Thailand & Cambodia are awesome!

SouthernKing said:

How was the elephant ride? I've heard that they can be quite uncomfortable after even a short period of time.

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This particular elephant ride had me sit in one of those seats strapped to an elephant's back. So it wasn't so bad!

I rode another one in the southern part of the country and for most of that ride I switched seats with my guide - I was sitting on the elephant's neck, while the guide sat in the seat. Later he jumped down and it was me up there all by myself. It was amazing And very humbling, you could tell the elephant could do a lot of injury to me if it really wanted to.

And yep, that was uncomfortable The elephant's neck isn't very easy to get comfortable in.. and you can't shift too much around either, especially when it's moving around. My butt hurt a bit after I got off, but it wasn't really that bad. The novelty of it all overrode any sort of uncomfortableness I was feeling.

MilesGregarius said:

That actually sounds Karen; the only hilltribe I know of that does such is one branch of Karen. Are you assuming they aren't Karen because they aren't Long Necks?

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Yeah exactly, plus when I was booking the hike, the Karen did come up as an option .. as in "Did you want to visit a Karen village?". I said no, so that I'd have more options in terms of which hike to pick. It's possible that the one I ended up going with did indeed include the Karen. The traditional dress you posted doesn't look familiar though.

In the Jungle - Day 2

The second day began with me realizing that my camera lens was completely fogged up.. from the inside. I figured that it happened because of all the moisture coming from the waterfall and the humidity, but was surprised, because the lens was closed and the camera was in a bag, which was in another bag. Either way, it was unfortunate, because there was some interesting stuff going on, like a couple guys climbing trees and chopping large branches down.



The pictures looked too foggy to be any good, so I put my camera away for about 20 minutes..

Phew, no weird aftereffects after the fog scare. Here's a termite hill I think..



Somebody was asking about bugs earlier. Here's a bad picture of a big one.. although there isn't much there for scale. From what I remember it was a bit larger than the human hand or so.

If I remember correctly Ping Pong got on a motorcycle and drove off to do something and would meet us later. This guy was our new temporary guide, the most casual guide I've ever had on a hike..


Link to video.





Lunchtime! These sort of rest stops always had cold bottled water and sometimes beer and snacks. All for a small fee of course. Lunch itself was included.



On we went.. this time downhill.

Roosters can be loud

Especially if you're not expecting one of them to start going crazy at 4 in the morning, triggering all the other roosters in the area. We were warned about this, but I assumed it was a joke. NOT SO.

But before all that happened we still had to get to the village..



This was the typical house in the village, with pigs and chickens underneath, humans up top.



Even cute little pigs!





Our fire pit:



It was right beside the hut we all slept in, very similar to the last one:



Another house:



Two girls playing soccer:


Link to video.

The view was great, especially during sunset.



After the sun went down, our guide (now back from his mission) led us through a bunch of "let's get to know each other better" games and exercises.. It actually ended up working, partially because he was such a likeable and charismatic guy. and partially because the games involved drinking.

Later on in the night a bunch of other stuff came out, like home-made liquor made from rice.. Essentially moonshine sake I guess. I did a couple shots of it with Ping Pong to celebrate the circumstances in which I had found myself.

Of course this was all still before the rooster... Day 2 of the hike ended very well, but day 3 would not begin well at all...

warpus said:

This was the typical house in the village, with pigs and chickens underneath, humans up top.

Spoiler :

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Very definitely Karen. Sgaw Karen to be exact, as opposed to Pwo, the other main branch.

If you compare these two photos, you'll see the men are wearing the same style shirt:




Karen hilltribe culture (as opposed to Karen lowlander/urban culture) is very interesting in that it is matrilineal and matrilocal. When a couple marries, the man has to move to his wife's village, becoming part of the wife's family. Their women tend to be refreshingly assertive and self-confident. They also smoke like chimneys - few Thai or non-Karen women seem to smoke with the exception of the Lahu who also happen to be matrilineal/matrilocal.

The Karen have traditionally practiced a rotating form of slash-and-burn agriculture that allows them to reuse the same land by allowing some plots to lie fallow to recover their vitality. Most of the other tribes tend to farm a patch of hillside until it is exhausted before moving on to cut down a new chunk of forest elsewhere.

