The Hill Tribes

We were loaded into the backs of little trucks today and taken up into the mountains to visit two hill tribes. The villagers ran ahead and prepared their little stalls of goods for us to buy. They showed off their babies and little children. We went into two different homes, just little dark shacks, to see how they live. They finally got electricity two years ago, but other than that, they still live a very primative life.

Some of the other things that we have done in the past few days: watched indigo dying, visited a small self-sustaining farm, went to a crocodile farm, saw the teak carvers.

Our days start with a wake up call at 5:30AM (but who cares about time, really?), breakfast at 6, on the bus at 7. We have a wonderfully cool large coach to ourselves, with a driver and a bus boy, who takes care of everything, mostly helping us onto the bus and giving out cold cloths when we return hot and sweaty. We all adore Ron, our guide; he is so reliable and funny, our insulation against anything scary. There are many activities, getting on and off the bus constantly, for things to see, both on the program and off the program--things Ron wants us to see or people he knows. We have dinner together, either family style or buffet every night at 7pm. By then we are exhausted and ready for bed, but ready to go again the next morning.

We are in a lovely resort with individual bungalows. It felt so good to take a dip in the pool and have a little drink before dinner. Tomorrow: Myanmar and Laos.