Houseboats, Canoes and Tattoos!

My coconut drink being prepared.

Cooking the Chinese buns

More food!

Little girl watching me get my henna tattoo, adorable but they told me she never smiles. Very friendly though and loved to look at pictures of herself.

Taadaa!! I love it!

Canoing with Maja

My houseboat home for the night.

I finally got to try houseboating, who would have thought in a lake in Thailand! They made it sound like we'd be on bamboo rafts and sleeping under the stars and I was excited. We ended up with a 'nice' rustic home on the water in which a tugboat pulled us and docked us along the rocky ridged shoreline for the night. Very relaxing and beautiful scenary with the hillsides/mountains. Then we got to take out the canoe for a little cruise around and my friend Maja managed to not tip us in the lake on her first experience in a canoe. She's from South Africa which is on the ocean but never has tried canoeing or kayaking didn't even know the difference! What a sport and she loves learning and trying new things, I hope I am like that when I am 60!

Up at 6am so we can get the boat back and dash to see the Floating Market! It was absolutely amazing to see how they manage along the canals and sell things or cook from off of their boats. I took so many pictures and they just don't do it justice. I had to sample some things off the boats cause half the fun was watching them prepare and then get it to you and for you to get them their money! First I bought a coconut for the juice and watched him use his machete to chop it open, then some Chinese Buns (sort of like a perogy with vegis, papaya and taro-whatever that is) which she cooked in hot oil by her legs with food surrounding her. And then fried bananas in coconut milk! I was so full and it was all delicious! I could have spent hours wandering around there and watching.

Then on the bus back to Bangkok, big excitement as the 'red' party was having a demonstration by our hotel again but it appeared to be very under control. Back to my favorite road, Khoa San for some shopping, drinks and a new tattoo! No I haven't gone crazy, it's a henna and will disappear in 2 weeks. Met another couple who just got tattooed as well so off to celebrate at the Rooftop Pub!

History and party

Erawan Falls

Johhny, Julie, Cowboy lady and 35 cent drinks!

River Kwai bridge which was bombed twice and rebuilt but no longer in use.

Memorial and Cemetery from the Death Railway

Went with the group to see the Thailand/Burma Railway Centre (or as the banner over it now says The Death Railway Museum and Research Centre in Kanchanaburi. This was all about this history of the railway from WWII when the Japanese wanted easier access from Thailand to Burma (which is now called Myanmar) and India. They used thousands of POWs and it portrayed their horrible living conditions, medical aspects, timelines, geography and a summary of all the deaths which there were alot because of the lack of care they received, the living conditions they had and the Japanese had promised they would be well looked after. It was very sad to see but very interesting considering I usually don't like to hear about these things. We also walked over the bridge that was bombed twice by the Allies to stop the Japanese. All the work involved and all the deaths the railway was only used for just over a year.

Then I decided to check out this town and headed off on my own only to find a crazy Australian couple, Julie and Johnny. We had fun checking out different pubs and even found a little roadside one with a fun, entertaining lady working there wearing a leather cowboy hat. Drinks were only 10 Baht which is like 35 cents so of course we had to have a couple there!

Up early the next morning and went off to see some beautiful waterfalls, a set of seven along the way as we hiked for about 2 hours. Then off to see our bamboo raft accommodation!

A Different Kind of Christmas!

