It was a chance meeting with a Thai Yai lad that gave us the idea to ride to the Burmese border to look at a refugee camp
and also to locate the source of the Ping River, do some 'birding' and investigate some caves.
It turned out to be quite a bit more than that.
So Kevin on a CB300F and myself on a Rebel 500 headed off along the 107 and onto the wonderful, curvy 1322 towards Wiang Haeng on a chilly morning
to meet Tim on his CRF 250/300L later along the way.
There was a fog along 107 towards Chiang Dao and our 'speed' dropped to counter-act the chill.
We needed a hot coffee or two so stopped at the delightful and friendly View Doe Ngam coffee shop/resort on 1322
where we were treated with impressive hospitality, snacks and conversation. Recommended.
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E 98.96872
Further along the 1322 towards Wiang Haeng District.
A stop here at the look-out.
They had this old wooden implement on display, which I guess was for threshing rice from the husks.
And a plea against littering, which is ignored throughout the region.
Then the road got really interesting and we started to notice the bird life.
From a distance I thought this tree was full of nests .....
... but closer examination reveals otherwise.
I saw the largest raptor I have eve seen in Thailand flying high in search of prey but by the time I stopped
and got the camera ready it had vanished behind trees.
However Kevin found this one in a nearby dead tree (their favorite haunt apparently, being better for searching the landscape)
and captured this excellent photo of the raptor which we believe is a Serpent Eagle.
Into Wiang Haeng and our rendezvous with Tim.
We spotted this little Chinese rocket which one of the local lads arrived on.
We had a meeting next morning with the Headman of a nearby refugee camp so looked for accommodation and good food in Wiang Haeng.
We found the Cowboy Guest House which had adequate bungalows for 300 baht (or higher class ones for 600).
We chose basic.
It is a quiet location.
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E 98.62754
The mattresses are made of concrete.
In my anxiety to get to the loo I managed to snap the door key.
A pair of nail cutters were employed by a worker and the key was retrieved and a spare given to me.
'Welcome Ron'!!
We couthed up a bit and found the friendly Food Factory on the main street of Wiang Haeng.
They even have pizza.
I decided to forego the 'crap stick salad' and enjoyed a curried chicken and rice with cold Leo.
Up early enough to catch a few birds, such as this Egret ...
... then further along 1322 to Piang Luang where we were to meet Khun Sai Leng who is Headman of a nearby Shan Refugee Camp;
in fact the only such camp in Thailand. He was willing to take us to 'his' camp and show us around.
Whilst waiting for him to arrive I had a look around the impressive Wat Piang Luang and enjoyed a chat with a couple of resident Monks.
Although the Temple looks quite old one Monk told me it was built about 40 years ago.
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E 98. 62605
Thai script and Tai Yai script.
Catching some early morning rays at the back of the Temple.
We enjoyed a hot coffee at the 7-11 opposite the Temple and Khun Sai Leng arrived on his bike.
A brief chat after formalities and we followed him off the 1322 past beautiful valleys and mountains to the camp.
This is Ban Koung Jor.
It is home to some 400 Tai Yai men, women and children from Shan State. The community has some industry including a tea plantation and fabric making.
It has a school, clinic, solar power and the water which comes from both Thailand and Burma, the latter being gravity fed into the camp.
We were offered delicious local tea.
Khun Sai, as well as running the community (with its challenging politics and funding issues) also teaches Grade 6 at the community school.
The Tai Yai students attend the schools in Wiang Haeng and also of an evening at their community.
We noticed how clean the community was.
That's Burma in the background.
Indeed, that afternoon Khun Sai had to get a bus into Chiang Mai where he was to meet with United Nations representatives to discuss the future of the community.
This old canine "likes foreigners but attacks people wearing army uniforms"!!
So glad I wasn't wearing my usual riding gear which included army cammo trousers!
Khun Sai Leng's wife works in the clothing craftroom.
It was quite a privilege to have been hosted around the community and to have met this impressive man.
We bought a few items from the craft room, said our farewells and headed off in search of our next destination beside the Burma/Thai border.
We arrived at Wat Fah Wiang Inn in warm sunshine and gazed across into Burma and into another world really.
We didn't inspect the structures but enjoyed the serenity of the area and noticed the birds again. "A future birding trip" came to mind.
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E 98.62583
A Burmese encampment.
Here's an excerpt from an article in 'harrybohm photoshelter'.
"Wiang Haeng is an isolated district of rugged scenic beauty with a diverse hilltribe community. It's a three- to four-hour drive northwest from Chiang Mai, past the elephant parks in the Mae Taeng Valley and over a winding mountain road to a valley that points directly into neighbouring Shan State.
The situation on the border hints at the turmoil that has wracked eastern Myanmar over the past five decades. Fighting continues in other parts of Shan even as life is transformed in Yangon and the centre of the country. In the outlying ethnic areas, the Tatmadaw - the Burman military - has pressed on with its mission of domestication by brute force.
On the far northern perimeter, a temple called Wat Fa Wiang-in has been cut in two, with the stupa and main structures on the Thai side, looking at a Myanmar military outpost in the former monks' quarters across a small gully. This gully - overgrown with trees but allegedly dotted with mines - was where Thai and Myanmar military chiefs drew the borderline after a month-long flare-up between them in 2002.
