Arriving in Phayao (our sixth city in two weeks), we were all pretty exhausted. Our hosts told us where we would be staying but to grab an overnight bag for the night as we were heading for the mountains.

Normally, this would rouse joy in me because I love natural beauty. But how unclear are plans were (I was told the business skirt I was currently wearing would be appropriate attire; it was not) and how tired we all felt left me unsettled.

After another long drive, we spent a lovely afternoon with some Hmong children or hill tribes as they call them here, who first performed for us at their school and then toured us around their town.

I was most struck by the contrast of ancient ways with modern life. In a contemporary looking home, a family of 27 shared a living space where the women practiced traditional cloth making arts next to the TV and DVD player. It was a strange juxtaposition.

The evening meal and accommodations were very outdoorsy, and Wendy and I were not too comfortable with them. Riding in the back of a pickup truck up a mountain was a bit reminiscent of my childhood on the farm, but I just wasn’t to sure of the food sanitation levels and was a bit nervous.

At 5 a.m. we were roused for a sunrise hike. At 6 a.m., we finally left. The half-mile climb was arduous, but the view and feeling of accomplishment were worth it. Although the white skirt and flip-flops I was wearing were perhaps not really hiking gear, I was glad I was not wearing the business skirt. And I didn’t even have the most inappropriate shoes — that award went to our host’s wife who had a bit of a platform heel.

This journey has been much like climbing a mountain. We have reached the peak in our trip, but there is still a long climb down.

This entry was posted on Saturday, March 15th, 2008 at 3:30 am and is filed under Thai culture, food, photos, travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.