KHO THA VILLAGE

(Thursday Continued) I'm writing underneath a mosquito net, over a bamboo floor, next to Gill. We are all exhausted, and it's only 8pm. We all get exhausted early these days. I only happen to know what time it is because I'm listening to music on my Blackberry which is no longer my Crackberry. Oh joy! I've disabled all my applications and data services. I can still receive texts and calls but obviously not in the middle of the jungle. It's been liberating. Everyone knows my phone is normally glued to my hand.

We took a tour of the village. (Look at video from previous post). The school is painted pink because it was funded by Thai Airways. Red Bull also helped sponsor one of the buildings. Fun fact, Red Bull originated in Thailand as a syrup, but it was later sold to an American investor who added a few ingredients to make it into the energy drink it is today. Amazing what you can learn in a village. There are new desks and chairs that were donated by some tourists. They were just received yesterday. All of the kids are taught in the same room despite their grade.

Our tour was lead by our rafting and trekking guide, Ducks. We saw how the women create their own thread and dye it to create beautiful fabrics which are turned into gorgeous sarongs. Many of us purchased them. Some of the Karen people opened their doors to us. Not literally because they have no doors, but they opened their homes for us to come inside and see. It's common for at least five people to live in a house with one or two bedrooms, a kitchen and a living area. The kitchen literally has burning coals or wood with cast iron pots above cooking meals. Every house has a solar panel donated by the government. The houses are all elevated and the underneath is used to store wood and animals . After our tour we had a delicious meal (in my journal I wrote a delicious smile. Silly me.) We ate on the floor with decorative mats and candles burning on bamboo. The food was great, the company was splendid and the atmosphere was comforting. They built a small camp fire for us after dinner. We shared stories before resting our minds and bodies. Goodnight!!!








Kho Tha









Mountain Side









Our Accommodations









Interior


(Friday) The roosters began their cock-a-doodling around 4am. They did it in a popcorn fashion around the village. We all got up a few hours later as the sun began to brighten the sky and our hut.




Today we trekked through the jungle on elephants. I've been excited for this excursion, but my excitement turned to anxiety as the elephants approached. They had baskets on top of them where our bags would go with our sleeping pads on top for us to sit on. Isabel and I rode together, and we were both a bit fearful. To climb onto the elephant we had to place one foot on its leg and one on our guide. It was extremely awkward. Isabel grabbed me are wrapped me in her arms as our elephant rose and began to trek. After a few short minutes we both relaxed and enjoyed the ride. It was a bumpy ride to say the least. The next morning our legs were bruised from the bamboo baskets. We had to dodge leaves and branches along the way. Naturally I nailed my head on a nice thick stub. It was rather difficult to hold on at times, and I almost lost a few items along the way. The ride was a lot of fun. We had a few hours to talk and get into some deeper subjects about life, love and the pursuit of happiness. Okay...maybe some of that was sarcasm :) The conversation was great though. I find it very easy to talk to Isabel. She is a great person. Anyways, the elephant definitely sprayed us with its trunk a few times. The ride was like a rocky roller coaster. We had to hold on to our seats when the elephant would descend. Overall it was a great trip. Now we are heading back to Mae Sot for the evening...

(Later) It's amazing how comforting something as simple as a hot shower can be. After several days in the jungle, we returned to Mae Sot in songtaos. It began to rain on the ride back. It was anything but pleasant. We rolled the tarp down, but the front was still exposed. Therefore, we were getting hit with rain; combined with the wind, we were getting soaking wet. I felt col and miserable not to mention nauseous. A nice hot shower and a clean change of clothes, and I'm feeling a bit better. I was finally able to shave and when I did black drops rolled down my legs. Showering in rivers is not the most efficient method of bathing especially when you have to walk back to camp through muddy fields. I'm shaved, cleaned and going to enjoy some Thai Ice Tea! Let me say this... Thailand has awakened all of my senses.






















Thai Ice Tea!