on our way to bangkok

Only have a second, but wanted to take advantage of a fast computer that I can send group email on!
Hope this finds you all healthy and well. We have been in CHiang Mai for nearly a week, and are now ready to go. It has been an adventure so far. After a week in rural Bang Ben, we decided NOT to go on a trek and sleep on the floor in village houses. Instead, we took a one day 'trek', sort of an appetizer plate of all the things trekking is popular for. We started out the day taking an hour long ride on an elephant. Our mahout (guide) seemed totally uninterested. He perched himself on top of the elephant's head, feet dangling on the bridge of the elephant's nose. He smoked cigarettes, and hummed the same song for the entire trip. Behind us was another elephant, with her baby girl chained to her, learning what mom was doing. The baby elephant started 'talking back' to his mom, and we ALL heard about it. I had no idea the little ones couple be so vocal! An hour later, we visited a Hmong village, learned a little aqbout how they live, and mostly, how they have modernized. Next, we hiked to a waterfall in the rain. Jamie was a bit scared, because it was slippery. But it was fun nonetheless. On the way, we say jackfruit and papaya and mango trees (all of them make me itch just thinking about it). The waterfall was pretty, but nothing like the one wwe swam in in Ranong. Finally, we took a trip to a Karen village, and then took a bamboo raft down the river. This is much different than the nice boats we take river rafting in the states. It is just ten rings (?) of bamboo tied together. The 'guide' stands on the front of the boat and uses a bamboo pole to guide the boat. Then there is someone on the back, also steering.

Well, within the first twenty minutes, we realized there were rapids on this river, and ten minutes after that, 2 of thefour of us fell in. Not the fun kind of falling in, either. At first, I tried to hold onto the boat, and then I realized it would be safer if I pushed it away, and just went downstream with my feet up. So that's what I tried to do, swallowing disgustingly brown water on the way. When all was said and done, everyione was fine. Wet, and a little sore, but fine. We were quite happy with our choice not to spend a night.

We did a lot more, too, but really enjoyed our time relaxing here in Chiang Mai. We head to Bangkok in a few hours, and meet up with Shana tomorrow night. THen off to Cambodia's Angkor wat on the 21st. Hope to hear from you soon!Love, Rebecca