Trekking phase completed with everyone more or less in one piece.

Today we are back in Chiang Mai after having finally finished our week-long trek through the jungle! Obviously it is nice that the hard work has ended, but most of us thoroughly enjoyed the week and found it to be a very rewarding experience.

The first few days consisted of gruelling walks uphill through dense rainforest. Of course, the heat and humidity made it all the more difficult. There was an almost audible sigh of relief when we reached the end each day.

The fourth day was a lot of fun. After a short trek (only two hours long) we were driven to an elephant camp, where we all enjoyed an elephant ride. It was an absolutely fabulous experience for everyone. Especially for Phil and CJ, who almost fell off their elephant when the seat slid off the elephant's back. To finish off, we had a very pleasant ride down the river on bamboo rafts.

Only one more day of proper trekking came after that, with today's trek lasting no more than an hour. At the end of yesterday's trek, we all plunged into a waterfall with a sense of euphoria. It was an undescribable relief to cool off after an exhausting walk. Today, we took a boat across the lake, and were driven back to Chiang Mai. The team did extremely well on the trek, and worked together effectively. Well done to all!

Now it's time for some R&R!

- Danny, Phil, CJ