The Riders: Myself, Alex and V.J.
I received a email from V.J. requesting a 4 day trip over the new year period, a ride starting on the 31stof December and finishing on the 3th of January 2009. Normally this time of year is busy in North Thailand but who was too know to what extent the low fuel prices coupled with cheap airline tickets and a long new year holiday would have on the domestic tourist market. We where soon to find thousands of Thai’s migrated to the north to experience the cold weather that the Golden Triangle and its surrounding mountains had to offer.
My usual stopovers where fully booked as where any other hotels, guest houses and home stays on offer. After 4 hours of searching I found John from Rim Taan Guest house in Ban Thoed Thai had some available rooms for the 1st day of the New Year.
So for day 1 we would do a loop ride out of Chiang Mai out to the Samoeng area riding a mixture of off-road and tarmac. This year Hmong New Year had aligned with the western calendar and the local Meow Villages where celebrating daily which made a interesting day loop ride and spectacle. Then day 2 we would head up country and sleep over at Rim Taan in Ban Thoed Thai Khun Sa’s old stomping grounds just outside of Doi Mae Salong.

DAY 1 PIC’S


Alex and V.J.


V.J. with some Hmong girls on the prowl for a husband


The Hmong single couples play this ball catching game, they make two parallel lines, one with boys and the other with girls, they have a ball that they toss back and forward across the lines, if somebody takes your fancy you keep throwing the ball back to them, then If they throw the ball returning it to you, it shows there is a interest in you and a conversation ignites while the ball is tossed back and forward.

Another game played some form of flying odd shaped bowls “The Challenger”


“The Challenged”


Alex making his off-road debut

DAY 2 : We rode from Chiang Mai today to Doi Ang Khang, Doi Mae Salong then onto Thoed Thai.

We came across this Cock Fight near the Chinese Village of Ban Yang






The Winning Cock poses with his proud owner and V.J.


V.J.


Palong Hilltribe Enjoying a B.B.Q in Doi Ang Khang


V.J. making his way down the steep decent from Doi Ang Khang


Our nights resting spot and what a great stopover it was




V.J., John and Myself
John is the owner of Rim Taan Guest House although it is more a mini resort. John speaks perfect English learnt while he worked with the American CIA in the secret war in Laos. John also was a personal friend and translator for Khun Sa.

Day 3: We arose to a 7:30am start for breakfast. Today we would visit the small museum to Khun Sa in Thoed Thai then cut through the back side of Doi Tung mountain to miss the traffic and visit Prathat Temple. From here we would wind down out of the mountain to Mae Sai cross over into Burma and visit some Hil ltribe,
Our plan was then to make our way over to the join point of the 3 countries of Burma, Thailand and Laos separated by the Mekong River before heading south for Fang but a mix up with V.J.’s visa and a 2 hr delay meant we would not have time for The Mekong excursion and visit the temples in Thaton instead.

A 15min documentary with Khun Sa well worth the watch
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpCZGC9XzWg


Statue of Khun Sa and his beloved horse


Khun Sa who past away no much longer than 1 year ago


One of the photo’s of John we found in Khun Sa’s Musuem


The narrow tarmac back road leading up the back of Doi Tung


These Akha Hill tribe children were playing a Thai monopoly game on the edge of the road coming down from Doi Tung mountain


V.J. riding through the border markets at Mae Sai the most northerly point in Thailand


Alex and V.J.




Akha Hil ltribe


Karen Long Neck


Love the shoes


Motorcycle tuk tuk’s in Tachilek Burma


Alex



Back in Thailand and on the way to Fang we came across this Yamaha Fino with the latest accessories


Thaton




In Fang and Check into our hotel the boys had a in house massage before dinner.
We ate at Chaba Restaurant, this is the second time I have eaten here and the food is fresh delicious and fabulous not to mention Chaba also served up a sweet dessert seen here with V.J.

Day 4 : We would ride over Doi Pa Hom Phok along the Burmese border before making our way back to Chiang Mai.
The Border Rangers first refused us entry into Pa Hom Pok but with a little sweet persuasion we were allowed enter if we sign in and out




The cherry blossoms where magnificent covering Pa Hom Pok


View from the highest point, Doi Pa Hom Pok dwarfs the surrounding mountains in Burma


Check the altitude on my G.P.S. unit, it was very cold


V.J. negotiating the washout that stops 4 wheel drives from traveling through here

Shan State Army along the Thai/Burma border

After Pa Hom Pok it was a 2hr ride through the traffic back to Chiang Mai, I believe under the circumstances our trip could not have went smoother I really enjoyed Alex and V.J. company and hope to ride with them again[url][/url]