears popping and everything. We pulled upto a small wooden house on stilts. Our guide told us that we were 1000m above sea level. We were welcomed warmly by the huge family, of which it was very hard to piece together the relationships! There were about 20 children of similar ages!

We settled down for lunch - The food was great for all 4 meals, although the dishes were very similar they added different amount of chili's each meal to keep us on our toes! We had baby bamboo shoots, raw long beans, cabbage, a dish which looked like mince meat and was made from blood, beefy things, other greens - all in all very tasty!

Our guide ensured we had fully digested lunch before we hedded off on our first trek. Was more genteel than I had anticipate, however in the heat I can't say I was complaining. We encountered tribes ladies, children and families, sellers, tea plantation, running children, motorbikes. Locals killing snakes which were devouring the fish in their fish farms and we spent at least an hour watching the children from the village play in the river. Not going to lie - I joined them for a paddle!

The walk was swetty but very enjoyable. The scenary was breataking - as the sun sank in the sky the beauty only increased.

We sat with the family over dinner and talked about the way of life up in the hills. The lady of the family had traveled to Thailad from Burma when her first daugher was 2 and she was heavily pregnant. She had to walk for 3 nights to reach their home now. Many fled their home due to fear. But the journey across the border was very dangerous, hence them travelling at night. They said they were lucky to have made it. Many of their relatives are still in Burma - but they were clear that they wouldn't go back if they had a chance - this is their home now. We were ony 15KM from Burma.

I showered in the "hut where you do all wash things" - with a jug and some frezzing water, had a wee in the squat loo (impressed it was more than a hole) and crashed out.

The night was eventful, being tucked up in my silk liner and mossy net, I woke up very confused and traumatized about the memories of giant scary spiders from earlier in the day. The children's pattering feat during the night, the crickets and dogs whaling. As well as the distant thunder and hammering rain. Monsoons are certinally close.

As we awoke to the sound of my alarm the son of the lady's home we slept in peered over all our still white, foreign bodies... before makng the decision to put the tele on and tune into transformers! Was comical watching the tribal children tune into satelite.
Breakfast was similar to the other meals, then we ventured onto our "jungle farm land walk",. Our guide didn't half dum it down!

Walk by no means. Hike, almost. Treterous hill diving - Closer!! It started genteel but we ended up scaling down corn fields and down a vertially vertical muddy slope of burnt crops. My first slide I had caked my bum in red red mud. We reached a rived, as I paddled my feet and the others explored the rain began again. The locals had started a fire which they intended to cook lunch on - but the heavens really opened.

We made a move, if it rained too much we would be stuck, unable to climb back up the vertical hills. My god the fun began. Within minutes I was sliding ass first, then I face planted, then I slipped and scraemed and flew! The "daddy" if the family came along and grabbed my wrist firmly to help me up... all I did was spin on the spot and dive to his feat! He coudn't hide his laughter! We were dropping like flies... sliding down the hills on our bellies!

By the time we reached the top were were caked in mud, head to toe, faces red from the mud, stings all over, one of the guys had even got himself a leach! We were a state.

Back to the house for a wash and the lunch we missed! It continued to pour as we made bracelets with the "mummy" and the boys carved wooden figures with the "daddy". Before I knew it we were hurtling back down the hill towards Chaing Rai.

The children from the house and village were so beautiful. Once they were comfertable with us I had 3 girls latched to me for the whole stay, one gilr in particular. They held my hands everywhere I walked, they called my name when I returned to the house., I have no idea why, but they formed a true attachedment, and I was touched. We high fived as we left. Really great getting to know and see the kids. Most of the children from the hill tribe villages have to walk at least an hour to and from school everyday.... such strong kids, and so happy. Was beautiful to watch.

Having returned to my hostel I delt with the first minor injury of the trip which had occured earlier in the day - an embedded object in my right hand. But don't feer people - I wipped out the iodine, put on a clean pair of pants and carried on.