Trek Day 2

The morning awakes with a 4 am rooster crow. Then the rooster stopped and went back to bed. Believe me? Have you ever awoke to a rooster? They are like the spastic snooze-button on your alarm clock. I rested in my bed, as much as could until about 6:30.  Looking to the sky I was almost wondering if the sky was a bit too hazy for sunrise.  I awoke for a morning sunrise at 6:49 am. Nobody else around. It was a beautiful way to start March 18th, my mom's birthday.

 View that I later discovered from inside my hut.

 Breakfast time, 8:30am - eggs with tomatoes, onion, and minced carrots. Garnished with cucumbers. Some great eggs. Pop cooked this meal as well. Nick, I think I am going to make this for you.

 The full breakfast meal - eggs, toast, fresh pineapple, watermelon, and oranges.

 Spirit statue near the Akha village

 This Akha man, followed us on our trek out of the village. To his left is his grandson.  He told us through the translation of Pop, that the boy's dog cries when the boy cries.

 Trekking down up down up and around..

 

 Banana trees and tea plantation down below.

 

 Akha man and his machete.

 An ant nest. These ants, were crawling all over the nest. The guide told us this is the only type of ant that nest like this, in Thailand.

Making me a banana leaf skirt as we waited for the others to get up a steep hill.  The hill was extremely steep and somewhat challenging.  He told me that there is a woman at the top of the hill that goes down the hill everyday, to the Chinese village, for a shot of whiskey -100 baht, then she goes back up the hill to her village. The woman is 80 years old. The thought of that made me smile.

 Oolong Tea Planation

 Tea time! Chinese village

 Oolong the way, I had some tea time. Oolong tea along the way. Acutally not on the way at all. We went down a steep hill, over a stream to see this plantation. As I watched the sun come up this 3/18/13 morning, I watch workers from a distance collecting leaves from the field.  The top three leaves are taken from the plants, the processed.

 Can you tea me?

 Lisu woman and her daughter cutting pineapple.

 Jungle Tea mid trek, offered to us by a kind Lisu woman.  The tea was great, mild, hard to explain.  Even harder to explain is me sipping on this in 90+ degree weather after climbing four a couple of hours.

He was originally from Tibet, like many others, now residing in the Akha village.  Picture above, he is making bamboo cups with his knife.  He was very particular about the bamboo he selected.  He even carved detail into his pieces.  

Additionally he crafted bamboo chopsticks. He followed us down from the village.  I was later found out how crafty her really was. Pictured is Pop making chopsticks as well.

Me and the crafty work of the Akha man. My bamboo cup and chopsticks.  Bamboo has natural joint closures and a hollow center, making it perfect for the bottom of a cup.  Work is need to shave the exterior of the bamboo, in addition to making a flat base for the cup to balance.  Detail and designs are optional, but not for the Akha man.  I know that he enjoyed putting detail into his work. The chopsticks were quite amazing. He made me two sets of them with in about 20 minutes.

 Through the jungle we go. Thankful for the two machetes!

 More jungle

 I'm hungry. Looks like a nice place for a fire.
 Strategically placed dried bamboo. The start of somethings great.

 We have a flame

 Yep, looks good.

 Lets throw some fresh bamboo on that. The bamboo was filled with mountain water for the stream. Bamboo leaves enclosed the top.

 Cleaning my chopsticks and cup in the stream, before lunch.

 Middle right of this picture, running banana leaves over the fire to loosen the fibers to lay in a small, square dirt pit.  The bottom leave is already covering the pit.

 I loved every moment of this.  Laying the banana leaves evenly in the pit.  Placing glass noodles, ramen, and cabbage in the leaves.

 Bamboo leaves with glass or rice noodles, cabbage, seasoning, and egg.

 Boiling water, Check! Now, time to move it toward the food.

 Pouring the hot water into the banana leaves.

 Stirring the mixture

 Covering the food with a banana leaf, wait 5 minutes.

 Lunch is ready.

 Fill your cup, grap your chopsticks.

 Enjoy!

 Modeling my new attire.  Complete with a banana leaf skirt, a fern headband, then an elf-gnome-looking hat. Oh, and the patch on my arm and left shoulder blade.  I was stung twice within 15 minutes by some kind of wasp.  My skin was red and inflammed.  The guide then wiped my skin each time with alcohol then placed a special patch on them  I am guessing it was some sort of Tiger Balm patches, but not for sure. Either way, it was soothing and took away the burn and stinging pain.

 Yep, hes was fast at work again as we trekked on.  He was alway jumping in to the jungle looking for the right bamboo. Then as he walked he crafted more things.  Here I am holding a whistle he made from older bamboo, along with a bamboo ring.  He later weaved me another one with golden bamboo, he said much better, better color. He would smile every time I put on whatever he made me.

Pineapple, I am a big fan!

 Woman weaving

 About 20 minutes after this picture, I believe I became one with the Earth and slide down a slope. No injuries. I think I scared the Akha man. He yelled and watched me slide towards him.  It was just the two of us, so less embarrassing for me. I made the whole trek without issues, til the very end. Oh, well. He found some purple flowers and added them to my headband, apparently I earned them.

 Me checking out the natural, mineral hotsprings after 48 hours of intense trekking. The cold shower before I got in was just as lovely.  I felt like I was covered in jungle.  Hot Spring water temperature, 80 degrees maybe. Sporting my headband.

Feet up and enjoying, the ride back to Chiang Rai, via Song Tau. Thankful for the hostel where I was staying, she saved my luggage for me. When I arrived back, she greeted me with a smile and wanted to hear about my adventure.