Superstar condition...(making up for days lost)
SO the christians freed me nearly three days ago now.
My lord children, was I a sorry bloke! 7 pounds lighter, whiter and whiter...and all the while consuming nothing but aqua. My stetson therefore is tipped to the great Thai nurses at Chiang Mai McCormick hospital who set me up with a grand place of lodging and got this oy a decent nights rest (did I mention they had MTV)

Look at me now. And how we've been catching up on those two wasted days. After one day of farting around, we rented some scooters from Julie Guesthouse ad learned to maneover our hogs through the bustling streets of Chiang Mai. There is no better way to learn that craft then to start on the left hand side of the rode and try to avoid the other 4-5000 scooters ahead and behind you. This is the town to scoot!
We got to the highway by midday, and headed to the Doi suthep mountain, where apparently a white elephant croaked in the 1500's. But more importantly, where sister Meg married her handsome beau Kent...I should mention there are 306 step to get to the Chedi at the top, so all you wedding planners go for a short train, and maybe remember NO shoes!
Then to Chiang Mai zoo, where we set our eyes on our first Tapir...who just so happens to adorn our Phobun banner at the bottom of your screen. I've given up on the sloth now...for sure the Tapir is my favorite animal. That is not to take away from the Pandas, something I have not seen since the hay day Calgary 88. Ahhh...I can hear that olympic song playing as I type. Thanks David Foster.
after I had overheated my bike (who knew you couldn't leave it in fourth gear to go up a mountain) the scooter gave me a little tattoo when I leaned the exhaust pipe againgst my calf. It's a good looking burn...not too bad, but story worthy? we will see.
Now that was an excellent day but it really didn't match with the last two. WE arranged to go on a two day trek to the Lahu village, and the Mae tang river. After five gruelling hours of trekking up and down red dirt paths in the 30 degree heat, and swearing (ask brant) that "I'd stay in the shade and read a book next time" the fruits of our labour fell before us.
It happened at a waterfall, which today is about a 10th the size of what it is during peak season, but big enough to shower in and bowl us over. Then to an encampment where our very "loose cannon" leader Mok, entertained us with stories of opium dealers in Lahu village (one was shot down there ust yesterday by the DEA) and his penchant for honey which nearly got the five of us with more than mosquitos to worry about.
Then this morning, my birthday. I woke up in a jungle next to a swimmable river, ate some salty eggs (as prepared by Mok) and went for an hour log elephant ride, which I would suggest only to those who can
a)stand mild cruelty to giant beasts
and B)get compeletly covered in snot and dust...
we were on a heffer who had a penchant for snorting towards it's occupants, and her baby came along for the ride. I must say you haven't seen quite anything until youv'e seen a baby elephant bathing in a cool river. He literally would stand and fall over sideways into the stream...JOY.
But enough water for elephant, what about Us???
Yes, we thought it might be nice to get on a raft and hit a little class 5 white water rapids (more like 1 or a half) got drenched and mosied down the rest of the river on a calm bamboo raft.
that more or less catches us up to right now.
Back on track and in fine birthday condition to enjoy a bottle of bacardi (that i smuggled all this way from victoria) on the rooftop bar five stories over Chiang Mai.
I do believe I'll be spending the rest of this day with one of the finest gents in the business...My life partner Brant, without whom ( and I must say this) I would have been in sorry condition some 4 days ago.
He's really grrreat you know.

not as great as Mok, but he knows that.
Oh yeah, and I know you must all be wondering after reading the last 1/2hour drivel wether we survived the recent Earthquake ot not. NEVER FEAR ALL IS SWELL!
- posted by Combine Harvester @ 1:59 AM