Another brief trek, and Good Bye Thailand!

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We were mostly finished with our errands here in Chiang Mai, and signed up at the very last minute, for a 2-day-trek, SW of the city with a group. We spent the night in a Karen village, traveled with 3 young couples from Europe, and enjoyed perfect sunny skies, little humidity, warm days and a cool night. Everything was dry, and the scenery nice.

Link to our 2nd Thai trek

Hua Hin

Just like Craig’s colleague described in China!(but then on a multi lane highway..).The tree marks a hazard on the road. 

The highlight was definitely visiting with my childhood friends Bimba and Timppa!! They were the main reason we came here, and am so glad they wrote us about their trip, just in time for us to combine our Laos flights with a visit to Hua Hin.
It had been a few years since we saw each other last, probably in Ashford - we can’t quite remember... as I don’t know when I was in Finland last.

Link to mostly Hua Hin

Muang Ngoi, a cultural experience, and leeches..

A cultural experience, more than an active one due to rain.

What we learned about
⁃ the WEATHER: it can rain when it is not supposed to, indoors and outside. It can be very cold in tropical Laos, in the jungle (which Craig said is a derogatory term), also at lower altitudes, that rain here causes muddy conditions, that mud can clump under your boots just like wet snow can. And that we lucked out twice, when the forecast rain held off despite dark clouds. But we were old and smart enough to change our 3-day trekking plan into the mountains, and instead did 2 one-day outings in the valleys with a guide, and came back to Luang Prabang a day early. That wet conditions bring out leeches, and that Craig was happy not to have seen the one he went to sleep with. It left a bloody mark on his arm, and on the sheet, but was gone in the morning.

Link to Muang Ngoi, Laos

New Year's and Luang Prabang, Laos

We spent New Year's Eve as usual, which means we were in bed way before one is supposed to enjoy a toast. We missed being with our friends in NH, or VT, but had a nice chat, over a glass of wine, with Sprite, a young Thai man who works at Eagle House. Wine is not part of Thai culture.
The highlight was to unexpectedly get to see hundreds of lit up paper lanterns when they flew over Eagle House, potentially launched by Chinese people. Muffy told us later, that the Thai use these types of lanterns for another big holiday in April, instead.
Craig happened upon one man launching one, and took the close up picture.

We took a cooking class at Eagle House, and anyone reading this, is welcome to invite themselves for dinner! Muffy tells us we can find fresh Kafir lime leaves in Boston, we bought some Chiang Mai curry powder, and the cook book we got, includes a recipe for making more. So we will definitely practice when back home, as our dishes were delicious!

Link to New Year’s and Luang Prabang

NE rural Thailand

How one dresses to enter a temple...

My New Year's resolution, our current Government being the exception

Am finishing this post on the bus back to Chiang Mai after our ~12- day-excursion north and east of there. The countryside is lush and green, and the forest looks like a rainforest. Tree covered rolling hills, and mountains.  No way I would want to be here in another few weeks when apparently the farmers burn brush everywhere - we have smelled this several times, and am afraid of the fumes, as I also saw someone burn garbage.
Have climbed 8-12%  grades a few times per road signs, but also steeper grades per Craig. The small towns now look somewhat familiar, with lots of temples, the school buildings prominently marked, often with the name also in English; homes of varying sizes, mostly with wide, open doors; lots of villages and small farms outside the towns; lots of chickens and dogs everywhere, but only one dog bothered us; everyone has been very friendly, but communication has been a challenge; we are eagerly looking forward to the food in Chiang Mai, and will probably not want to see another 7-11, or (chocolate) wafers for a long time. Have not dared eat the interesting looking dried fruit we see manually packaged locally...But had delicious packaged baked banana strips yesterday - similar to what we had on Maui.
Only today found out dengue fever is not present in Pua, so am happy as I got bitten yesterday. We have been super careful to avoid mosquitoes both due to this fear, and fear of malaria. But have not needed the Mosinet I again brought along. Craig did see a Government poster with warnings of mosquitoes.

Link to rural NE Thailand