On the hill directly above Wat Fa Wiang-in is a small Thai military unit gazing down on the young Burmese troops in their now-quiet outpost. It's like a Southeast Asian version of Berlin's Checkpoint Charlie.
This curious feature has made Wat Fa Wiang-in a popular site for tourists, but it also boasts a memorial to one of Thailand's most revered monarchs, King Naresuan. He travelled through this area on his return to Burma a little over 400 years ago, en route to historic victory over the rivals who had abducted him years before."
We had another destination along and off 1178, so headed in that direction along a partially rough and pot-holed road
with its many bends and mountain ascents and descents.
It was good to stop, remove the helmet and smell the fresh air and listen to nature along this wonderful road.
"The Long and Winding Road" came to mind often.
We had a snack at a friendly noodle shop in a Lisu community on 1178, Ban Kae Noi (the 'K' actually a 'G'!!)
It's wise to be careful with you fuel usage and to top-up whenever possible out here.
One of our destinations was to locate approximately where the Ping River begins.
The true source(s) of Nam Mae Ping is a challenge for a future adventure but we did get close.
We crossed the Ping a couple of time, noting it is but a stream here at this time of year.
Along the way, at Ban Muang Na, I spotted these teenagers in their spectacular traditional dress and we were to meet them again later in the day.
We turned off 1178 and headed along a track to 'The Temple with Two Names' i.e. 'Wat Phuttha Phrom Panyo' and/or 'Wat Tham Muang Na'.
We had a brief walk around the grounds, noting the Burmese style Temple near a more conventional Thai styled one.
It wasn't until my return from this ride that I discovered the true significance of this place, which has now motivated me to re-visit.
I'm ashamed to admit that my primary interest that day was the lovely coffee shop opposite the Temple and our next destination.
I hadn't researched this Temple prior to departure, being more interested (at the time) in the Mae Ping story.
This group of visitors included the teenagers I had photographed and chatted to back at Ban Muang Na.
Good drinks, comfortable seating and basic meals are available here opposite the Temple.
It was obvious that this Temple complex was of great significance and that a lot of money is associated with the place.
Basically it is a place of great significance and people attend from around the world to worship and pay respect to the founders of the original site which is
within caves. They have rooms for those who wish to stay for days/weeks. (details coming)
This is one of the original Venerable Monks who is now, I was told, in a Chiang Mai Temple.
So, I'll locate nearby accommodation (it is available within the Temple complex for worshipers and there is at least one Guest House nearby)
and return another day for a longer stay.
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E 98.89774
After a relaxing break in the Sukraphat Coffee Corner and a plenary session we headed off along a track beyond the Temple.
The track led to near the Burmese/Thai border and to where we calculated was near the source(s) of the Ping River.
Frustratingly, our enthusiasm was severely curbed by a Thai Military stop. We were not allowed to proceed.
The soldiers were friendly but firm, adding that we could walk through the bushes near their base where we would eventually find the Ping source.
We headed back to 1178.
So there is yet another future ride (and walk).
Back onto the 1178 to 'who knows where'. Tim rode on quicker than us to his bed at Arunothai.
We encountered The Grim Reaper along the way.
Kevin and I headed towards Chiang Dao where we eventually settled into a couple of bungalows (they have three) at the View Doi Ngam.
Once again we received a friendly greeting, settled on a price and were offered a meal and conversation.
A lad went to a 7-11 and got a couple of beers for me over-which Kevin and I planned the next day's ride.
We had birding in mind.
Up early before the bird calls and a light breakfast was provided.
We headed along minor roads to Chiang Dao Cave Temple where I discovered the admission price for 'aliens' was 100% more than for Thais (even wealthy Thais!),
so I decided to do a U-turn and join Kevin in a 'birding' session and a walk around the large Temple grounds.
A red-whiskered Bulbul.
I was pleased to get away from the crowd and enjoy the ancient sites.
Back near the entrance we noticed they had a 'museum' which was unkempt and, sadly, locked! However, a peek through the window showed some stone tools
and some old money notes and coins. We would have enjoyed looking inside.
So why is it locked Temple authorities?
Is it because you are more interested in commercialism?
We moved on along another track and went off 3024 into Wat Tham Bakbiang aka Wat Tham Pak Piang.
This was my favorite Temple so far.
It was secluded and quiet, had no other visitors, had many birds flying around hiding from our lenses, and had a very interesting cave complex.
It was what a Wat should be.
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E 98.93022
Apparently 'bakbiang' means 'to modify' and the story goes that the original Monk inhabitant lived inside the cave for many years until, over the decades,
it grew into the complex it now is.
I'd like to stay there for a while if possible. There are many Guest Houses in the vicinity, but that would mean noise.
Kevin was delighted to see a 'new bird' and I was delighted that he was delighted. Indeed, there were many birds there.
The tiny, fast and magnificent Yellow Coppersmith Barbet.
The Blue Haihan Fly-catcher.
A Red-whiskered Bulbul.
We'd seen enough to know that some sites needed to be re-visited over a longer duration before this superb weather changes,
so it was back onto the 107 and off as soon as possible.
We road via 2066 and 1001 onto 118 and back to Dos Saket, pleased that we'd avoided the Sunday rush.
