Our rule is:
Leave nothing but footprints,
Take nothing but pictures,
Kill nothing but time.
such were the words on the sign outside of the Pooh Eco-trekking office. We had passed this office earlier in the day while searching for fancy coffee
and were again wandering the tiny streets of Chiang Mai trying to find this place again. Turning on a somewhat familiar road we found Pooh's only to be welcomed by the barking of a dog (most dogs love Krista but this one had other thoughts in mind). Shortly after, Pooh scootered up and talked to us about his trek into the hillside. We would visit a Karen (local hill tribe) village and spend some time learning jungle survival. Sounds great! Our guide would be Roo Poo, an absolutely amazing naturalist.
Early the next day, we loaded up and headed out of town stopping to get supplies from a local market.
Buffalo meat:
but not pig's head
Piled into the back of a covered pick-up truck, we were among eight people: two from France, one Australian, two Japanese and a Dutch-man. We stopped for lunch after several hours of driving from Chiang Mai and were treated to a tasty meal topped off by the fruit of the day. Mango-steen!
The white, garlic-clove look alike is eaten and it is delicious.
After lunch, we exchanged our covered bench seat truck for the bed of a pick-up. Packing in with our bags and guides, the direction was set for a Karen village that would be the beginning of our trek. A first stop though was at a gas station to fuel the truck...
After bouncing and winding along the side of the hills, sounds of a village were heard and the truck stopped its journey. The time was for us to begin walking and our route began through tobacco fields. In the distance, we observed areas varying in amount of growth. The villagers have a seven year rotation of rice planting. One area is cleared, planted and then allowed to sit for the time period before again being cleared and planted. The hillsides are steep and the work is not easy.
The walk was not strenuous and allowed time to look at action around us. In one place, the insane number of daddy-long leg spiders moving along a hill made a loud rustling noise. Lotus flowers bloomed on a pond.
We passed through bamboo groves and areas of regrowth. At one point, Roo Poo went tarantula fishing by sticking a long straw down a hole. (Un)fortunately, the tarantula was taking its mid-afternoon nap and did not come out for a visit. We eventually descended to a stream, forded and met a few local Karen villagers from the village we would sleep that night. They were out fishing for the afternoon and laughed with Roo Poo.
As the sun began its downward journey, we started back up the other side of the creek. Before getting to the village, we passed through a large hill planted with cabbage and immense bamboo groves. Finally, we reached our host's home. One nice aspect of this company is that they arrange for homestays on the treks. Each time, people stay in different homes. The house was typical of the others in the village and consisted of an outside and an inside area. The sections adjoined and the structure was raised off of the ground. The inside room was dominated by the cooking fire already lit as we entered. People were soon helping to prepare the dinner and Krista was put on cooking duty, which included keeping the fire hot.
The next morning we woke to the crows of competing roosters and the escalating grunts of the fattening pig underneath the house. The village began to stir as the morning fog laid low and thick in the valley below.
Our house was located beside two large water containers and various Karen villagers came to collect water and wash clothes. A small fire provided a welcome place for people to stop and chat. After a breakfast of hot rice porridge and fresh fruit, we packed our bags and began walking out of the village. We stopped to watch women weave. This skill is one that each female must learn. Young girls weave white dresses to wear or spend time working on their wedding dress (white with lots of colors). Many girls are married at 14.
The exterior of a shaman's house contained a bee hive and a string of egg shells used for bringing spirits back. We also were able to watch a lady separate rice by pounding and winnowing.
Another man steadily wove a basket that would be used for carrying wood.
A short walk from this village brought us to another where females were also weaving,
and carrying heavy loads of wood in baskets similar to the one the man was weaving.
Krista was able to model a wedding dress being made by one of the girls
After watching three young boys run around in a mischievous manner, we hoisted our bags and began trekking down to the river. We met a few people carrying heavy loads of wood and passed a truck full of cabbage for the market. By the time we made it down to the river it was time for lunch and our introduction to jungle cuisine and eating. Our meal was served up in banana leaves and we ate using chopsticks whittled by machete from bamboo. I tried my machete skills at making a mortar and pestle but came up remarkably short, though had a good time trying.
After a pleasurable walk along the river, crossing a few times, we reached the jungle camp. This raised bamboo structure was constructed by the trekking company and Karen people to be used by those in the area. The rest of the afternoon allowed us time to soak in the river, gain bamboo utensil-creation skills and learn bamboo cooking. Here, Krista makes a beautiful bamboo stir rod for her morning coffee:
Rice was cooked in a large section of bamboo. In this section, an opening is made and filled approximately 40% with rice. The remainder of the space is filled with water. The section is closed up and put onto the fire to heat. After the water boils, the bamboo is pulled off, and the lid is firmly attached to the bamboo. The section is returned near the flame to steam until the rice is cooked.
Dinner was beautifully presented in bamboo half-sections and we ate with our bamboo chopsticks. The use of this material was amazing. From boiling water, to making utensils to the structure that we slept on, I was amazed at the continuing uses for this wood.
The night was cold. Very cold. The bamboo floor was hard. Hip-aching hard. The night sky was beautifully clear. Stars lit the blackness outside the hut with thousands of pinpricks. When the morning came, we watched as bamboo was peeled back to reveal omelettes cooked a la bamboo, accompanied by bread toasted over an open flame and served again on bamboo halves.
The final day's hike was beautiful as we traced up the river, crossing numerous times and eventually arriving at a large opening in a rock wall that the river flowed out. Lighting bamboo torches, we walked through the cave in the river. A few hours later we joined a waiting truck for the return to Chiang Mai.
This trek was simply one of the best that I have been on. Roo Poo is an amazing naturalist and often stopped to explain the uses of plants along the way. At the same time, he is a fabulous jungle cook and we ate some of our finest meals while "roughing it". Only a few of our photos are in this post. Please take a look at the rest to see more of the Karen, outdoor cooking Thai-style and gorgeous scenery.
All photos are here.
