| On a journey back to Northern Thailand this year, it | | | | mountain air. It was so clean, you could feel your |
| was my good fortune to meet up with two very | | | | lungs rejoicing. Every woodland scent seemed |
| exceptional English ladies and share my adventures | | | | magnified. Our minds were reeling with the |
| with them. | | | | exhilaration and we couldn't wait for tomorrow to |
| I've lived in Thailand for a little while now, but it's | | | | come. We knew that five days would be totally |
| such a vast country that to explore it all in the | | | | inadequate. But what an excuse to return. |
| 'Autumn' of my life is going to be some undertaking. | | | | Up at sunrise, we climbed the steep steps to the |
| With companions like this its going to be a journey | | | | kitchen and ate the most delicious breakfast and |
| none of us will ever forget. | | | | drank more coffee. Our guide Pim, was already |
| We met in the small airport lounge at Chiang Mai. We | | | | waiting for us with lunches packed and waiting on the |
| were waiting for the 4.45 pm plane to Mae Hong | | | | table. 3 small plastic bags containing fried rice and |
| Sorn, some 35 minutes and a whole world away. It is | | | | vegetables. I could feel the unasked questions of my |
| one of my favourite haunts and draws me back time | | | | companions - plastic bags? Water and home made |
| after time. This ancient gateway to the Himalayas | | | | cakes rounded the fare. |
| has always fascinated me, mainly because so many | | | | We set off towards the distant mountains across |
| of our plants in the West, have their origins in this | | | | the river. The walk was some 15 miles and would |
| part of the world. I'm an avid horticulturist and the | | | | take us though forests, up steep mountain paths and |
| very thought of treading in the footsteps of plant | | | | through slow flowing rivers. Past fields with people |
| hunters such as Frank Kingdon Ward and Joseph | | | | working. Past pastures and herds of buffalo. The |
| Hooker, just thrills me beyond words. These amazing | | | | scenery was stunning and each time we stopped for |
| people were not just botanists, they were | | | | a rest or a drink or our lunch, we held our breath in |
| adventurers and explorers. They had to be tough to | | | | awe at the sheer magnificence of each view. |
| survive the conditions they faced. But survive they | | | | Pim took our pace and matched it. There was never |
| did, and we just need to look in our gardens to see | | | | any question of hurrying and this only served to |
| how much we owe to them, from the glorious | | | | enhance our delight. The most incongruous part of |
| Rhododendrons to the simple primulas; all have their | | | | our journey was when Pim, in this wonderful setting, |
| roots in these very mountains - the majestic | | | | took a call on his mobile phone. He was talking |
| Himalayas. | | | | animatedly and for a long time. The explanation was |
| Of course, we three got talking along these lines and | | | | simple - a friend in the village had been killed in a |
| soon developed a bond that I'm sure will survive as | | | | motorcycle accident and Pim was attempting to |
| long as we do. Our small plane took us at a fairly low | | | | organise the wake. This apparently takes place over |
| altitude over the most enchanting mountain scenery. | | | | several days, until all of the relatives and friends from |
| We could discern small villages, huge trees, hillside | | | | around the mountains, congregate together to send |
| clumps of tall bamboo and rivers gently meandering | | | | the deceased off properly. Meanwhile, the gathering |
| through deep ravines. It was over all too quickly and | | | | crowd must be fed and watered; housed and cared |
| we made our descent through ranks of dark | | | | for, and of course, entertained. This involves rather a |
| mountains to the airstrip at Mae Hong Sorn. Not | | | | lot of the local alcohol. An obvious cause for |
| surprisingly, a bumpy descent and landing. | | | | celebration it would appear. |
| We spent a delightful evening in an oldie worldie inn | | | | But this did not detract from the hike and as the day |
| of some antiquity and made our onward journey the | | | | gathered pace, we arrived at a local hill tribe village |
| next morning to our final destination near Pai. We | | | | where we were warmly greeted, sat at a table and |
| were going to explore caves and walk in the | | | | plied with fruit, water and cola. A much need respite. |
| mountains very close to the Thai border with Burma. | | | | But this was merely a ploy to prevent us exiting the |
| . And the very place to make our base of course | | | | village too hastily. The reason being the hoped for |
| was a delightful guest house at Tham Mae. Our | | | | sale of local produce in the form of every |
| winding journey through the marvellous mountain | | | | conceivable type of handicraft imaginable. Within |
| scenery took two hours, but should have taken a lot | | | | minutes, the enterprising locals had spread out sheets |
| longer. We wanted to stop at every fascinating turn | | | | and presented their wares. And they were beautiful - |