In case you couldn't tell, I quite like the Karen, though I have spent a much greater amount of time with the Lahu and the Akha. It's an absolute crying shame what the Burmese government has been doing to them on the other side of the Salaween.

warpus said:

In the Jungle - Day 2

The second day began with me realizing that my camera lens was completely fogged up.. from the inside. I figured that it happened because of all the moisture coming from the waterfall and the humidity, but was surprised, because the lens was closed and the camera was in a bag, which was in another bag. Either way, it was unfortunate, because there was some interesting stuff going on, like a couple guys climbing trees and chopping large branches down.

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Yup. Humidity will play havoc on cameras unless they're weather-sealed. Even then, sometimes. Best bet is to carry some silica packets like the kind that are used to keep some snack foods dry in whatever bag you have your camera in.

Thanks for these photos. I haven't been in the hills on that side of Thailand in far too long.

Hmm, doesn't seem to be that many steep slopes on that trail. I could probably enjoy hiking it.

Just curious, what did they have in the way of canned drinks? I'd imagine you'd have your usual Coca-Cola brands, but I'm wondering about the local ones.

Hey guys, unfortunately I won't be able to respond to these messages or post any more pictures for the next week or so. I will be on vacation in south carolina, laying around on a beach, and then visiting my sister. I've been busy packing and it doesn't look like I'm going to get any sleep. So the first day there will be a writeoff.. but I'm used to those

No prob. Have fun.

Then you'll make a "South Carolina is awesome!" thread. Though that might not be the verdict.

Of bugs and elephants

On the third and last day of the hike we were due to ride some elephants. This excited me, but made me slightly anxious, as the only other animal I'd ever ridden before was a horse in Peru. Some of you might remember that horse. For those who don't, it basically did whatever it wanted to, approaching steep drops without a care in the world, trying to get ahead of other horses in the caravan no matter what the terrain, and so on. It ended up being a good time, but the first hour was .. interesting. Elephants are completely different animals of course, but it was the only reference point I had, so it's what was on my mind.

To get to the elephant camp we had to hike downhill for 2 hours or so. We took our time and ran into interesting things along the way..





Those chains are just for our safety and aren't restrictive in any painful way.. I hope.. the camp was advertised as a humane one for what it's worth...



This is how you got on.. By climbing up on that platform, and then climbing on top of the elephant from there.



The movements of the animal were jerky at times.. so it was a good idea to be always holding on to your seat, especially when going downhill.



My view:

MilesGregarius said:

Very definitely Karen. Sgaw Karen to be exact, as opposed to Pwo, the other main branch.

If you compare these two photos, you'll see the men are wearing the same style shirt:

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It's amazing that you are able to narrow that down for me for my notes, so thank you!

Thanks for these photos. I haven't been in the hills on that side of Thailand in far too long.

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No problem. I really enjoyed the landscape and the people there, they were very welcoming and down to earth (in more ways than one).

SS-18 ICBM said:

Hmm, doesn't seem to be that many steep slopes on that trail. I could probably enjoy hiking it.

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Yeah, it wasn't that bad. Definitely nothing compared to the trails I walked in New Zealand, Chile, and Peru. The main thing was the climate and the sun I guess, you had to be dressed for the occasion and make sure to stay hydrated. With those things in mind, it wasn't a problem at all.

SS-18 ICBM said:

Just curious, what did they have in the way of canned drinks? I'd imagine you'd have your usual Coca-Cola brands, but I'm wondering about the local ones.

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I saw a lot of advertisements for Est Cola, but mostly ordered cokes and sprites. Green Spot was a canned juice thing that sometimes came in a carbonated form, but I never tried it. I swear I also remember seeing things made with coconut milk, but I stayed away from those.

On an elephant

The elephant ride lasted about 40 minutes and put me in a bench atop one of the elephants beside one of the British girls.

In this here video you will mostly hear her talking to her 2 friends on the elephant in front of us. Little commentary from me, so everyone wins. You'll also see the elephant being mistreated slightly, at the beginning.. and me laughing nervously.. What happened was it stopped and just wouldn't go. The guide tried a couple things and nothing worked, the elephant seemed oblivious to his commands, munching on something or another..

But then as soon as the flame came out, it started running like the wind..


Link to video.

So I guess it worked, but it was kind of mean. I hope it doesn't hurt too much.

A couple pictures from the bumpy ride.. If you weren't holding on, you were a local.



The other 2 British girls. I told them to contact me so that I could send them some of the pictures they are in, but they never did. So here they are:



Eventually the caravan arrived at a river. The elephants climbed downhill, into the riverbed below..



And the crossed it and we went uphill..



