|
|
|
“Adventure in Chiang Mai” |
Chiang Mai (Thailand)
As we took a bus from Vientiane (Laos) cross over to custom of Chiang Mai and we had booked a “tuk tuk” to brought us to a local hostel to stay.
As we reached Chiang Mai in the noon, we check in to the hostel leave our bag in the room (room come with attached toilet), immediately we went out to rent a motorbike went to airport, we wanted to buy air ticket to returned to Bangkok to catch our Combodia flight. As it was our first time in Chiang Mai and it was a city not a village, I've no map and have no idea how to get to airport.
What I did was; I was trying to ride all the way straight road and base on my six senses of direction, at the same time look out for the sign "airport". Surprisingly, I did reached the airport but there was no ticket for us, it was fully booked, no seat for us to returned to Bangkok on our schedule date (4 Jan'2004), we got no choice, after discussion amount ourselves, we decided to try buying a train ticket and we needs to go train station.
How to go train station? I've no idea where it was; I decided to approach the local people, I saw a young man was seated on his motorbike doing nothing; I ride over, stop in front of him to asked him for direction.
He didn't speak English but he understands what we were asking him, as he was trying to explain to me how to get there in Thai, I couldn't understand him. He went in to his house, have a lady out who can speak English, she was nice trying to do the interpretation for us but still we didn't knew where he was refer to. Finally, he said; he will bring us there, he ride his motorbike and we follow his motorbike behind. Oh my goodness, it was very far away, I was glad that I've approached someone, otherwise, we would wasting a lot of time and petrol searching. We were very thankful for him to brought us so far.
Finally check on the train ticket, there was no bed left but seat ticket, we wanted to book a night train to Bangkok but there were seats ticket left, with no other choice, we had booked our train seat ticket to returned to Bangkok for the date of 3 Jan'2004.
When we knew our timing, we had a discussion, our time stay in Chiang Mai was very short, we had no much time there, so we decided to arrange trekking tour, as both of us likes trekking, we had booked the three days trekking tour with our hostel owner.
The first day in Chiang Mai, we were busy getting transport arrange for our returned to Bangkok, our one day has gone just like that, we went for dinner and explore a bit out there, after dinner we went back to our hostel. We have to sleep early as the next day morning; we have to depart the hostel to go for trekking trip, before sleep, we have to repack our bags and bring a smallar bag for trekking, leave our heavy backpack with the hostel.
Our first trekking day morning, a truck came to fetch us, the guide and driver would drove us to purchased foods and things we need for our trekking. I bought a cap to block the sun (but I had lost the cap at the airport). At noontime, we had our lunch, which was bought early at the market, after lunch, we were told to trek up to the waterfall, I went change into my swimsuit and we went.
I thought a big waterfall and allow people to swim there (Just like the one I had visited in Laos.) but I was disappointed when we reached at the top of the waterfall. It was not big area and not able to swim, since I'd changed my swim suit, so I went over, standing under the waterfall to have some fun, the water was so cold. After a while, we had trek down, went back to seat on the truck to carry on our journey.
It was a long journey before we reach the trekking area. When we reached there it was late afternoon, we started to trek for a few hours, stop at a place to have our ice cold shower and had a simple meal for dinner, after dinner we had beers and then went to bed early.
My first night was horrible night; all of us (eight of us) were put into a big room (male & female) and when I was just about to close my eyes and sleep, men…. The music started, I was surrounded by the noise, left, right and opposite side, they were all snoring loudly at different timing. It took me very long to fall asleep by ignoring the snore.
Next day, we had our breakfast, after breakfast we get our bag pack and started to trek again. When it was time for lunch, we stop at one of house; we were very close to the river, some of us were change to have some sun and fun playing with water at the riverside.
After lunch, I thought we will carry our trekking immediately but it was not so, we were given time to rest for a while before move on. As there were elephants around at the riverside, we were told that we were be seating on the elephant to go to the next destination. There were few elephants around, we have eight of us just nice and two people will allow seating on one elephant.
I thought we will seat on the elephant to cross over the river and then come down and trek again but it was not so, we had very long elephant ride to the next destination. The elephants were walking on the river most of the time; poor thing the journey was very far.
