Peace and love - the zen is growing!

Not sure where to start.

The trekking has been overtaken by the last few days. In a nutshell, I loved bamboo rafting, but kept my mouth shut once I realised that the huts' outhouses spilled into the beautiful river that was swirling around my legs (and being splashed at me) as I sat on the raft. I loved stroking the elephants and trying to bond with them, but really did not like seeing them being poked with metal spikes behind their ears and having their heads walked on to get to the seat. I managed not to tread on our one's head, but it really upset me. They trekked in the baking sun with no water. I bought bananas for them and we fed them as we walked. Her little trunk curled backwards as she smelled the food and the tips of her nose quivered and wriggled as she got closer and tried to grab the banana. She was so cute!! At the end she drank water and sprayed herself (and us) with water and, I suspect, snot. Other than that, the whole thing felt a little commercialised, although the guide was lovely and picked loads of tamarind for me to nibble on.

The Toy Ride was random. We met at Tesco's (Tesco Lotus out here and green in colour instead of blue). We bought toys and then rode, hundreds of bikers, outside of CM to get to the spot we were meeting at. It was so surreal. Tough burly bikers with stuffed toys strapped to their bikes. Police escorted at front and back and we were allowed to skip all the red lights. So much fun, albeit a little scary for a novice rider such as myself (rest assured, still passenger!!).

After this, Kathy and I headed out to Mae Rim and beyond, to Sirilanna National Park. This is where we met the Yorkshire man who owns the floating cottages we were heading to. Honestly, this is the single most beautiful place I have ever been to. The cottages were in the middle of a large lake, tethered from floating away by anchors. They were separated into three bedrooms in a central row, with a kitchen out front and a toilet out back (complete with Mrs Spider the size of my palm and her baby - both with furry legs and shiny eyes). No electricity, no running water. These structures made a cross shape and in the spaces between the four tips of the cross were platforms to sit, rest, meditate and read, with hammocks, sofas and cushions. All the different structures were held together with wooden walkways that creaked and set each platform gently rocking as you crossed them. Wooden planking or wicker covered the floors. The beds were hard and firm with a mosquito net above all of them. Me and Kathy shared and this felt much less scary when night fell on the first night.

There were two floating gardens full of frogs and other unknown noisy creatures. The lake was surrounded on all sides by jungle which was surprisingly noisy - monkeys, frogs, geckos, birds and crickets. Such a delight to listen to at night! My major discovery is the sound geckos make - I never knew they spoke! A kind of creaking sound and every so often, they shout 'Gecko!'. Oh yes, and a runaway cockerel, which kind of spoiled the jungle effect!

Elementally, it was perfectly balanced. They burn the jungle, as when plants return, mushrooms grow which sell for a lot of money. So we had fire, earth, air and water.

A couple who live on a close by floating cottage with their children work for the Yorkshire man. He catches fish and runs people from the mainland to the cottages; and she cooks three times a day and changes beds. They are an amazing couple. So content and happy and so gentle with each other. They have no idea how wonderful their relationship is - to them it is just normal and they live simple happy lives. Other than a few minutes at meal times, the only other person we spoke to was Alex. Maybe in his 60s or 70s, it was hard to tell, he stays there six months a year and then returns to Switzerland. He travelled the world, six months on horse back through the 'istan' countries and India, ending up in Hong Kong working as a model for two years to make money. He then went home and was a mountain guide for 20 years, finally selling watches to make enough money to retire. Startlingly clear blue eyes, white hair and goatee and leathery brown skin, he is so alive and full of peace and looked remarkably like Mr Tumnus. He kept away on the first night, but was quite talkative the next day, comparatively speaking - recluses are not well known for their chat. He showed us how to paddle board which I absolutely loved. I thought I'd fall off - you stand upright on a board a little like a surf board and paddle, first one side, then the other. It's great for balance and core strength, incredibly meditative and quite exciting. Anyway, it was wonderful to see someone living the life they want to live, with few compromises.

My body is still rocking from the one and a half hour motorbike ride there and back, and from the rocking of the cottages. Maybe I should find a lake and build a floating cottage - or perhaps, get someone else to build one. I wonder what the building regulations would be on that...? Ooh, the first time I have even vaguely thought of work for what seems like a lifetime, although I know it's only been just over a week since I left the UK. Hmm, I wonder if my brother gets his swamp land whether he can build a floating cottage...

Ai. My laptop battery is dying, so I'd better go. I'm sure there's LOADS I have forgotten to say, but this is probably longer than most of you will read anyway!

Keep smiling kids.