Traveling

Again..in burma

Hi!
I started another post, but I think this will be more interesting. I will try to clarify everything later in thailand end of dec. hopefully you enjoy this- it will be quick so excuse the errors.
i spent the last 3 days treking across mountains (60km, 800 m high). along the way we stopped at many villages for breaks. Each time our guide sunny would just ask if we could have some tea and theyd bring out tea, lay dfown a blasnket for us, and gie us these great hard nuts to eat. then the entire vilage would come out and look at us. the people are so friendly. they would smile, huge smiles when we caught them staring at us. i gave the books, pencils, and crayons to the head woman to distribute as she wished..
one village we stopped at, again this is all just random stopping, the ppl had just finished harvesting and they were having dinner. they let us joing them and we had sticky rice and mustard leaves. bottomless tea of course. i can not get over the fact that they welcmoed us at every place.
the first nite we stayed in a Pa-O tribe village. Our cook made a fantatic meal over a fire in the middle of the floor of a bamboo house. the floor is raised bc the house is on stilts- dont ask. as he made us dinner more ppl came to sit with us. the village granny was there too. she asked us where we wre from and what we were doing.. sunny translated. she said she wanted to follow us to inle lake (40km) and that when she died she would visit all our countries. she als asked about our status and sunny said we live 'lonely lives' but christina and i clarified saying we had (fantastic) significant others. we ate dinner by the fire and went out to look at the stars which were amazing. i dont remember seeing so many in all my life. I think i even say Constellation Chulie.
We slept in the vice chiefs home, above 5 buffalo. The buffalo were right under us and we could hear them grunting and theirs bells tinkling all nite.
I was very sick in the morning and took soem tablets to settle my stomach but all they did was make me puke! Oh bad news for some one who is going to have to walk 5 hrs up a mountain! we walked a little more, then stopped in a village and sunny found some ground ginger and salt concoction for me which i took (very bitter) but i felt great in 10 minutes! We hiked several more hours and finally got to the monastery wewold be staying at that nite. So peaceful. We slept in front of the buddha statues and woke at 4am to monks chanting before thier breakfast.
My feet are killing me. We finALly got to inle lake today after 3 days , 2 nite hiking. we had lunch and then took a boat to our hotel. this place is unbelievalbe.
i will try to write more before i leave ina couplke days.
i miss you all and am having the time of my life!
-julie

posted by jjoollee @ 6:31 AM