The northern part of Thailand is famous for its dense jungles and low hills, making it an ideal destination for trekkers and adventure travellers. The daring can goes for weeks at a time, deep into the wilderness, fording rivers and hiking mountains far from the last vestiges of civilization.

Still recovering from my motorcycle ride, my trek into the hill country surrounding chiang Mai was not an extensive or intensive as I would have liked. We headed to the hills in a minibus, then on to a three leg trip: A quick ride on some elephants, then up into the local hill-tribe village and then off to the river for some waterfalls and river rafting.

Elephant riding, while something everyone should try, is not perhaps the most comfortable form of transport. But you can't beat the effectiveness, plodding through the jungle with an unstoppable might, living in a place where the world is their salad.

The river rafts were nothing more than a few bamboo sticks held together by two cross beams and a set of bungie cords. With even the mildest set of rapids, the floor was covered in water, leaving the wiser rafter to tempt fate by balancing in a standing position.

I didn't take any photos of the Karen villagers, unable to overcome the feeling that I was in some sort of human zoo, as treks pass through here on a daily basis. I was led to understand that trekking give a financial shot in the arm to an otherwise subsistence economy, but still would rather go a bit further into the wilderness, where a farang might be more of an rarity, and less of an imposition.