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“The tribes were very interesting, very primitive - with a satillite dish or TV thrown in here or there.” |
We arrived in Chiang Dao in the late afternoon of Saturday, Dec. 23, checking in to our lodging at Malee's Nature Lover's Bungalows. Malee is this wonderful dynamo of a woman who makes you feel at home. Our bungalows are simple but nice ( the beds could be softer! ). The setting is mountain jungle, and the temperatures mornings and evenings are cold! We had heard hot, hot, hot in Thailand, so we came under stocked with warm clothes. Once the sun clears the mountain mist it is quite comfortable.
On Sunday, Dec. 24 we headed to the Baan Mitratorn orphanage for children with HIV. We had learned of this orphanage from our friend Doug Silsbee, who had visited it with his family when staying at Malee's. The children were very excited to have guests and enjoyed playing, singing, and hanging out with ( and on! ) us. It was very moving for all of us, too. There is a short video of the children at http://www .caulkinsfamily.net/video /Kids_at_orphanage.htm. On our way back to Malee's we stopped at an Italian restaurant ( okay, you can only eat Thai food for just so long! ). Later I hiked solo to the Bat Cave, which lived up to its name. ( By now you've figured out that Tom is doing all of the journal writing. ) For our Christmas Eve dinner, Malee prepared a wonderful buffet feast. Annie's stomach was off, so sadly she only had toast and tea. The neighboring guest house supplied fireworks throughout the evening.
On Monday, Christmas Day, we left with our tour guide, Su Pot, to visit four hill tribe villages in the Chiang Dao area. This was an incredible experience. The tribes were very interesting, very primitive - with a satellite dish or TV thrown in here or there. Tribes we visited included the Karen, Lisu, Akha, and Blogn (sp? ). There is a short video of the villagers celebrating Christmas at http://www .caulkinsfamily.net/video /hill_tribes_xmas.htm. We also had a picnic lunch at a waterfall we hiked through the jungle to, and stopped at a hot spring to soak our feet. Back at Malee's we had beers with Aussies Simon and James. A fine barbeque Christmas feast was prepared ( grilled by Malee's brother ) and eaten on the upper deck. Unfortunately Annie's stomach was not up for anything more than soup.
On Tuesday, Dec. 26 we drove the short distance to the Chiang Dao Caves, which we toured. We had two guides with gas lamps for our party of six ( we had given Jack and Barbara, guests at Malee's from San Diago, a ride in the cargo area of the Suzuki ). The cave was quite extensive and open, with Buddha shrines set up in various places. Later in the afternoon Annie and I walked the short distance from Malee's up to the monastery at the end of the road. This is the Samnak Song Tham Pha Plong ( Tham Pha Plong Monastic Center ). It was a beautiful setting, with jungle and cliffs surrounding the temple. That evening Malee served her green curry chicken, a meal Doug Silsbee had raved about, and rightly so. Unfortunately Annie was only able to eat a small bit, since her stomach was still off. Anyone who knows Annie's "warm relationship" with good food, particularly good spicy food, will understand that three days of not being able to enjoy these wonderful meals was real torture for her! We all felt very bad for her.
On Wednesday, Dec. 27 we were up by alarm at 6:30 for our drive to the Chiang Mai airport. Traveling through thick fog added one more "interesting" aspect to my Thai driving experience. At the airport, I waited for over an hour to connect with the rental car person to return the car. ( While the Journey company provided an inexpensive rental, their service left something to be desired. I don't think I'd recommend them. ) Our flight to Phuket on Thai Air was uneventful.
previous travel blog entryComments or Questions for the Author
DMJ says:
Happy New Year! I've been enjoying the trip vicariously through your journals so keep it up. I can't wait to see the photos when you manage to get past that technology barrier...may have to await your return to NC? Have a great adventure, safe journey and a very special New Year. Love ya, Don
silsbee says:
Sounds like a great adventure.... I'm glad that you got to get climbed on by the babies at the orphanage! So many fond memories from there, and I really look forward to seeing some pictures from your trip when you get back! Keep the blog entries coming! For those of us that are holding down the fort in winter, enjoy! Doug