Trekking to the Northern Villages of Thailand

About a two hour drive north of Chiang Mai, Thailand is where the three day trek began for my visit to the Northern Villages of Thailand began. The first leg of the trek was about two hours to the village where we were going to spend the night. It was a bit more difficult than I had anticipated. I didn't really think about the physical aspect of the trek much, it is a lot like hiking in the Rocky Mountains, except that at home, I don't go for overnight hikes that last for days. Perhaps I should have given this a bit more thought! I had difficultly with the downhill parts and fell on my butt a lot.

We finally arrived in the tribal village where we were going to spend the night. Dogs and chickens and other farm animals were everywhere! We put our stuff in the guest house (a shack with beds for fifteen people, right in the middle of the yard with all the animals. Then our trekking guide, Sammy, took us on a tour of the village.

The first house we visited had chicken and pig body parts stuffed in a cupboard (not a refridgerator) on the side wall of the one room house. The man who lived there played a song for us on an instrument that was similar to a ukelele.

The yard

Inside the villagers' house

Villagers outside their house

The next day was exciting, but tough too. We started our trek in the morning. It was okay, but there were a lot of downhill parts and Sammy, the trek guide, helped me a lot. I actually wasn't that far behind everyone else, but an alternative form of transport was offered to me anyway. Bamboo rafts were being loaded up to take the food to the spot along the Mae Khong River where lunch was scheduled. So my mom and I went on a bamboo raft to the spot for lunch.

This was an unexpected adventure! Rapids weren't too bad, but at one point I almost fell off when the raft tipped to a 45 degree angle! I was holding on by only three fingers! I managed to stay on the raft and we made it safely to our destination.

After lunch, we had an elephant ride to the next village! I was so excited as I love elephants. This was definitely checking one point off my bucket list!

My mom and I got on the same elephant. The elephant ride was rough and bumpy. Our elephant was old and temperamental! She was in a mood that day. I don't think that she wanted to do the trek that day. We had a driver (the elephant trainer) for most of the ride, but at one point he jumped off! We were on our own!

The elephant ride!

Our elephant was moving very slowly and we were holding up traffic. She just didn't want to move! We were yelling, "Hee, hee!" at her and tapping her behind her ear to get her to go. She got mad at me once. She put her truck up above her head, pointed at me, and blew air towards me. She was not happy.

There was a point where the path separated at a "Y" intersection. Our elephant decided that she didn't like the direction we were heading, so almost took the wrong path! Our guide jumped back on and pointed her in the right direction. It was quite the experience, but I don't think I am too eager to ride an elephant again.

The second village we stayed at had sort of tree houses. They were up off the ground amongst the trees. It was really nice.

The last morning of the trek involved another bamboo rafting adventure. The first hour was calm and relaxing. After a break we hit rapids for the last two hours of the rafting adventure. This time I didn't fall off. It was a lot of fun!

Our group on our bamboo raft

After lunch we got back on the road and went to see the Padong Long Neck Tribe. For more information about this tribe, please see my post: The Padong Women of Northern Thailand

For more information about the tour I went with, please visit G Adventures at G Adventures Northern Hilltribe Villages

~Angie

Taking The Plunge

Orlando Bloom lied. On the “Behind the Scenes” disc of the extended DVD set for the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, he told his co-star Dominic Monaghan that bungee jumping would cure his fear of heights. They were in New Zealand where A.J. Hackett created the extreme sport of bungee jumping. 

I went to New Zealand on a working holiday visa and was really excited to see the filming locations for the Lord of the Rings movies. When I first arrived in Auckland - because I am afraid of heights - I was quite positive that I would not be bungee jumping, despite the fact that I was in the country where it all began. 

Everyone who suffers from acrophobia has a different experience with heights. I have trouble getting down from chairs, bunk beds, ladders etc. However, I have been in a hot air balloon, on ski lifts, gondolas, the London Eye, and to the top of the Eiffel Tower. No problem with those because I was either strapped in or it didn’t seem like I was really high. 

About to leap! Photo by Sigrid Markert

So when I went to the A.J. Hackett Bungy Jump site just outside of Queenstown and watched my fellow travelers take the plunge, I started thinking: “That might not be too bad.” I didn’t have enough money at the time though, so decided that when I went back to Taupo in the New Year, I would bungee jump there.

Three and a half months later, I arrived in Taupo on New Years Day. My goal was to bungee jump on January 2, 2011. All of a sudden, with the date looming, I got cold feet. Taupo Bungy offers another ride called the “Cliffhanger Swing”. It was less money and seemed like a safer option, so I bought that instead.

I arrived back at my hostel where I met Sigrid, a German girl who really wanted to bungee jump. We decided to go together the following morning. 

The next morning at 8:45 am we arrived at the Taupo Bungy site.  Sigrid was the first bungee jump of the day; I was the first swing on the “Cliffhanger Swing.”  The staff takes safety very seriously and we had to be weighed and sign waver forms before we would go out to the platform. Since I had already done the swing, I could get a discount off my bungee jump if I wanted. I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it though. Sigrid suggested that we have a tea and think about it. I decided that since I was at the Taupo Bungy location anyway and would not likely be coming back, I would regret it if I just walked away. 

So at 10:30 am I paid for my bungee jump. More paperwork and another weigh-in followed. For some reason, in the last hour I had gained a kilogram! Now with two different weights on both my hands, a ticket around my neck, and my heart thumping, I joined the queue that had now formed on the bridge to the platform. As the line crept along, I found myself getting more and more excited for my jump.

Waiting in the queue to take the plunge. Photo by Sigrid Markert

It took forever for the line to move along. Plenty of time to reconsider, but I was stuck because I had paid for the jump already. I was really nervous, but excited too. The line crept along and suddenly I was third in the queue. I was strapped into a harness and then told to sit on a bench. As I sat the bungee cord was tied to my ankles, and I put my glasses into a baggie that was tied to my wrist. Then, it was my turn.

Photo courtesy of Taupo Bungy

I stepped to the edge of the platform and was told to look up and to the right. I couldn’t see so I looked in that general direction. My photo was taken and it was time to jump. I knew I had to go on three or else I wouldn’t jump, so after the countdown, 1-2-3, I jumped! 

I don’t know what exactly I was expecting to happen, but it wasn’t what happened next. I was not expecting the free fall! I had jumped and was falling, when I suddenly realized that I was plummeting toward the Waikato River. Then I started screaming: “OH MY GOD!” 

What had I gotten myself into? I fell for 48 metres (158 feet) before my bungee cord yanked me up again. It was scary, but at the same time it was such a huge adrenaline rush! It was awesome! I was on such an adrenaline high after my jump that it took about ten minutes for my heartbeat to return to normal. 

Photo courtesy of Taupo Bungy

My acrophobia has not been cured by bungee jumping. Orlando Bloom may have lied, but I am glad I took the plunge anyway. I faced my fear of heights in the ultimate way, and for that I am very proud! 

More information about Taupo Bungy can be found at: http://www.taupobungy.co.nz/

~Angie