Up so early, so why not tour another temple or two?! Maybe another palace too!
This one was interesting too with alot of history, it might have made more sense if I had had a better sleep. But what I gathered was that it was built in the 1300s by the Thai people at Ayuthaya that used to be the capital of Thailand. The Burmese (not Myanmar) attacked the temple and destroyed the beautiful Buddha images and buildings and it's now been left as a World Heritage Site. Very sad to see the destruction of what would have been so beautiful with so much manual physical labour to build it. Also saw the original Royal Palace and where the Pagoda with the Kings Ashes were placed and it is all cemeted up now.
Back to the hotel for some R n R and rays by the pool. Another hilite of my day was the phone calls from my family. Kylie was so sweet to call me at 5:30am cause I had texted her to tell her I'd be up early and we had a great chat for about 25 minutes, thanks hun, that's the best present you could have given me! Then my brother, Guy called and I also got to talk to nephew Jo and Mom and Dad which was so awesome! It's great cause with phones and internet you don't seem so out of touch with everyone.
Was hoping to find somewhere with a turkey dinner but I ended up having a nice Seabass with black pepper and vegetable dinner with a rice cake designed like a turtle, why a turtle I'm not sure usually they are just round bowls. Got to hear my favorite Christmas song, The Little Drummer Boy made by dinner complete along with the great company of my traveling companions- Maja, Graham and Barbara and our guide Tee.

Oops not sure what happened but the pics didn't post! :( Oh well off to bed, good night and Merry Christmas to All! Peace and love to you all!

The Bicycle Tuk Tuk ride, Bus Ride and Train Ride and a Christmas Starbucks drink!

The gang on the sleeper train before our 8:30pm bedtime.

The girls on one of the city buses

Enjoying my Starbucks by one of the trees that popped up within a few days before Christmas, not like us at all who start in November!

Our Tuk Tuk driver before he got lost.

So we found this empty tuk tuk and thought it would be fun to take pictures in it when a 70 year old man approached us and said he'd take us for a ride. So we figured why not, and figured we negotiated a good deal with him and that he understood where we were staying. So off we went only to shortly arrive at a red light where he proceeded to get off the bicycle and then push us across the intersection and around the corner. Poor guy I thought with our weight, laundry and night shopping we were going to give him a heart attack but once the bike got it's rhythm he proceeded to hop back on and peddle madly. I seriously wanted to get off and push but luckily we got on a bit of a downhill slope. So he toured us around every once in a while pointing out something and blurting out some Thai words and then he stopped us at a nice park/temple to get off and take some pictures. I am thinking he wanted a break. Then back on our way and we thought he was taking us back home when after a while we where going into an unknown quiet end of town. We kept saying things like hey where are you taking us, where is this and he just replied with a little grin and a heehee noise and kept going. Would have been a bit scary if he was a young fit guy but we figured we could take him if need be. Finally we arrived at some fancy hotel where he motioned us to get off but we had to explain this wasn't ours and gave him the name of our hotel once again and off we went. Finally ended up with an almost hour long ride like he wanted to give us originally but we gave him a very good tip cause we felt so bad....then we wondered if this was planned all along....

Up early the next morning for a 4 hour bus ride with a broken seat, it was about as wild as the elephant ride especially every time the driver stepped on the brakes which was quite frequent.

Had a nice 5 hour break in Chiang Mai and enjoyed a Starbucks coffee while listening to Jack Johnson felt like I could have been in Canada, only in the summertime!

Then off to board the sleeper train, which everyone should experience at least once and if you're really lucky you'll get the bottom bunk. You have a little curtain that separates you from everyone else and a bathroom at the end, needless to say you sleep in your clothes, wear extra clothes cause of the air con and don't bother brushing your teeth cause the 'facilities' are dark, not to sure about the sanitation and with the train constantly lurching you'd probably end up with toothpaste on your feet or who knows where!

Up on Christmas morning as we arrived in Ayuthaya at 5am! Last time I was up that early on Christmas morning I shooed the kids back to bed, this time I was hopping off of the sleeper train onto a little tiny ferry boat with luggage and across to the island the old part of the city is located on. Then off to our rooms for a much needed shower and rest without moving or being jostled!

Snake Whiskey and Opium at the Golden Triangle

esThe Myanmar and Thailand border at the Golden Triangle
Monks at the Golden Triangle viewpoint
Display of a man smoking opium. This position they found to work best as their head was already on a pillow while they went to dreamland....
iohhh bad picture of me, I just tasted the snake whiskey can I blame it on that??!!
Snake whiskey bottles on display for sale. Cheap!

