Thailand Trekking: Day Three

Today, we had a delicious breakfast cooked by our guide. We packed our things and hit the trail for the last time.

The hike today was only about an hour. We hiked through rolling hills, very easy compared to the other two days. We hiked through several small villages and a few rice fields. We also walked through a small bamboo forest, which was lovely.

After the hike, we drove to a river where we took a bamboo raft ride down the river. After three days of hiking, it was nice to sit with our feet in the ice cold water. We saw a few children swimming in the river, some local women washing clothes in the river, and local farmers working in their fields.

When we finished the raft ride, we had Pad Thai for lunch at a local restaurant. Nearby the restaurant was a two thousand year old Wat and a Buddhist temple built into a cave. We were able to explore both temples. The Wat sent shivers down my back. It is amazing to see something that was built so long ago. This Wat has witnessed so many political and social changes, yet it remains unchanged. The temple in the cave was fascinating. As we walked farther into the cave, we saw more worshipers and larger Buddha statues. The few lights illuminated these bright images of Buddha and other protectors, giving it an eerie feeling.

It was time then to head back to Chiang Mai, back to civilization. When we reached Chiang Mai, we went to dinner together and spent the evening at a local dance club. Being only 20 and not able to enter most USA clubs, this was my first time at a club. Who knew that it would be in Thailand? We spent a few hours dancing and laughing about all the adventures of the week. Thailand is famous for its clubs and now I see why. For a conservative society, Thai people know how to let loose! We were the only foreigners there and there was a live band singing both Thai and English songs. It was funny to hear them sing Katy Perry and mess up every few words, really changes the meaning. After a few hours, I was ready to get back to the hotel. We would have half a day to see Chiang Mai before getting on our overnight train. I took a Tuk Tuk with Maggie back to the hotel, ready to sleep in a bed after two nights on bamboo mats.

The next morning, I went with the Australian sisters and the English girls to Doi Suthep, which is the most famous Wat in Chiang Mai. It is nestled on the top of the hill that overlooks the city. The Wat was magical, looming over the ancient capital of Thailand. It was a holy day in Thai Buddhism, so there were a lot of worshipers at the Wat. We saw a few of the ceremonies: a monk chanting with a group, people dropping coins in jars surrounding the complex, and people lighting incense. The smells of the incense and the sounds of the chants was incredible. Here are a few things I learned about Thai Buddhism: You never point your feet at the image of the Buddha, it is the most disrespectful sign in Thai culture. Women must never touch a monk because it will make them unclean. In Thailand, the main denomination of Buddhism is Theravada Buddhism mixed with pieces of Hinduism. At temples in Thailand, there are images of both Buddha and other Hindu deities. It is an interesting mix of two similar yet contrasting religions.

After we got back from the temple, it was time to pack up for the overnight train. We would be taking the train back to Bangkok, where I will be catching my flight back to Korea. Stay tuned for my next entry about the train and my flight, it will be epic!