Baan Silp Hotel Chiang Rai

... Gate in Chiang Mai province but none looked authentic to me. They were trying to sell you things that you didn’t really need. This can be quite annoying!An Akha tribe woman dressed in traditional ethnic costume and beautiful headdressThe Akha are an Asian indigenous hill top tribe originally from Mongolia which ...

... The group then split into 2 trucks and headed off to the hill tribe. The first truck had a reasonably good journey and arrived in the hill tribe in about an hour. Things were not so good however for people in the other truck. The group of Dom, Will, Chasha, Gilly, Rich W, Ali, Tom, Mark, Jamie and the staff Mr Baker and Mr Smith were unaware of events to follow. Only 10 minutes into the 1 and a half hour journey there was an unusual noise ...

... an assorted mix of British, Americans, South Africans etc and what with the event taknig place on this Yank's lush farm, trhe whole atmosphere felt amusingly colonial! After the run, we all engaged in excess drinking which is all what the HHH is about and a fereshingly different meal from which we all gorged ourselves. Back at the orphange, each volunteer has opted to take control of the children for specific activities on different days; my such ...

... this yet, but plan to make a decision by mid year. I am tired, haven't got much time for my health and fitness, none for travelling, almost none for learning Thai language, and not as much time and energy as I'd like for family. I have learnt and experienced a lot whilst working for Antipodeans and Mirror Foundation but am now feeling trapped and held back a little. I also think that I have done enough for Mirror ...

... morning before I go to work and answer anything that needs attention straight away. The last year has mainly been me working 7 days a week, and into each night on the computer and this is one thing I hope to cut back on this year. We'll see. Tonight has been a bad example, but otherwise today was good. I got to do some exercise and everything at work is going well and feels organised. Plus we have some money in our bank now. So a good day but now time for bed.

Some of the Law students from Mae Fah Luang Uni were going to help the school at Baan Huay Gla in Doi Wawi district. So we drove out there with some of their supplies. On the way back we visit Doi Chang also. (More of the photos are on the Picasa site)

Hi. Last week at a morning meeting we were told that there would be some ceremonies at Baan (village) Apa. I was asked to ask the volunteers if they wanted to go. BUT, it'd be scary. And whatever happens, the volunteers MUST NOT be caught by the man chasing the spirits. During the morning I was able to gain more information. The ceremony was to chase away bad spirits after a recent death in the village. It would involve a man in his underwear and with a large phallic symbol ...

... This made it impossible for them to deal with all of the corpses before the decay began. People told us that they need mosquito nets, blankets and household equipment such as pots and knives as well as agricultural tools, which were destroyed in the cyclone. They told us that they received very little aid so far. They only received some clothes and food from monks. The government came and provided only 5kg of rice per person. There was not enough to ...

... that all time great Henry the Eighth. Hey, so I liked Baan Bua, go try it and then tell me I'm wrong! Now, did I say what there was to do in Chiang Rai. Well, you could enjoy the jazz in The Cat or play a few games of pool, I did and after abandoning my varifocals I actually won a few. Watch the punters in bar street, it's not quite a Bangkok red light district and the girls aren't so pushy but the hoola hoop brigade are always a hoot and that's the bar which sells the ...

... to feel how heavy it was - it was not heavy at all. It just seemed so different to me (of course). You will see in the photos, that some of the older women had black stained teeth. It is my understanding that during WWII the men in the villages gave their women something to eat (not sure what it was) in order to stain their teeth and make them look less attractive to the white British soliders who use to take the women from the villages and have their way with them. Even ...