Welcome to the Jungle

Watch it bring you to your Sha-na-na-na-na Knees Knees!
After three days and two nights I made it out of the jungle alive (barely).

Day 1: You know where you are? You're in the Jungle, baby.

After visiting the Elephant Nature Park I was a bit weary about riding elephants. But I will admit it was a little fun.

View from atop the elephant

And then we trekked. For 4 hours. Through the jungle.

Jungle (see above)

Since we were hiking through the unpredictable, wild terrain, our guide, "V", made us some sweet bamboo walking sticks with his machete.

V with his machete

And we trekked for hours uphill through the jungle: past the annoying mosquitoes, beyond the enormous spider and the poisonous centipede we finally made it to the top.

To the top!

There we were rewarded with breathtaking views and aching muscles.

I wish my camera could capture the color but this is as close as I came

Hmong Village hut

Day 2: Are we there yet?

Bridge crossing to get to the waterfall

The second day started out fairly simple. Walk to the waterfall: check! Swim at the waterfall: check!

Next, more uphill. Woot. Only 3 hours this time.  

View from the top

Farms

Dairy followed us all day the second day. From the Hmong village to the second village.

Did the damn thing. 

And then we made it to the bamboo huts.



And then there was this gorgeous sunset.

 

Final Day: The School and The End

 

In the second village we stayed in, we were shown the school. The schools, V explained, have students of all ages and from what we were able to see it seemed to be from the youngest, the little boy above, at about five or six up to maybe thirteen or fourteen years old all being taught by one person.

 

 

It was so nice, especially in the context of what I set out to do, to see that there is education for these children even in the most remote locations. In fact, as V was explaining, the Thai government recently declared that all villages must provide education for twelve grades.

The conclusion of our excursion was a brief trip down the rapids and then a quick ride on a bamboo raft. Obviously being surrounded by water meant no camera so no pictures.