I woke up early in the morning and quietly got dressed in the dorm. I went across the street to some coffee place and had a big mango juice for breakfast. Some truck was supposed to pick me up and I had no idea which cause most of the day trips started early in the morning so once in a while there was some truck waiting for someone. Finally I found the right one and I was the first one in it. Me and some stranger man.. We picked up other people on the way and most of them didn't speak any English. My friend Emilie was the last person to be picked up. Then we headed to some highway and first stop was this butterfly farm, which to my opinion, was so boring and only couple of really colorful butterflies were spotted.
Our group consisted of around 10 people and most of them were couples. We didn't spent that much time at the farm and me and Emilie were the first ones back at the truck. We weren't that interested in the place. Next we started driving and finally after what felt like ages we stopped at this small sandy road and the "group leader" told to me and Emilie to get off. Apparently we were to only ones that had wanted to see the long neck tribe! I once saw a documentary about this tribe and their lifestyle and I've wanted to see them since that. This tribe we got to visit wasn't in the middle of some jungle, far from all the modern things. This was mostly made for tourists and it consisted of other tribes too. Still, it felt so real. Check the photos!
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| They actually lived on those, it wasn't just an act for tourists.. |
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| The oldest one in the tribe |
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| The babes were so cute!! |
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| 8-year-old. Girls don't go to school, they stay at their huts with their parents and learn to cook and make things for tourists to buy. She even knew couple of word English. :) |
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| Not the huts where they lived in! The lived in totally more basic, self made huts. |
While walking in their tribe I asked tons of questions since I was so fascinated by all the tribes in the village. They were so polite and welcomed us to their village. The rings around the women's necks weren't just any plastic once, they were heavy! And it wasn't just some show for tourists it was actually how they lived. They think that it's beautiful for women to have them. You can add one ring layer each year and you need a specialist to add one circle. You cant even move them or take the rings of because you need someone to cut it open with some tools. You live with them day and night. They told that your neck kind of adapts to it since you wear it since a little kid. They weren't tight around your neck so you can actually use your neck muscles normally. :)
When we were finally done after I'd asked all of my questions we headed towards an elephant camp somewhere in the delta of what looked like jungle to me. There we played with a cute baby and a monkey. If you know me at all, guess which one I played with at first? ;)
The elephant farm was in a quiet place, peaceful even. You could only here elephant's noises from far away... All the other people from our group were already riding their elephants but me and Emilie quickly ate at first and then headed to ride an elephant. We didn't like at all that once the elephants weren't riding or doing anything they were chained. One of the owner's explained to us that it was for their own safety and for the employees safety. They had big big banners there how they explained all and the routines of their camp. The owner also gave an insight for us what had happened with the covernment. They had made a new law that had forbid all the work with elephants in the jungle. Before the elephants had actually been in their natural environment living in the forest or jungles and doing work like moving logs from place to place. Now with the new law the elephants are useless.. :(
Our elephant riding started in the most interested way.. Quite scary actually. The elephant didn't really follow any rules from the boy but she decided to take her own route. It was quite scary to just sit there when she was walking next to the path. I just felt so small in comparison to the huge animal. Like my life was in her "hands" if she happens to bolt I would have flown down like a fly.. It was nice for maybe the first ten minutes and after that I was just bored and a bit scared. It took around 30 minutes and all the others from our group were waiting for us..
Then it was time to move on. We drove to this small village or not even a village. It consisted of only couple of houses, I think two or three families lived there. They basically didn't have anything. They didn't need anything. It was really eye opening with how less you can actually live.
Next stop: JUNGLE! Awesome. I was so excited. We walked in the jungle, or rainforest or whatever you wanna call it, for around one hour. Banana trees, huge massive trees, snakes, no paths it was so awesome! Our goal was the reach this waterfall in the middle of the forest. It was so worth all the sweat!
Then it was time to leave for bamboo rafting in some river! The guys who were supposed to be our leaders there were late like an hour or so and we were starving ! Finally they arrived with this truck transporting these long pieces of wood, three men on the roof holding them still. The bamboo rafting was relaxing since the river was so still. The view was pretty amazing, so green and quiet. You could only hear elephants somewhere far far away.
Then it was time for us for the long trip back to were we started. It was so annoying on the truck on our way back since I was so tired but no way I could sleep cause we had to hold on all the time and there were nothing to lean your head to. I was the last one to be dropped of and the whole trip was one hour late from the schedule. I headed straight to have a milkshake and dropped of my laundry next door at the laundry place. I didn't have that much clothes but some and I paid from them .32 snts!!
I quickly took a shower and went to grab something to eat from the street and then I hurried to meet Emelie once again. We were going to see the kabaree show. And OMG did they look beautiful! They had this amazing dance show and damn they were HOT! Seriously! No way you could see the difference between women and ladyboys! They danced so well, they were skinny, had bigger boobs than I have and their bodies were like straight from a playboy or something!!!
Finally bed time at one o'clock tho it felt like it was the morning already. I was exhausted.
