Oh my Buddha!

Our exploration of northern Thailand included a fun filled trek with a local tour agency into the hills about 60 km north of Chiang Mai. The first day we got picked up at our guesthouse in a "taxi" that consisted of two benches in the back of a truck covered with some metal bars and a tarp. We accumulated 9 other fellow-trekkers and heading into the hills where we began our experience by riding elephants! Our elephant guide calmly followed his elephant from a distance with a pipe for the little tour. Elephants are amazing.

Leaving the elephant camp we began trekking uphill for the afternoon to where we were able to taste wild chillies and watch our guide, Moonshine, pick wild pumkin for our curry dinner. After ascending about 500 vertical meters we found a tribal (Black Lahu was the tribe's name) village town where we stayed with a family for a night of dining and guitar serenades. The air was cold, an amazing feeling after being in 90+ degree weather for a month. The buildings were all made of bamboo from top to bottom (very neat) by hand. We decided that bamboo is the best material in the world and there's nothing it can't do.

On the second day we leisurely trekked through a another small village and then made our way along a beautiful jung river spotted with refreshing waterfalls that we used as showers to energize for the next part of the trek. The day ended at a jungle camp where we built a fire and spent a great evening by the river and another cool nights sleep.

On the third and final day we hiked out of the jungle and got to raft some fun little rapids (read: would have been more exciting in a canoe) followed by a short bamboo raft---what did I tell you?---ride.

We really enjoyed talking to our guide Moonshine (thus named from his earlier years when he was heartbroken and turned to the bottle), who talked to us about the villages and even gave us a private tasting of village rice whiskey...very strong stuff. Moonshine was quite a character. He would exclaim "Oh my Buddha!" and then smile and laugh heartily. He had the easygoing good nature of a person who's struggled and had to work hard for everything in life but has learned through it all that you might as well choose to be happy. Come to think of it, I would describe many locals we've met here in that same way.

All in all, the north of Thailand was very scenic and majestic; very different also from the southern and middle part of the country.

We're in Laos now, and have more to write. I know it's been a while since we've posted but we've had limited internet access and poor connections these past couple weeks. But we'll post more soon and add in the pictures next time we get a good opportunity.

Sabadii and Sok Dee (Goodbye and Good Luck).

Last Days in Cambodia

Greetings friends and family,

So we're now open-water scuba certified after doing 5 dives of about 50 minutes up to depths of 50 feet, plus some bookwork and a test. We've both enjoyed it immensely and are already trying to plan another diving excursion into the trip. Stayed in a tiny fishing village on an island off the Cambodian coast.



Today we hiked to a waterfall in the jungle outside the small town of Kampot, near Bokor National Park. The journey was a bit harrowing, involving a ride on the back of motorbikes through some dirt trails and then a hike, first along a trail and then wading/scaling up a large stream. We made it though, without incident, and the swim in the cool water at the waterfall's base made it all worth while. A good view coming down from the mountain.



It's off to the city of Chang Mai, in northern Thailand, as a jumping point to Laos. Tomorrow will be a long day of travel, probably about 20+ hours.

Be well everyone.

Tuol Sleng and the Khmer Rouge

Yesterday we visited Tuol Sleng meseum, located in the capital city of Pnom Penh. Tuol Sleng was a former elementary school that was turned into a prison and torture facility by the Khmer Rouge shortly after their takeover in 1975. Thousands were interned and interrogated here. This was a major holding-point for prisoners prior to being taken to a major killing field site about 12 miles south to be executed. The survival rate of the people brought here was horrific: of approximately 20,000, a mere 7 survived.

The cells are preserved in their original state, and many of the chains, restraints and torture devices are on display. Interestingly, all of the prisoners were photographed and their life histories documented. Their are rooms full of their pictures, some clothes and journals. At the killing field to the south, 9,000 skulls which were exhumed from a mass grave are on display in a large memorial pagoda. As you can imagine, this was a very somber and moving experience. Anyone who has visited a WWII concentration camp probably can relate.

The effects of the 3 1/2 year reign of the Khmer Rouge are still very prevalent in Cambodian society today. For example, some of the leaders of the KR government played a role in today's goverment until as recent as last year.

After being removed from power by a Vietnamese incursion, the Khmer Rouge went into exile and waged a US-backed guerilla war throughout the country. The Khmer Rouge was also recognized by the UN as the official government of Cambodia for nearly a decade after their defeat.