Most of my group of friends woke up before sunrise that morning. I was actually very eager to move around and wiggle out any aches in my back. We convened on the balcony outside, chatting quietly while listening to Mae's rhythmic snoring (at least ONE of us got some sleep) and watching the sun slowly rise from behind the lazy hills. At that moment, life seemed so simple and peaceful. It was a humbling experience.
We continued hanging outside for a bit, sipped really strong coffee, and played around with a little cat we called Bob. Cute but very dusty.
After a simple breakfast of boiled eggs, toast, and fruit, we started our downhill trek. Kai started tapping wood with his bamboo walking stick, and some of us followed suit just for fun. We soon found out he was doing it to scare away cobras. Once we learned that, we quickly said, "Tap on the wood to scare away the COBRAS! PASS IT ON!!" Oh we started tapping. We tapped on anything we could tap. If we couldn't find any wood to hit, we tapped each other's wood. (I'm thinking about what I'm writing right now, and my choice of words can be taken a different way. Hahahaha!!! Anyway...)
The downward slope was pretty steep so I had to be really careful with my steps, especially since my shoes had no grip! I had to make sure each step I took was secure. From behind, Mae asked, "Why are you guys being so careful?" Within seconds, we heard a foot sliding across dirt followed by a thud. Mae had sprained her ankle. Ouch. She took it like a... well... a man, and continued the trek on her two feet, with Victor supporting her on the slippery and steeper sections. It was really nice to see a friend helping out another friend. But that's what friends are for.
One of our rest stops was at a waterfall. It was lovely. Wish I could see it during the monsoon season when water levels are much higher. Don't think I'd like to hike during this season though, because going downhill will involve a lot of uncontrollable sliding in mud.
Feeling rejuvenated, we continued on the trail. We soon came upon a wooden log that ran across a rocky stream. I could have taken the dirt path that went around, but chose to go across the log instead. (I usually like to challenge myself to get over my fears.) The first step on the log wasn't bad. Each step got worse. By the time I reached the middle of the log, my legs were shaking violently. My friends thought I would shake them off the log! My fear of heights completely overwhelmed me. Taking in deep breaths, I finally managed to jump off at the end and received a round of applause. Boy. I was just glad to get off of that thing. Looking back, it wasn't that bad. The log was pretty wide and it wasn't that high up. I'm just really bad with heights. =(
Some sections of this hike were uneven and very steep. Steps were higher than my knees. At some points, we had to gingerly walk along a very narrow path while hugging big boulders in front of us. Man. This hike was awesome. The terrain was so varied. I loved it. Even the log crossing. Combined with the hike the previous day, this would have to be my favorite hike thus far.
We finally reached the white water rafting site. I've never white water rafted before, so this was a very fun experience for me. Working as a team to get out of jams, paddling and throwing ourselves across the raft to the commands of our guide, and being thrashed by the current and rocks was so exhilarating! At one point, we were wedged in between two huge rocks for a long time. We tried using our weight and paddling to get out of the jam, but our guide finally got us out of there. Fun fun fun!
Immediately after the white water rafting, we embarked on a long bamboo raft. This raft was just a bunch of bamboo logs tightly strung together. This portion of the river was very calm so we sat, with our butts submerged in water, chatted, and soaked in the scenery and the whole experience. This ride was no longer than 30 minutes.
Before lunch, we all showered, together. Heh heh. Ate. Got back onto the sawngthaew for two hour drive back to the heart of Chiang Mai.
That night, all of us but Mae went to check out the Night Market. There was quite a bit of shopping there. Victor and I chose to have fishball noodle soup again at an outdoor stall, while the rest decided to dine at a German restaurant next door. I was incredibly worried at first because I was convinced the unwashed stack of bowls sitting near us was what they were going to server our food in. Ha ha. No worries. I saw them use soap to wash. Heehee.
Our evening activities that night included a trip to the Riverside Bar. There was an awesome band there doing covers of Maroon 5 and a bunch of other bands. They were really good! It was also interesting to see how many couples at this bar consisted of an old white male and a young Asian woman. Many of these couples barely spoke a word to one another. I can't imagine how it would feel to be an escort and do whatever the man wants me to do. I'm glad I'll never know how that feels. Seeing those women made me feel very fortunate to live the life that I live.
Giselle, Victor, and I left the boys to carry on with their drinking while we took a tuk-tuk back to the hotel to keep Mae company. Little did we know, Ms. Mae had got antsy and was exploring Chiang Mai on her own. Coincidentally, she later bumped into the two drunkards and they shared a few interesting moments at a gay bar. Hahahah... I really wish I was there to see that.
At the hotel, we hung out for a bit, but don't recall too much of that. That was our last night in Chiang Mai. The next day, we would be off to Cambodia.
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