| and every dramatic scene that presented along that | | | | hand woven materials; skirts, shirts and jackets; |
| road. There was so much to explore! we were | | | | shawls, blankets, wraps and belts; handbags, purses |
| spellbound. | | | | and hats; bamboo plates, spoons, cups and eggcups, |
| The guest house is a well established hostelry with | | | | all carefully laid out for our viewing. Unbelievably the |
| some interesting history. It's become a firm favourite | | | | prices were not off the scale. The temptation was |
| over many years with cavers, walkers, explorers, | | | | great, but we had to be mindful of the following five |
| naturalists and mountaineers to congregate, swap | | | | miles home. We chose our prizes with care. The |
| tales and get a bite to eat. Beds and showers were | | | | heavier bamboo items we had to forgo, but we still |
| provided at 'poor students' rates and the place has | | | | bought far too much and staggered off out of the |
| thrived ever since. | | | | village with enough booty to stock a small shop. The |
| I was not at all sure my two fellow travellers would | | | | power of persuasion. I was just thankful the little |
| quite appreciate how basic the place was, but | | | | lady I'd joked with about buying one of her |
| stalwart people to the last, they thought it was great | | | | buffaloes, had not taken me seriously. We were |
| and added to the delight of their travels. The guest | | | | euphorically happy and so were the girls as we bid |
| house is perched on a high bank over the the Tham | | | | them a fond adieu, promising to return. |
| Mae river and has expanded over the years into the | | | | Our arrival back at the guest house was greeted |
| garden and down the steep river bank. Visitors and | | | | with cups of heavenly coffee. We'd earned it. But |
| villagers had been inveigled at various times into | | | | before that final homecoming, we'd stopped off at |
| building cabins of various sizes, from the one bedded | | | | Pim's house on stilts, to feed his chicken, pigs and |
| up to the 8 bed bungalow. The hub of the place is | | | | cats. The house, made of wood of course, was large |
| the kitchen and the common room, the centre of | | | | and immaculate. The setting was truly a dream. |
| which is a huge open central fireplace. The whole | | | | Trees, a vegetable garden and the most stunning |
| place is constructed from wood and at one time was | | | | view across the valley - we were hooked. We |
| prone to accidental fires. This stopped once visitors | | | | wanted to stay. But all dreams must end and we had |
| were told not to burn candles and joss sticks in their | | | | to tramp the last mile back to the guest house as |
| rooms. The place is wonderfully weathered and in | | | | the sun was setting. Had someone provided me with |
| keeping with the village of which it is a part. Below | | | | a bedrole, I would happily have made my bed at the |
| the bungalows, down a steep and winding set of | | | | side of the lane. That last uphill mile was the longest |
| steps, is the river, which in full spate reaches almost | | | | ever! I can't remember feeling so tired or so |
| to the lowest bungalow. It is fast and dangerous in | | | | wonderfully happy. |
| the monsoon season, but on our visit it was flowing | | | | The days that followed were blissfully hard work and |
| at a sedate paddling pace and full of the local children | | | | each day took us to different parts of that |
| fishing or swimming after a hard day at school. Also | | | | enchanted place. Our sleep was filled with dreams of |
| enjoying the coolness were herds of local water | | | | mountains, caves, rocks, slithering through muddy |
| buffalo and scrawny looking cows. | | | | chasms on our stomachs, scrambling or stumbling |
| The remainder of the first day was given over to | | | | after Pim in deep, dark caves; kind people, delightful |
| meeting our fellow adventurers talking, planning, | | | | children; water buffaloes; large and ugly spiders; |
| eating and drinking the delicious local coffee. We | | | | beetles of the oddest construction; bamboos; |
| settled ourselves in to this wonderful world and it | | | | unknown and unidentifiable noises; exotic plants amid |
| was here that Pam, one of the English ladies, named | | | | amazing trees; fantastic rock formations; stalagmites |
| our cabins the Potting Sheds. A very apt description. | | | | and stalagtites; woody, earthy scents and heady |
| We were all keen gardeners and our greenhouses or | | | | perfumes from flowers; but most of all, a very deep |
| potting sheds were of very similar dimensions. | | | | and warm sense of belonging to nature. |
| Before the sun set behind the magnificent backdrop | | | | Life will never be quite the same. We've promised to |
| of the mountain tops, we explored our locale for a | | | | return frequently and we know that the promise is |
| few hours. It truly was breath taking! not just for the | | | | not an idle one. |
| beauty of the scenery, but for the crispness of the | | | | The call of the Potting Shed is overwhelming! |