Saturday 27nd March - Chiang Mai - After successfully obtaining our student card in Bangkok on Khaosan Road (and having our first Burger King of the trip!) we arrived in Chiang Mai after a 15 hour overnight train journey. Had our own private 1st class booth which was very comfortable - cost us 17 pounds each! Checked into our hotel and had lunch in local family restaurant. Later had a great evening meal at Riverview restaurant where Derek had a huge coconut filled with seafood for 1 pound and 20 pence!

Sunday 28th March - Trekking from Chiang Mai - Picked up from our hotel at 9 .30am and along with 10 other people began our trip. Finally met some Irish people and somebody from Wiltshire - Wes and Mer from Balbriggan in Dublin and Neil from Swindon! Our first strop was elephant trekking which was very painful on the back - no cushions provided! But we really enjoyed it. Luckily our elephant was not 'emitting smells' all the way round like some peoples'. We then hiked for 2 hours up and down some steep hills before arriving at an inviting waterfall. We were soaked in sweat and only too happy to jump straight in! Had our lunch of noodles and then another 2 hour walk to local village where we stayed overnight. Accomodation was a bamboo hut with leaves for the roof. The shower was a pipe. Nobody slept too well in the provided sleeping bags as there was a slight chill in the air. Also the local cockerel decided at 4.30am it was time to let everyone know he was around - he didn't stop for about 4 hours either!

Monday 29th March - Another day of walking lots and enjoying good food and great company with all the people on the trek . Playing cards beside a waterfall after a lazy lunch is the life!

Tuesday 30th March - Last day of trek - Had fantastic breakfast of banana pancakes and custard which was a real treat for everyone! More walking and cold, clear waterfalls to go swimming in. In the afternoon we went bamboo rafting down the river which was incredibly relaxing and great fun! We went back to the Riverside restaurant in the evening to meet up with all the gang from the trek and had a few well earned beers! We think there were fleas in the sleeping bags from the night before as we all had itches in strange places!

Wednesday 31st March - Day of leisure after our activities trekking - Only had the energy to visit the flower market of Chiang Mai (beautiful orchids!) and ended up in Tescos in the afternoon!