Delicate Flower, Deep Jungle

Well I have returned, unbroken, from three days in the deepest parts of the jungles of Thailand.
Quite an adventure, I must say.

I had no clue what I was in for!

We got picked up in the morning and took about three hours to head up to the jungle with a truck of other people: Me, Jordan, Becca, two Oregon newlyweds, a French married couple, and a pair of English police women (one was from Essex, Joe!). We drove up and got to ride elephants for an hour!!!! I took tons of pictures and video. I promise I will get this all sorted out and uploaded soon!!!

We visited the Orchid Farm, Long Neck Tribe and Big Ears before meeting up with the group:

This is me shooting a bow and arrow!

It was SO fun!

The elphants were amazing.

After that we walked down part of the mountain (my hand was held by one of the guys, of course) and took a cage across the river on a cable. :) Fun. Then we had lunch and started our treks.

We walked for 2.5 hours up into the jungle-to get to the very top of the hill. My little heart was working quite hard so I stayed in the back so I could go a bit slower and stabilze it from time to time. Got to know one of our guides, Weelow. The sweetest little Thai man. About 40 years old and goes on these treks once a week. I love him. :) Not to worry, Joe...he's already taken and with child. ;)

When we FINALLY reached the top, we stayed in a small village with the Lahu Tribe. They originated in Tibet. The children were to die for! So precious! I am finding myself ooing and aaing over Thai kids a lot out here! That and all the puppies and kitties and other animals!

Immediately Becca and I ran to the cold showers and rinsed off. Then they cooked for us later that night. We spent time talking with the couple from Oregon and the poice officers. We sang songs while our guide played guitar (our guides knew Hotel California and some Bob Marley songs) Then went off to bed. It rained ALL night and most of the next morning. Our group separated; the Oregon couple and the police women were only doing a two day trek. The three of us stayed with the french couple and one of the guides who went by the name of "Bond. James Bond." :)

Here is a photo of where we slept, and one of the children in the Lahu tribe:

We took another 2.5hour treck the next day. Bond ended up having to hold my hand quite a bit. It was pretty funny. If you know me, of course I'd be the one having my hand held going down a wet muddy jungle. Of course. I couldn't help but laugh: "If it weren't for men..."

We stopped at a village half way down, and I died over more kids there, this little girl knew how to say "HELLO!" and how to blow kisses! It's amazing how happy they are up here. Without anything Bond said my face looked like a movie star. :) Very kind of him.

We found our way to a waterfall and Bond cooked us lunch while we went in the water and tried to decipher what the village guy was pantamiming to us about going in the water.

After that, we ate, and a few of the village kids came over to us. They were FACINATED by my hand sanitzier; mainly because it stung their hands where they were cut and dirty. But they kept requesting I pour more and more into their hands. :)

Then we continued on to our trek, to another waterfall. It started raining really hard, again, at that point. We continued on until finally reaching our destination of sleeping.

Before dinner hit, something wretched came over me and I barely had any food before rocking myself back and fort in an effort ot sleep off the chills and shakes I had. When I finally came to in the middle of the night, somebody was in our hut with a flash light and started going through my stuff. I waited a moment then popped up and grabbed my stuff so it was inside my mosquito net with me. Part of me thought I was tripping out, but I had a bad feeling and knew that it wasn't somebody in our group. The rest of the night, for god knows how many hours, I struggled to sleep. My bones and body ached immensly and I was in a lot of pain: just couldn't get comfortable or setlle. I turned on my iPod, listened to some tunes and thought happy thoughts to try and make the day come faster. Finally it did, and Becca said she heard somebody in our hut that night, too. So I wasn't crazy. Nothing got taken and nobody was hurt.

At breakfast I still felt ill so I took some motrin and went to lay down. Finally it was time to go; we took an easier 30min trek down to the rapids, and then we white water rafted. THAT WAS SO FUN!!!! After that, we hopped on bamboo rafts and took those down the river for a bit. Also nice; nowhere near as exciting as the white water. ;)

We were fed again and then hopped on a twoish hour ride back to the city.

My clothes were all wet and stinky. It was gross. I think part of me being sick was because of how damp everything was. I never had anything dry on, and it gets chilly in the jungle at night. We got back to Chang Mai, found our way to a guest house. Becca and I dropped off our laundry and have since been online. :)

Oh! When we were rafting, we saw a wild elephant on the side of the river!! Amazing!!!

Anyway, that was that! It was a lot of fun; and ended just in time! I'm still feeling a bit funny, but that's nothing a good thai massage won't fix!! :) Still no hot showers, yet. :) You get accostomed to cold ones after a while.

My legs from the knees down are absolutely hidious. Covered in bruises and scrapes and bug bites. No matter what; I can't help how sweet my blood is, I guess. :)

Miss all of you. Not sure what are plans are now. We were going to head to Chang Pai; but it looks like the weather is going to be too bad.

XOXOOXOXOXO Love you all OXOXOXOXOX