Hilltribe trek: Lisu

They are accompanied by a cook, a guide and a chauffeur. Other "Falangs" include an English couple, Clair and James ("Jimmo"), the Canadian girls Shannon and Mary-Jane and a Thai couple (who don't speak a word to us for the duration of the entire journey). In the background you see the second highest mountain in Thailand "Doi Chiang Dao" (over 2100 metres).

When we finally arrive at the Lisu village it is already dark. So we crash our stuff in the bamboo hut and wait for Cooky to serve us some well deserved dinner. The previous 2 hours we had to walk. It was warm and damp so everybody is tired.

What to make of the day?? There are many kids around eager to jump your neck or just basically climb on to you.

45 Years ago they fled from oppression to this place. It is just recently that the Thai governement provided for a fresh water pipeline and a satellite dish for educational purposes. These are the only luxuries you will find in this hilltribe village of 179 inhabitants.

The rest of the evening we spent talking, playing with the children and singing some songs (someone brought a guitar). The full moon provides an amazing light show in the sky. The Lisu performe a "traditional" dance around the fire and everybody is happy. This happiness is gone in the morning after a rough night sleep. Because the hut is build on poles it is easy for roosters and pigs to fornicate the night away underneath you while you're trying to sleep. I sometimes thought that a complete herd would tear the hut apart.

We relaxed over breakfast and again played with little hyperactive over here who showed us a neat trick how to shoot stick of reed high into the air. After we mastered this skill it was time to get active and leave this nice little place.