And arrived at the part of the elephant sanctuary where elephants were cared for, washed, and fed. The first elephant we saw was this little guy:

The elephant sanctuary



Happy happy elephants



But this small one always looked a bit sad



Maybe it's just me..



Most of the elephants around really did seem to be quite happy, as they were being fed and washed..



Here's that little guy again.. I have a lot of photos of him



After we were done admiring the elephants, it was time to go.. but not before one last badly thought out group photo, in which only a couple people are really visible...



That 2 hour ride back to Chiang Mai was slightly uncomfortable. I was tired, filthy, it was cramped, the seat was tiny, and there were people sitting on a bench right in front of me, looking in my direction.

The first thing I did when I got back to Chiang Mai and checked into my room was take a shower. Then I went wandering around town until I stumbled upon "just the right" restaurant. I had been wandering through the jungle for a couple days, so I wanted something maybe a bit on the fancy side. That probably meant going to a restaurant that sees enough tourists.. but I also wanted something authentic. So I sort of stumbled around town, until I found a quaint yet ambient place, a bit out of the way of the usual traffic, with an appealing menu out front in English. It seemed like just the right balance of what I was looking for.

I ordered way too much food, all of which was delicious.. Spring rolls, Tom Kha Kai soup, and a Pad Thai.. Nothing too crazy, just my favourites. That's right, this meal was all about me. In a way the whole trip was all about me, but when you're away from civilization for a couple days, it feels amazing to treat yourself at a nice restaurant... right after your first shower. If you've never tried it, I highly recommend it.

Near the end of my meal the owner came out and joined me for a drink. She wanted to know what I thought of the food, the service, and atmosphere. We ended up talking about a whole bunch of things, about Chiang Mai, about her restaurant, about southern Thailand, which she gave me some tips for..

Before I left she recommended a massage place for me. I'd been meaning to try a proper Thai massage, but was a bit put off about the whole "rub 'n tug" aspect of it. I wanted a proper, professional masseuse, who was trained in the art of the Thai oil massage and could administer such a massage effectively. It seemed like this lady had enough money to get pampered from time to time and might lead me to what I want, so I asked her about salons that offer proper Thai massages. Bingo! There was a place nearby that she went to all the time. Whether she was just driving business to a friend's salon (or her own), or giving me honest advice.. (and in Thailand you never know ) .. I was going to check this place out.

So I swung by there, booked an appointment for the next day, and so ended the last day of the hike through the jungle.

That pointing guy in the last picture... I want one of those. :3

What sort of tips for the South did the restaurant owner gave you?

taillesskangaru said:

What sort of tips for the South did the restaurant owner gave you?

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She gave me a list of dishes to try down there, mostly seafood ones, as well as beaches and islands to try to visit. The rest of it I can't remember, but it was just a general description of what that part of the country is like.

Cooking with Gay

Day 11 started with a cooking course at the Asia Scenic Thai Cooking School; I dropped in the day before the hike and booked a half-day course for a fun thing to do before my bus ride back to Bangkok.

There were maybe 10 of us total, and our teacher Gayray.. or as she wanted us to call her, Gay. She was a quite motivational teacher who was very passionate about her job.. and in fact had written the entire cookbook that they used to teach from - that you then got to keep after the course was over.

First she took us to a local market to show us the various ingredients we were going to be cooking with. The process starts there, she said. She explained about the different kinds of rice, when to use each one and how to cook it, the various vegetables, fruit, noodles, and other ingredients traditionally used in Thai cuisine.





This is food being cooked in bamboo leaves, I think. If I had to guess, I would say it's probably very good.



We walked back to the classroom and got to work. Each one of us could pick a stir fry, curry, and soup. The dishes were similar enough for her to be able to walk us all through each of the 3 types of dishes at the same time. I decided to learn how to make pad thai, red curry and tom yum soup.

Authentic Pad Thai seems incredibly easy to make. The sauce is just a mixture of sugar, fish sauce, and oyster sauce... It's easy enough to mess up too, especially if you suck at cooking noodles, like me.. but there aren't many ingredients and the process really only has 3 main steps. We started by chopping up all the vegetables and other ingredients. Gay then walked us through the process of turning all of that into a pad thai - which didn't take long at all.. We were then left to our own devices to attempt to reproduce what she did and create a tasty Pad Thai, or other type of stirfry that others might have selected.

We then went through this process for a curry, with the added step of grinding up a bunch of ingredients into a spicy paste for the curry as well as the soup (in my case). The grinding was intense, but I did get cheers of approval from the rest of the group by grinding my ingredients particularly well! I'm good at odd things, I thought to myself, and curried on..

