A Mountain, A Guide And A Donut!

We hired the same guide to take us around as we had used in Chiang Rai.  Funny how the passage of time removes from your memory a person's more irritating habits.  In this case it was our guide's (and to a lesser extent the driver's) usage of the phrase "Ooh la la".  Let me tell you, I was ready to stuff this phrase down his throat after three days of hearing it when we were in Chiang Rai, and it hadn't grown on me in the interim period!

Here is Khum Chiaya, whom if you can ignore his verbal Tourettes, is a very useful guide.  Standing with our driver.

This was the food Janice said we avoided eating.  You can see why.  Only my beloved husband would find that appetising!

Our journey took us to the highest mountain in Thailand, Doi Inthanon.

I guess this is the nearest we will ever get to saying we climbed the Himalayas.  Er, well okay, we WERE in a van to the summit, and yes the short walk from the bus up about 20 steps taxed our energies, but we were suffering from oxygen deprivation and hypothermia.  I of course had no problems with the climb and in fact, could easily have climbed the whole mountain, but poor Janice, what can I say, she just wasn't up to it.  I had to support her on the last few steps.  She managed to stagger up the last step to the summit, pushed me out of the way and did a crazy woman's run towards the highest point sign, looking for a place to plant her Utah flag.  Sadly she passed out from the exertion just before reaching it and so I was able to plant my Union Jack firmly and claim the spot for Britain!

This may not be excessive to you, but I don't live in the tropics because I want to feel cold.  I almost mugged a woman I saw just to get the gloves she was wearing!  Janice at least had her jeans on (and I'm pretty sure I saw a pair of those long thermal underpants peaking out the legs of her jeans), so she fared somewhat better.  Good job that I am hardy and NEVER complain!

Isn't this a pretty spirit house?

We came across this man whilst doing an eco walk on the mountain.  He was on a week long holiday in northern Thailand, taking pictures of birds.  He kindly explained how he put out a bowl of worms near a tree branch, set up his camera and then just patiently waited for the birds to arrive.  He showed us pictures he had taken.  I was astonished at all the beautiful, colourful birds that he had taken pictures of.

And if you were wondering about the Donut?  It is the name of the man who did all the driving!