Doi Intanon National Park

Woo!  I just had an adventure.  This is why I came here- for stuff like this.

Yesterday in between classes I decided to leave my new American friends (from my program) and sit by myself and practice the language - hoping to meet some Thai people.  It worked!  In about 20 minutes, a short Thai guy named K-K and I started chatting.  I asked him to help me say 'vegetarian food.'  And it turns out he and his students wanted to practice their English as well.  He is a visiting economics professor (young) from another University in North East Thailand, and he was with 2 of his students.  We talked for a bit, and then they invited me to go camping at Doi Intanon National Park that night!  I was definitely a little hesitant, so I asked if I could bring a friend.  Luckily our class was cancelled so I had time to go pack and find someone to come with me.

We drove about two hours, out of Chiang Mai, out of the sub-urbs, into the fields, and up into the mountains.  On the way I discovered that their English wasn't even as good as I thought.  We talked as much as we could, and I used my phrase book (thanks Mom.)  I was thankful to have Emily with me to share the experience and just to talk with and get to know.

Rando Thai people I met and went camping with + Emily

Emily and Pik

We were luckily able to rent sleeping bags/pads/pillows at the campground.  It was SO COLD!  I didn't think I would ever be that cold in Thailand.  We set up camp, and KK was so nice to make a meal for us (vegetarian for me!)  I had sticky rice and mushrooms, they had sticky rice and pork with spicy sauce.  At one point I accidentally ate some kind of chili and started crying.  They laughed.

Then we played games!  For a long time.  We practiced numbers and made a game out of it and now Emily and I can count to 100!  We are also know (don't test me) days of the week and a few other phrases.   KK made a drink with Whiskey in it even though that is not allowed in the park... Don't worry,  Emily and I didn't have very much...  We didn't get the dynamic between these people.  The students slept in the same tent, but weren't dating or anything... their professor was a goofball and they were drinking together... I don't know.

Anyway, today was great.  This whole trip we could only guess what was going to happen next because again, language barrier.  Most times when I said something they didn't understand, but if I said it again they could get there.   So surprise!  We woke up when it was still dark and drove higher up the mountain to watch the sunrise!  It was so beautiful and so cold.  The clouds made it look heavenly.  I took a lot of pictures so look out for them on facebook.

Sunrise on top of a mountain at Doi Intanon

Then we did a 2.5ish hour "trek" on the mountain.  Not too strenuous with beautiful panoramic view of the mountains.  Apparently we were at the very end of the Himalayas!  Also we had a guide who looked like he was a Hill Tribe person that lead us on the hike for free.  He didn't speak English, so sometimes KK would translate what he said.  Mostly it was bullshit, but I guess it was funny.  Pretty much he just pointed out random things on the trail and related whatever we saw to something sexual.  "These trees are married" "This is the woman tree" (has whole that looks like a vagina) "...something something something for making love"  Or he would point out patches of grass and say a tiger sat there, or a imprint on a tree was a bear footprint.  So false.  I just read the translated signs with nature facts on them.  Cool stuff.

in the Himilayas!

So the hike was beautiful and entertaining!  Then we had lunch  (I had pizza... sometimes I don't feel like eating spicy meat, I don't care).  I did try the chicken and spicy papaya salad.  Next we walked to two beautiful pagodas. I took pictures, but haven't uploaded them.

All Thai people on this trip too by the way.  Some people were worshiping, but the had English translations around the inside of the pagodas that explained the artwork inside about Buddha and his mother and aunt.

Pagodas
 

It was pretty magnificent up there on the mountain.  Then we drove home and stopped at another Wat because there are certain wats that Thais should visit for good luck depending on what year they are born (learned this on the USAC city tour!)  KK is year of the rat, so we stopped at this place and he did his thing and then we left!  It's hot again in the city!

That's all for now!