OK I tried the Snake Whiskey but not the opium! Actually I didn't see any opium to try....surprise.
Today spent the day touring the Golden Triangle area starting with a tour of yet another temple but this one was even more amazing and beautiful than the last one! It had a museum as well with art from a man who rebuilt and recaptured the 'White' Temple called Wat Rong Khun.
Then off on a boat down the Mekong River and we could see 3 countries all at once, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar (Burma). Stopped off on a small area of Laos to see the village and had to try their snake whiskey (at 11 am good start to the day at least it was before the temple) . It was not very smooth and I had to have a piece of gum after to kill the taste.....
Saw water buffalo, raft homes, a big golden Buddha along the way back to Thailand and went to the Opium Museum and learnt all about the opium trade and the long neck people as well. Very interesting and very political. Then went to the Myanmar border at Mae Sai but couldn't cross because if I did when I came back into Thailand I could only get a 14 day visa at this crossing and it would shorten my stay in Thailand. Strange rules they have, nice to have a guide to inform us!

Trekking Day 3 with the Elephants!

Feeding the elephants
Arriving at the base camp at Ban Kariang Ruam Mit Village
Trekking thru the forest

Woke up early to have coffee by the river and watch them bathe the elephants and get them suited up with 'saddles'.
This morning is day 3 of our trekking and we don't really have to trek at all, just had to hang on for our lives onto these amazing animals as they trekked thru places I never thought an elephant could fit! Some very narrow and steep as well, we had to do lots of hanging on and ducking our heads it was a real workout might as well have been trekking ourselves! Ended up in the Mae Kok River and then lunch at the Ban Kariang Ruam Mit village where I had to feed the elephants some sugar cane and vegitables. The first one was so cute just looked at me and kept bobbing his head up and down and up and down like pick me please! So I fed him alot, such personality he had! We then hopped on a Long Tail boat to continue down the river and back to Chiang Rai to do some much needed laundry and have a hot shower! Oh yeah and an hour long foot massage for about $6 :)

Trekking and living with the Hilltribe people

oOur surprise visitor with our food supplies.
Morning coffee in bamboo cups by the campfire and river...yes that's me in the hat!
Beers on the veranda of our hut.
Amazing hillside view
Our first night stay village, the government supplies them with solar panels for lighting their homes.

Now started the real roughing it part. Backpacks filled with a few essential items for the next few days, and yes it's chilly in those hills! Had to wear pants, long sleeved shirts, fleece jackets and even socks at night! Somehow I don't think I'm going to get much sympathy....
We headed out on the trail early morning to enjoy some waterfalls, amazing scenery of rolling hills and lush green forest. Stopped in a village for lunch and a rest and saw how happy and simply the people lived. Talked with a young man who was given a scholarship to go to school and become the future village doctor. Very rare for these people to travel and get an education, he was a brilliant young man the village is very lucky as right now they have no doctor.
We were told my our tour company not to hand out things or even sweets to the children as this promotes begging and they don't want that to become part of their culture. Makes sense, they are all so happy now just running and playing much different than the begging children in the streets of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, it's very sad how they are taught so young. If you wish to donate they much prefer you give cash to the schools or the villages and they will put the money to good use for everyone. Continued on our hike until we ended up at the village of about 126 people and 26 families called Ban Yafu. Had a beer on our veranda and dinner on a bamboo mat on the hut floor. Woke up early the next day to the most amazing alarm clock with sounds of pigs grunting, roosters crowing, puppies yapping, chickens clucking and little children singing all at the same time right outside our hut! Just laid there and listened for a the longest time to the sounds of the village.
Next day we hiked on and stopped in a village for lunch and watched the people playing what we call boccie ball. Very reserved and didn't seem too excited to see us but one little girl looked over at me and smiled and offered me a cookie, that was so sweet. Arrived at our next village that consisted of a few huts and a family of a husband, wife and their grown son along side the river.
We were relaxing on our new veranda, having a well deserved beer and the most amazing site to suddenly see was a man riding up the river thru the bushes on an elephant delivering our food supplies! Luckily I had my camera on hand for this!