The last thing to make was the soup.. I had the brilliant idea of making my soup "almost Thai style", Thai style meaning as hot as Thai people eat it. This was a bit of a mistake. The soup turned out really good, and actually according to Gay the best out of the group!.. but it was really really spicy. It was possible to eat, but I had to do it in small increments, and suffer a bit through it all as a result.

The curry and Pad Thai turned out really well too. All in all it was an excellent investment of my time! The cookbook sits in my kitchen.. and I have used it, but I never cook the noodles right. Once I master that, I should be able to make good Thai food when I want.

Until then, I have memories of this meal to inspire me: The 3 best Thai dishes that I've ever made



The Pad Thai isn't visible here, it was probably already in my stomach.

So will you cook that for yourself at home?

warpus said:

And very humbling, you could tell the elephant could do a lot of injury to me if it really wanted to.

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I have to admit that I don't typically blame the elephant when they finally go on a rampage. It seems that there is invariably a good reason for them doing so.

Cutlass said:

So will you cook that for yourself at home?

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I've made the pad thai 3 times, and each time I messed up the noodles a bit and tofu quite a bit. The first time the mess I made was nothing like a pad thai, the second time it was actually pretty good, and the third time was good. I should probably keep at it, because that's how you learn, but I'm usually so mentally exhausted after work that I don't really feel like learning. I just want to make something quick and easy, or just order in.

During the cooking class Gay was there to help and some of the ingredients were prepared ahead of time by somebody else and given to you in a little cup.. like the noodles.. I didn't have to worry about those there, I just threw them into the wok at the appropriate time. So it seemed super easy to make at the school, but at home it seems a bit more challenging. Then again I've only tried 3 times, and the first time I messed up the noodles because I wasn't paying attention..

Oh wait, I made breakfast pad thai once or twice.. no chicken, but triple the amount of eggs I usually use. It turned out pretty good! I was hungry, wanted something different, and improvised..

So I should have been cooking Thai food more often, but i really haven't.. The cookbook has a lot of great recipes and none of them are in any way complex - I need to make a point to go out to the asian grocery store again with the cookbook, and just buy a bunch of ingredients. I really want to make the Tom Kha Kai soup, and the soups seemed even easier to make than the other things.

So why am I not cooking more Thai food? I need to get motivated! I also need to buy a new set of pots and pans...

Formaldehyde said:

I have to admit that I don't typically blame the elephant when they finally go on a rampage. It seems that there is invariably a good reason for them doing so.

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Me neither, but it was great to see a whole bunch of elephants just relaxing in the shade, eating, being washed, once we finished the ride.. I have no idea what an elephant smile looks like, but those elephants looked HAPPY. That made me feel better about the elephant "sanctuary" I ended up at..

Aside from the lighter and glimpses of other not-so-pleasant-looking tools strapped to people's belts (you can see one in one of the photos), the elephants seemed to be treated with the same fashion one would treat a horse. With enough respect for it to not want to kick you in the face, but with enough authority for it to do what you want.

Elephants going berzerk didn't come up during my research at all either, so it wasn't something I was worried about when I booked a tour like this.. but to be honest I have no idea how often it happens.

Food photos! Thanks warpus. Both of those look really good.

Thai oil massage and Wat Phra Singh

After the cooking class I was off to enjoy a Thai oil massage at the spa recommended to me by that inquisitive restaurant owner from the other night. I didn't really know what a Thai oil massage was, other that it involved a Thai lady, massage oils, and your skin... and that it was recommended to me as something to try at least once, as long as I made sure it wasn't "one of those" massage parlours, in which case the chances of getting an actual certified Thai masseuse would be much lower..

A Thai oil massage is an intense and at times intimate experience that in some ways I wasn't really ready for.. 95% of your muscle groups get relaxed in a major way, and if pressure points are a thing, then this older masseuse that I got was hitting all of them right on the money.. Some things hurt.. some things cracked.. At one point she was kneeling behind me with her knee resting against my back, pulling my arms backwards at the sides.. The usual position was a bit more orthodox - me on my stomach.. Very very relaxing!.. except for the parts that hurt.

All in all it was an immensely satisfying experience. $10 for one hour. "I will be definitely be getting more Thai oil massages from now on", I probably thought to myself as I walked out of the place.

I had a couple hours (3-4?) to kill before my bus back to Bangkok, so I explored the old town a bit more. I ended up at Wat Phra Singh.