Who would of thought...Myanmar?

After we left Chiang Mai, we decided to see about going into Myanmar (Burma). I didn't think it was possible, but while traveling here we learned that it was possible to cross at Mai Sai, a northern border town.
The rules there are very strict. We had to give up our passports at the Thai border and we got a Burmese pass. It was a lot of paper work. We took a bus into 1 of the 3 cities we are allowed to see from that border crossing. We went to a town called Kentang. The bus was slow but the landscape was beautiful. Being in Myanmar reminded me of being in Burkina a bit. There was power sometimes, road weren't all paved, and people still wore the long sarang type of pants, including the men. Also, Buddism is the main religion and most families send their boys to be novce monks around the age of 10. We were there on the day that they were send the boys to live at the monastary. There was a parade and a big party. The coutryside is wonderful and spattered with temples, stupas, and many other Buddist artifacts. The city we stayed in even had a huge statue of Buddha on a hill pointing out over the entire city.
The Burmese people were very nice. We met alot of French travelers as well. We stayed at 1 of the 2 guesthouses in the city called Harry's Trekking House. We book a trek to visit some local tribes. They were called the Eng and the Akha. We hiked for about an hour up the mountain to the first village and we surrounded by women selling things. That part was a bit annoying, but we were invading their village. The people dressed in traditional clothing that they made themselves and the women chewed Bettel nuts. The turn your teeth black and it look like their mouths are full of blood. We learned that the reason they do this is an Animist tradition. They don't want to have white teeth like the dogs in the village. So, a longtime ago they started to chew these nuts and their teeth turned black. This is considered beautiful too. I am sure that it helps that that particular nut is a stimulant and addictive...We hiked across to another village that was Catholic. The women still dressed in tradition clothing with elaborate headdresses. They were very kind and we ate some local food there for lunch.
It was a totally different experience from the trek in Thailand. There were not as many tourists and it was more isolated. Although, the government does not allow you to stay overnight. It was something I will remember as special from Myanmar.
Now, we are at the Thai border town of Chiang Kong. Tomorrow, we are crossing into Laos and taking a slow boat to Luang Prabang. Wish me luck!

Pain, Elephants, and Crashing Into Rocks

So our 3 day trek started out easy enough with a moderate hike to a Karren village in the mountains. We were all wearing small backpacks that carried all of our gear. It was hot, and after I made it up a steep hill like a chugging locomotive it was mostly downhill. But, wouldn't you know I slipped and scraped my knee when we were almost to the village. Ruining my only good pair of pants.

The village straddled either side of a stream, and all the houses were made out of wood and on stilts. We showered in the stream under a make-shift bamboo shower. It was really nice sleeping up in the cool mountains. I saw my first stars there and I sighed with relief.

Day 2 of the trek almost killed me. Nothing lets you know you are out of shape like climbing a mountain in extreme heat for 40 minutes. That 40 minutes was part of a 3 hour hike to an elephant camp in the middle of the forest. I thought I was going to pass out and my body would just burst like a bubble leaving my entrails running down the path. But, it was all worth it when we arrived at the secluded elephant camp along a small stream. We rode elephants to the next village on our tour. I was a bit scary because the elephants were going along very narrow paths and up steep inclines. Our next village was much more developed with a large school and many houses had running water. It began to rain later that night so we stayed in our stilted house and played games with our Thai guides. We sat with them later drinking some Thai whiskey and swapping stories about our lives. One of our guides was so funny. He laughed after every sentence. Turns out he was a monk for 16 years, and left to try something new.

The 3rd day which is today. We woke early and took and hand-built bamboo raft down the Mae tang river. We were on it for 3 hours. I was even able to steer it. Mark feel off twice, Omar once, me almost once, but I crashed us into the rocks 2 times and knocked myself down when my pole hit a tree. Sounds like a disaster, but it was a lot of fun. We all had a chance to help push the boat, but I was the only one who played captain. The river was beautiful. It was nice having trees tower over you instead of concrete blocks, and the sounds of birds and the water, not of cars and shouting. Traveling can be very peaceful, and for that I am thankful.

Heading North, and Glad for It!

Next, we took a 7 hour bus trip north to Sukhothai. It is a small city near a site of ancient ruins. Our hostel was harming and made of polished wood paneling. There were misquitos a' plenty here but it was very nice with a beautiful garden. We rode around the ancient ruins for hours effectively granting me my first sunburn of the trip. I felt at peace in Sukhothai everyone was very kind and it was quiet. We all had a chance to regroup after our first hectic days in Bangkok.

After Sukhothai, we headed north to Chiang Mai. I had heard how wonderful it was supposed to be so I had very high expectations. When we arrived, we were greeted with heavy traffic and tourists in droves. Compared to where we had been it might has well have been Bangkok. We booked our rooms at a popular hostel named Julie's Guesthouse. It was nice and after much deliberation we decided to book a 3 day jungle trek through them.

It's Official

My vacation has begun! We were held up yesterday at the Korean Airport because we forgot to extend our visa for 3 more days. Then after all the red tape we got on a plane to China. In Beijing they moved us all the way to the main terminal to transfer and we spent for every waiting. But the airport was beautiful if not gigantic. China has really strict laws and I think my papers were checked at least 6 times...and I was only transferring flights. Our flight to Bangkok was uncomfortable and exhausting. The plane was cramped and the flight was 5 hours long. This all made only worse by my head cold and slight hangover from St. Patty's Day.

We are staying near the river here in what seems to be a regular Thai neighbor hood. We have all been walking all day long searching in vain for monuments that are buried deep in the labyrinth of streets. It would help if the cab driver could find the things on the map, too. But, figuring out how the different methods of transport work is a necessary evil when traveling. Even if you are only in the place for one day.

Now is the Day of Departure

We are going to arrive in Bangkok today. It is the starting point for our 3 month journey. It is an odd feeling, leaving for a trip. It is exciting and nerve racking. I have spent so long waiting to leave Seoul that I am kind of numb about the entire trip. But I am sure that will wear off sometime en route. I think this happens to me every time I travel.

Travel is good for the heart and soul, at least for me. That is all for now. Not much in the way of parting words, but I leave behind some great friends and wonderful places. My words are not sufficient to express the cacophony of thoughts and feelings in my head and heart.

A tout a l'heure!