Well, as soon as we reached the destination, we take turn to go for our ice cold shower and had our dinner. After dinner, we seat down at the open area making a circle, had a campfire in the center and have fun night sharing, as it was our last night of the trek. I remember we slept late that night.
I can never forgot what happen my first night, so on my second night, before sleep, I took out my MP3 out for standby, immediately that guy (he was the loudest snore of all) went to sleep, I plug the MP3 into my ears on my lovely music. I must thank God that I've packed my MP3 with me.
Next day (3 Jan'2004)
We woke up late, as it was our last day trekking; we had our breakfast and get our things pack, move on to next destination.
Our adventure started, we had bamboo rafting. I had experience on water rafting in Nepal but never heard or try on bamboo rafting. When I saw how it was look like, oh my goodness, it was a few long bamboo ties together only, there was nothing to hold on it or block you from falling. The worse thing, we had to stand on it and not seating down, the two stands behind were given a long bamboo to hold for push to move, as the guide will stands right in front to use the bamboo to control, the most dangerous was the one have nothing to hold, not even a bamboo stick.
They had made the front a basket ties on two bamboo to put all our bags. Which mean; we should not hold anything on our hand accepts the long bamboo given to us. Another word, if the bamboo break or anything happen to the bamboo, that is the end of the whole story if you carry your camera and so on.
Bamboo rafting was relax and nice when the water was not rushing, there were times when the water flowing fast, it was very trilling but we did had one excited moment for this bamboo rafting.
It happen on one of the fast rushing water flowing, we were so excited and acted very fast, the front was going to hit the big stone, the guide was giving instruction for the behind where to pull and control, everyone gets very excited, I hold on to the basket in case our bags drop out, my friend have nothing to hold, busy doing balancing behind me standing on the bamboo, while the other two behind my friend were busy pull and push.
Suddenly, my friend from behind me band very hard on my back, I was band into the basket with my head almost inside the basket (ha..ha..), I try to balancing myself and turn around to look at her and find out what happen when we had a suddent stop.
What happen was, our front bamboo was stuck on a big rock and it cause a immediately stop and my friend have nothing to hold on and at the same time behind her was also banding to her, she got no choice band on me, I though I stand in front of them get band into was the worse but it was not, the person who has stand right behind fell into the river, we gets so excited and helping him up.
Wow… it was excited moment, when the excited moment over, the guide check the bamboo, a few of our bamboo breaks and loosen, he quickly tie it back and keep on moving until we reach our final destination.
We had our lunch, then on the same truck we went to a garden for visit, after the visit we went back to our hostel. By the time we reach our hostel, it was evening, as we were not checking in the room, we were planned to depart Chiang Mai to Bangkok, so we had a cold shower at the ground level, the owner allow us to take shower there to get change.
As soon as we had our shower, we had a quick dinner and we went to train station to catch our train. Our train was delay; we waited at the train station impatiently as we were very tired after the whole day we were trekking.
Finally the train came, we were on board the train, oh my goodness…. The nightmare begin, we were seated on the opposite direction of the train moving, the seats on facing each other on the opposite side, the gap between the opposite seats was close.
I can't imagine four people seated at the same seat for more than 10 hours for the whole night till we reach Bangkok, we hardly have room or space to put our legs straight, that's how bad we were in that condition whole night.
When it was next day morning (4 Jan'2006), we looked at the time, we started to get a bit worry, our timing of the train stop and the time we needs to be on board plane was too close, furthermore, our train was delayed, deep down in my heart was praying that the flight will be delayed for some reason, otherwise, we would miss the plane to Combodia.
Of course, my prayer was answer, finally reached, stop at Bangkok station, it was just outside of the Bangkok International Airport near by, from the moment we were a light the train station, we ran with our heavy backpack all the way to check in and clear the gate officers screening until we were finally reached the waiting area, we heard the announcement said; "the flight will be delayed", we were then relax, we even have a bit of time to drink and eat free snacks provided by the airline.
To read further on Combodia…click next.
previous travel blog entry
Would you like to comment or ask a question?
Sign up for a free account, or sign in (if you're already a member).