So, I went to Chiang Mai, which is in northern Thailand, with my brother for a wedding. A friend of ours was getting married up there. I have been in Thailand now for about a month and am spending most of my time in Bangkok. I was ready to get out of the big city and go see some different parts of the country. The girl’s dad who was getting married owns a tour company. I decided one night when we were at dinner that I wanted to go treking with a guide from his company. I did not want to do the normal treking that most people do but rather something completely out there. I told her dad I wanted to go on an intense trek for 5 days through the jungle. One thing led to another and the next day he told me he had arranged a special trek for me that had never been done before. He asked me such questions as “are you OK eating only rice for breakfast? Are you OK with eating snakes? Are you OK with only taking clothes, rice, and a gun into the jungle for 5 days?” The answer to all of those questions was obviously a big YES!! I wanted to experience the jungle of Thailand and in my mind you can’t do that with western comforts such as running water and clean clothes.
I kept a journal for the 5 day trek and I am going to transcribe it here in the blog. I would spend more time on editing it but I need to get on a plane for Nepal in 24 hours. If it is too ‘rough’ for you or if it jumps around too much feel free to stop reading at anytime. If you make it through it I hope you enjoy it.

Here are my unedited thoughts and experiences (some of them) of five days in the south east Asian jungle:

Day 1 of Trek
Location: somewhere in the Northern Thailand Jungle
Date: Unknown

1:30 pm

I’m headed out to an unknown adventure. I just had my last meal in civilization for about 5 days. I am way up in the mountains a few hours outside of Chiang Mai. I am heading into the jungle with 2 guides and one of their sons age 10.

I am sitting at a small café outside at a bench. There is a gas station of sorts across the way. Just 2 50 gallon drums with a hand pump in a cylinder block shed. Pretty wild indeed (see pic).

All we are taking on the trip is clothes, a sleeping bag, and a gun made out of bamboo.