Beyond Bangkok.
Chiang Mai couldn't be lovlier. I remember thinking Thailand was my favorite country that I'd ever visited, and particularly liking Chiang Mai. So I came to CHiang Mai without rigid plans, and found a beautiful guest house for $18 a night that includes breakfast, A/C, and modern fixtures. I made friends with two nice Brits named Gavin and Patrick, and we hung out together for a few nights after meeting at the Chiang Mai Sunday walking market, where they stuck a fried grasshopper
leg in my mouth and then decided they approved of me when I ate it with a smile, rather then chewing them out or slappng them for putting a bug in my mouth. Then they cecame fans when I sat in with a jazz band at a bar (more on that to come).
My friend Maya Levine was on a terrible tour (the tour wasn't terrible, but everyone was 18 just wanted to party) and she dropped out of it and met me here. We decided to go on a trek (really just a long extended hike), and found a wonderful travel company with a woman whose English was good enough to tell us which teks were super touristy (you just get driven from place to place to buy trinkets) and which weren't. Still, we weren't expecting much, and ended up being SO surprised and having and absolutely amazing time. We were 2 of 11 people who were all very nice, and we drove out of Chiang Mai and then hiked a few hours to get to a Karen Hilltribe village, complete with Villagers, chickens, pigs, cows, buffalo, dogs, and huts. We stayed the night there, and it was just us and the villagers, not hoards of others tourists, which was lovely. There was an outhouse with a big bucket of water, which was good, because I don't think I've ever sweat so much in my entire life! Our guides cooked a lovely dinner of rice and red curry, with the basil for the curry picked right from the ground.
The next day held a long, challenging hike uphill to a waterfall. Then came a downpour, which was awesome! We all got soaking wet, ate lunch, watched the waterfall grow into a roar, and hiked in the slippery mud, forded a river (okay a few rivers), and ended up at an elephant camp where I rode bareback on the neck of the elephant, who I fell in love with, and who also had learned how to beg for bananas. It was cute, 'cause he take his trunk and swing it backwards up toward me until I fed him. After that we went for a ride on a bamboo raft (typical tourist thing to do in Chiang Mai, and the scenery is stunning, so I see why).
Maya's boyfriend Adam has met us here in Chiang Mai, and today we'll go to Doi Suthep together before they head off to Laos. I have a fun concert last night with a local jazz trio, and this afternoon I'll give a masterclass/workshop at a school called Woranan Music School (http://www.Worananmusic.com). Tomorrow I head back t Bangkok and Tuesday I leave for my flight to Beijing! I'm so excited!
For now, you can copy and paste this link to my new Thailand photos. Enjoy!
http://picasaweb.google.co.th/leibolicious/Thailand2#
love,
sar
leg in my mouth and then decided they approved of me when I ate it with a smile, rather then chewing them out or slappng them for putting a bug in my mouth. Then they cecame fans when I sat in with a jazz band at a bar (more on that to come).
My friend Maya Levine was on a terrible tour (the tour wasn't terrible, but everyone was 18 just wanted to party) and she dropped out of it and met me here. We decided to go on a trek (really just a long extended hike), and found a wonderful travel company with a woman whose English was good enough to tell us which teks were super touristy (you just get driven from place to place to buy trinkets) and which weren't. Still, we weren't expecting much, and ended up being SO surprised and having and absolutely amazing time. We were 2 of 11 people who were all very nice, and we drove out of Chiang Mai and then hiked a few hours to get to a Karen Hilltribe village, complete with Villagers, chickens, pigs, cows, buffalo, dogs, and huts. We stayed the night there, and it was just us and the villagers, not hoards of others tourists, which was lovely. There was an outhouse with a big bucket of water, which was good, because I don't think I've ever sweat so much in my entire life! Our guides cooked a lovely dinner of rice and red curry, with the basil for the curry picked right from the ground.
The next day held a long, challenging hike uphill to a waterfall. Then came a downpour, which was awesome! We all got soaking wet, ate lunch, watched the waterfall grow into a roar, and hiked in the slippery mud, forded a river (okay a few rivers), and ended up at an elephant camp where I rode bareback on the neck of the elephant, who I fell in love with, and who also had learned how to beg for bananas. It was cute, 'cause he take his trunk and swing it backwards up toward me until I fed him. After that we went for a ride on a bamboo raft (typical tourist thing to do in Chiang Mai, and the scenery is stunning, so I see why).
Maya's boyfriend Adam has met us here in Chiang Mai, and today we'll go to Doi Suthep together before they head off to Laos. I have a fun concert last night with a local jazz trio, and this afternoon I'll give a masterclass/workshop at a school called Woranan Music School (http://www.Worananmusic.com). Tomorrow I head back t Bangkok and Tuesday I leave for my flight to Beijing! I'm so excited!
For now, you can copy and paste this link to my new Thailand photos. Enjoy!
http://picasaweb.google.co.th/leibolicious/Thailand2#
love,
sar
posted by sara leib at 8:31 PM
1 Comments:
the photos are amazing! - t
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