I'm sitting in a locals internet cafe, 20 or so computers, naugahyde chairs from the 70s, and the only other people in here are a couple of kids around 20 playing video games. Hmmmm, who would that remind me of? Yeah, Rashid would fit right in here.
Next store is a little restaurant with some great looking food on the street, and a couple of nice women serving to the folks who stop by. I asked the internet folks if it's cool to bring my coffee in here while I'm writing, and sure, no problem. so it's a perfect morning set-up, coffee and computer and cheap. Two hours for 20 baht, (70 cents).
So to continue the tale of the trek... it was quite a rich experience, no pun intended. After the exertion of the climb, the music with the kids and then a great dinner of curry veggies with chicken over rice, I was ready to crash. It was probably 7:30 in the evening, no electricity for reading or writing, so what the hell, time for sleep yes? Uh, no. Our host was this charming 26 year old farmer named 'Lee' and he had a beater guitar that he started to play around the little smoky campfire that he built in his living room. And what was he playing? Country Roads, Let it Be and other stuff that he was learning from various trekkers who would visit there.
He was a beginner, but very intent on learning and trying and sharing. I'm lying down in the next smoky room, and people are coming for me, 'Hey, come play music', so I got up and joined the party, sang some harmony had some fun. Then Mit grabbed the guitar and he too started playing classic rock stuff, the Who, and I can't remember what else. the guitar was tuned maybe a whole step flat, they couldn't really speak English, but it was really fun and engaging. Of course I had to play some too, and hell, it was like a Baby Boomer singalong led by twenty something Thais. In between songs, there was conversation about their lives, how the tourism thing worked, I was nosy enough to ask how much he makes when he hosts like this. He gets a dollar per person (there were 12 of us), but then makes his real money if we buy beers and coca colas and water, so I passed that information on to the group, just so they knew how to support a gracious host if they cared to. Our Aussie memeber Nick was the most supportive, drinking 10 beers that evening. Leave it to the Aussies (pronounced 'Ozzies' FYI) to foster good international relations. Thanks, mate!
Finally off to sleep (allegedly), though I'm sure I got no more than 2 hours of sleep that night. Don't know why, but I spent the majority of the night just lying there rolling from one side to the other. And when I did sleep, I ended up having nightmares, three that I can remember, and I rarely have nightmares. Weird. In the morning I mentioned that fact to the Ibiza folks and they excitedly said that they were having nightmares too. About half of our group had that experience.
Oh I forgot something. (After playing music with the kids, there was an hour or so until dinner, and a couple of the women asked if anyone wanted a massage. I always say no to that, but on this day, after passing out on the trail, after spending a lot of energy, I figured, what the hell, yeah, I've got 150 baht ($5 for a massage). Two of them worked on me, and I was struck with the difference between a massage in Thailand as opposed to one in Eugene. In Eugene it's all shhhhh, relax, here is the soothing space music, the sound of water dripping, don't talk, go inside yourself, all kind of ultra serious and 'spiritual' (allegedly). Up on the mountain it was the opposite of that. They were hanging out and chatting and laughing as they worked on me, roosters were crowing, people were passing by, they were staying stuff to their kids. I found it perfectly enjoyable, as much for the relaxed, non-serious tone as for the physical contact. Just a part of life, keep chatting and laughing as you work. Great timing for a massage, and I was moaning with release, (not that kind of release, pervert), releasing tension and stored up pain. Good stuff, highly recommended.
The next morning, our group split up into those who were staying an extra day from those who were leaving that day. The latter group took off for their rafting, elephant riding etc, while our smaller group hung out for the morning before our trek down the mountain. That gave me time to do some music teaching for our host, who was so incredibly into it. He wanted to learn how to finger pick the guitar, and he needed some help in keeping time and making chord changes on time. So I wrote some clear charts for some of the songs he wanted to play as I went into teaching mode, (just about my favorite mode, actually). Lee was so grateful, many times he would put his hands in prayer position and say 'my teacher', and I would repeat the gesture and say, 'my student'. High times indeed, and now he is one solid player of 'Country Roads'. And then I'd take a guitar solo and instruct him that he had to keep playing, but quietly so he could listen to the soloist, that sort of basic information which is a learned skill. And then this chilean guy made a little percussion kit out of soda cans and sticks, so I showed Lee how to allow a percussionist to take a solo, Keep playing the progression, but leave some space for the rhythm to shine. We had a freakin blast playing music up there. Big smile as I think about it.
We started down about noon, walked through the village where there was a big celebration for 'Children's Day', which I believe is a national holiday. There was a PA set up in an open area, and people from 3 neighboring villages were there. Looked like a couple of hundred people in all. It was kind of like Christmas for the kids, as they all received bags full of shiny, donated stuff, treats and things, I didn't really pay attention to what exactly they got, but you could tell that these kids rarely get any swag like that, so there was much excitement. There was a lot of free food being offered, and our group eventually got some pad thai, and then there was this other thing that was offered to me, a stew of some kind.
Hmmm, this is meat, but what's that other stuff floating in there? I asked a young american woman who was helping with the distribution, and she said, just try it, don't ask. I said, 'you know what it is, right?'. she said, yeah, try it first, then I'll tell you. Ok, I'm in. Kind of nasty, but hey, when in Rome, and all that stuff.... So I guess I can add, 'congealed pigs blood' to my list of delicacies that I've sampled in this lifetime. (And it was some of the finest congealed pigs blood I've ever tasted). (I'll pass, next time the CPB is offered. 'Sorry, I keep kosher'.
Then we were off on a PHENOMENAL descent along rivers, past waterfalls, stands of bamboo, forests, groves, incredible tropical vistas. It was the visual highlight on the trip so far. It was even kind of strenous going down, so there was much pouring of sweat, but the good kind, not the kind where you pass out, say. Totally reminiscent of hiking the Camino, with a walking stick and a singing heart.
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