The Way to Go

One of the best ways to have an amazing day is to hop on a 100cc scooter and just go. The point of just going is to get lost. By getting lost you’re no longer making the decisions of where to go because you don’t even know where you’re going. Even better, you don’t know where you are unless you take out the folded map from your pocket, pull over and ask someone. I’d rather not pull over and just continue on until the sun starts to drop, that’s when you ask how to get home.

Heading north from Chiang Rai we hopped on the A1 superhighway with no particular place in mind. A turn off the highway took us west towards the hills and mountains on this particular day. We slowly made our way down some dirt roads. Soon we found ourselves surrounded. We couldn’t believe it. None of us knew where they had all come from, but they were there. Pineapples! Everywhere we looked. Just a few moments ago we had been heading towards a large bamboo stand on a hillside. The colorful fruit bushes put off a vibrant red in the afternoon sun that resembled the sunset of the previous evening. In the middle of these groves were scattered trees that the rows of fruit swerved their way round.

After the pineapples, we were on our way again. Random turns, some smiling locals standing by the roadside. We wave hello. Stop at a small roadside stall to grab some water and shade for 15 minutes. Which is also a way to rest out butts. Scooters are nothing like cruisers and the more miles you put on them, the more you feel it. We were now roaming down small roads with rice patties on either side. Find some shade to park the scooters under and go for a walk. The raised mud walkways between the tiers of the patties are thin and sometimes unstable. Walking on balance beams of mud we take some photos and try not to go for a dip in the rice water shallows. The surrounding hills and sky are reflected from the water. Small tips of green rice plant poke out of the water forming a small pattern in the reflections.

Mid afternoon, the weather has cooled to a comfortable temperature, we’re hiking. At the end of our trail is a small waterfall. We sit on the rocks, no one talking. It’s one of those places that is nice to sit and listen. A small breeze, the sound of the falls, birds talking to one another and singing their songs, trees rustling. Relaxation. Stefan goes for a dip in a swimming hole as my stomach begins to grumble.

A couple kilometers from the entrance to the hiking trail was a small hill tribe village named Jalae. We all thought that might be a good place to grab a late lunch. Slowly, we rode into the village, scanning for a hut or longhouse that looked like they might be selling some rice or noodles. A little something to hold us over before we make our way back to Chiang Rai. We asked a younger lady and motioned a spoon eating from bowl. Her name was Metae, she spoke a little English and brought us back to her mothers house. Soon we found ourselves sitting on the patio of a longhouse. An old woman inside frying something in a large wok over coals. Smells of good food and smoke seeped from inside the house. We were served a small amount of Thai whiskey to start, followed by a bowl of rice and fried pork. Within half hour the whole family is joining us in our meal on the patio. Our simple lunch turned into a couple hours of conversing. One of the brothers had studied English at the university in Chiang Rai and spoke it quite well. When the sun started to drop we said our goodbyes and asked how much lunch was. To our surprise, Gao told us not to worry about the food, it was his pleasure to have us and we were invited to come and stay with them the next day. It was their New Years and there was going to be a large celebration with food and dancing. “See you tomorrow.”

An introduction to the family:
Tribe: La Hu
Village: Jalae
Mom: Nacu
Brother: Gao
Sister: Metae
Some friends: Jawa and Jaba

We arrived to Jalae the next afternoon and the celebration was in full swing on Nacu’s patio. It was packed full of people, around 15, I was surprised it didn’t collapse. As we pulled up on our scooters Gao came to greet us and showed us to a room in the longhouse that had been prepared for us. A small makeshift mattress with 3 blankets and pillows. We quickly dropped our bags and joined the party on the patio. Stefan went to his scooter to get the beer we had brought as Riley got his 35mm ready. We’ve learned, internationally, that beer is a welcomed gift among men. Amongst the many on the patio were the Village leader, the community leader (7 villages make up their community) and the leader from the neighboring tribe of the Ah Ka.

Food was plentiful, especially pork. Most families that could afford to do so had just slaughtered a pig for the New Year. Traditionally the people of these villages practice animism, which is the belief that all things such as animals, plants, geographic object and some inanimate objects have souls (Similar to that of American Indians). Christianity is present and a percentage (don’t know the number) of the villagers are converts, though they still partake in the traditional ceremonies. Back to the food: Fried pork, stir fry pork with veggies, pork soup, spicy pork, chicken stir fry, chicken lime soup, rice, amazing little cookies with fruit between them, spicy papaya salad with glass noodles, this fried rice goop that’s made by boiling rice, mushing it together and letting it cure, then cooking it when you want to eat it.

We ate the rest of the day, nonstop, whether we wanted to or not. When we were done at Nacu’s house, Gao took us to his friend Jaba’s house. There we ate more food, mostly the same dishes with some fish thrown in the mix. “Jai lai!” was the phrase of the night. Every time it was said glasses were raised and we figured out quickly that small sips were the way to handle the hundreds of La Hu cheers we were receiving. After the sun went down the dancing started. In the middle of the village center was a tall construct of bamboo with colorful prayer flags waving off of it. During the day there had been a pig head hanging in the middle, which was now gone, I don’t know where or why. The dances took place in circles around this. Drums were beat and flutes sang as people danced around. I quickly found myself playing a drum and keeping in step with the locals to their entertainment. Every time one dance stopped a new beat started on the drum and there was a more intricate dance step to learn. Riley stood close alongside his camera as he took night exposures, while Stefan tried his hand in the dancing and soon fell out as the steps picked up. Sleep came soon for us. Most likely a result of the long ride to the village, constant eating, dancing and “Jai lai.” Riley, Stefan and I headed back to Nacu’s house where we made ourselves comfortable on the makeshift mattress in the 10ftx10ft room. Before falling asleep we all agreed we had just eaten more than we do on an average Thanksgiving and Christmas combined!

We were woke early in the morning by the sounds of roosters, snarling pigs, howling dogs and who else knows what. We had coffee, cookies and oranges for breakfast. Nacu made the coffee in a kettle that was covered black in charcoal soot. I’m not normally a coffee drinker, but the coffee that morning was extra special. Warm and welcoming. After we were done with breakfast Nacu went inside and came out with some traditional La Hu clothing in which she had us don and we all took pictures together. Before we left she told Gao to let us know that anytime we were in Thailand we had a place to stay.