A Trundle in the Jungle

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A Trundle In The Jungle Mark Ryan I woke up, killed a few more ants in over some of the younger children and The local moonshine is called 'is' and the: shower, and got ready for the trek. they made great sport with my watch that evening after our meal I sampled Chiang Mai, the ancient capital of for the next 10 minutes. Next he played some. It was rice-based and watered Thailand was a shadow of its former with my camera. He giggled as he down. Ichattedto our guide and asked self. looked through the viewfinder; I still him about the origins of the tribe. He have a picture that he took. Their explained that the Karen tribe n thet train from Bangkok, head- smiles glowedfrom within andwarmed originated in Burma. They would stay ing north, had had a long, hot, me, but already you could see the perhaps 2 Or 3 years in the one spot and uncomfortable journey andlhadn't influence off ther modern world on these and then move on once the had much of a chance to look around. people. Isn't it strange what we view surrounding resources had been The night market was good, but was as improvements, often not depleted, So making their way east heret to go trekkingandi thoughts of the considering or being aware off the loss. over many years. But now the Thai trip meandered in and out while I The walls of the huts where made of Government has told them to stay put packed a few T-shirts and suncream. wood, the floors bamboo, and the roof and their nomadic tradition has come leaves. The floor is almost two metres to an end. Unfortunately, this has had Iclimbed into thel back off the truck and off the ground and livestock rest in the its problems for the Karen whose met my companions for the trip. We shade this provides. Our food was approach to cultivation and SO on is chatted as the truck headed out of preparedi din a traditional manner, in the based on moving around. They never town. It was a blisteringly hot day, and hut on an open fire. needed to consider long-term effects we: sipped on water as we were tossed before. around in the back of the truck, cursed eventually stopping for lunch at a hut In the evening we played some games by the roadside. It was a very the hungry with the locals. Most involved pieces functional arrangement; simple but of string and were more like simple tasty food composed of rice and mosquitoes tricks than anything else. Surprisingly vegetables. these people don't seem to have any that had musical instruments. In the early hours Our guide introduced himself as Popi. of the morning I awoke and had to He explained that we would start out an unexpected make a mad dash for the trees. I on foot a short drive from where we feast. blamed the experience on the 'is' and were. Our trek turned out to be not juicy cursed the hungry mosquitoes that had much more than a stroll and after just an unexpected juicy feast. anhourswalking, we arrived at a small Next day we went down to the river and village. It was between 38 and 40 watched our elephants being washed This was the last day of my trundle degrees Celsius, I was dripping with in preparation for the morning ride. through the jungle. We made our way sweat, and so Iwas happy to stop and Stubborn animals. Just you try and to a river where somel bamboo rafts lay even happier when a dip in a nearby steer one off these things when they see waiting, as this wast to be our transport river was suggested. some tasty green shoots! Despite their for the afternoon. Fooling around in weight, they gingerly negotiated some warm water sounded like good According tol Popi, this village, inhabited step paths with a sleepy, disinterested medicine for a gippy stomach, andi the by people of the Karen tribe, has only swagger. sun baked as we pushed off. Trees been open to Western visitors for 3-4 lowered their branches, vines dangled, months. Looking around I didn't find Later that day we arrived at the next and the gentle breeze whispered. This that hardto believe. Thei family whose village. I watched some of the local was the life. We dived off the raft and patch was our spot for the night women mill grain and offered to help. fooled around, although some seemed very curious and friendly as My signlanguage was understood and menacing-looking spiders on the rocks they squatted and chatted to each took over. There was a narrow tree dampened my enthusiasm for diving other, chuckling from time to time. Who trunk pivoted in themiddle, and at one from them. was getting ther most entertainment, no end a wooden block rested in a prizes for guessing. scooped out block. The grain was put Soon, too soon, it was over. And so I in the hollow; you pushed down the was traveling back to Chiang Mai. I Ihad a sports watch with me andwhen other end and then released it. The reflected on the last few days and what you started the stopwatch a little man block would then come down onto the lay ahead My plan was to travel south ran in the corner. Ishowed this to the grain; wood on wood, what an to Malaysia and Taman Negara, and older man who had been watching US, exhausting process! Thump, thump; go for another trundle in the jungle - and he was very taken with the thing. my audience thought it was hilarious and then there was that other place - Ishowed him which buttons to pushto watching me pound this lever system New Zealand. What kind ofj jungle wqs make the thing go and stop. He called up and down. that going to be! Well TRAMPING & MOUNTAINEERING