| Bikes, Boats and Elephants Chiang Mai-Chiang Dao-Thaton-Ching Rai and The Golden Triangle |
| We were picked up from Suriwong Hotel and were driven to Ching Dao region by covered a pickup. Stop at Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary elephant camp and had an interesting time watching elephants bathing and demonstrating their "pick a log"skills. We then explored a near by Chiang-Dao caves, followed by lunch in local restaurant. We were fed with "Pat Thai" (just like chay keow teow minus the lard) |
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| We started off by biking through rural back roads , continued on an off-road trail, across a pristine landscape leading to small hill-tribe villages. We ended our first day of cycling at Palaung village where we spend the night as guests of the village headman's family. Our guide is also an excellent Thai cook. The village is immaculately clean although there were piggy and chicken running around |
| Day 2, we continued biking through the outback village of Northern Thailand. It was a 60km offroad ride and some of us were feeling “the pain in the ass” already. The ride was abruptly stopped when a member fell and broke her collar bone. (hmm…woman rider..) Luckily, this was a guided tour and our pickup truck rushed her to a nearby hospital. |
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| Nevertheless, we continued and rode to a Buddhist forestry temple. We had “Pat Thai” again, and chatted with a Monk in white robe and moustache. We stayed in a simple tribal village. |
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| Day 3,We continued biking through forest until we arrived at another village were our elephants were graciously waiting for our arrival. The elephant ride took two hours. It wasn’t easy for anyone of us as the elephant began its walk, swaying us back and forth, left and right in an uncoordinated series of jerks. And we thought the bike ride was bad!! This was worst. You literally have to hang on to your seats. I was wearing cycling padded shorts and still ended with an abrasion on my butt!! The elephants took us to a nearby village where we stayed for a night. |
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| Day 4, for a change, we hiked 45 minutes to a beautiful clean waterfall. Our guide was waiting for us not too far from the waterfall with our bikes, all set a and ready to go. We stayed in a lodge in Thaton, which is on the bank of Meakok river, close to Burmese boarder |
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| Day 5 Thaton – Chiang Rai We cycle through the Maekok river valley, past rice fields and plantations. Then we follow an exciting riverside trail. Next, we rode a local longtail boat downriver. We continue cycling to a Karen village on the riverbanks. We were then transferred by car to our Chiang Rai hotel. Day 6 and 7, we were chauffered driven around Ching Rai for sight seeing. Visited the Golden Traingle where Burma, Loas and Thailand connected by the Mekong river. This is the same river the flows through Vietnam. We crossed over to Burma….just for the sake of crossing over. We took a flight from Ching Rai to back to Ching Mai for last minute shopping. |
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