In the afternoon we set off through the jungle once more. By this time little phased us and we attacked the hills, mud and foliage with gusto.
A new addition to our repertoire was river crossings. Bridges made of felled trees or bridges that some of us, me included, were complete jessies about crossing.
We trudged along for a few hours, playing various word games to keep us going, and occasionally breaking into song.
After bathing and powdering our bites and scratches we settled into our netted areas to sleep. Three to a net. Miss Turnbull got to bunk in with Hayley and Hilly, and Miss Stephens, Miss Rose and the kirks bunked together. Not exactly Pete's idea of fun but it was that or sleep under the hut with the dogs and chickens, in hind site that may have been preferable!
I have recollections of laughing a lot, mainly at Miss Turnbulls expense or at the desk lamp sized head torch that Miss Stephens wore.
Steph's made the classic comment that it was 5 past 9 on a saturday night and we were all tucked up in bed, in a hut, in the jungle! School trips are so glamorous!
Miss Turnbull used the phrase "I'm a teacher get me out of here" on more than one occasion as she was prodded and squashed by Hayley and Hilly.
We watched the comings and goings of the villagers and marvelled at a chap who went to visit our porters, he was clearly a little tipsy and carried a bottle of the local rocket fuel, he was wearing the traditional sarong but over this a crisp white lab coat!! Still perfectly white when he staggered out an hour later but this time with the sarong missing! We concluded from his attire that he was the village doctor, and vowed not to get ill! 
A new addition to our repertoire was river crossings. Bridges made of felled trees or bridges that some of us, me included, were complete jessies about crossing.
We trudged along for a few hours, playing various word games to keep us going, and occasionally breaking into song.
Late in the afternoon we arrived at a Karen village and our night's accommodation. We were caked in mud, wet and tired and what luxury awaited us!!
The hut was the most basic accommodation on our trip. A bamboo hut with 3 partial walls and a roof made of leaves, it was thankfully watertight. Our porters had already strung up 6 mosquito nets for us and the kettle was already on.
We peeled off our stinking clodded boots and settled into our new home. Washing facilities were somewhat basic, well non existent really, after a chat to Pok we found out that there was a nearby waterfall, so an intrepid few grabbed their eco friendly wash and headed off to wash away the mud!
Misses Stephens, Turnbull, Rose and Kirk, Steph, Hayley, Hazel and Hilly trudged through the village, the staff wearing boots and the girls in flip flops. The staff were sure footed in the mud, but not so Steph and Hilly. We hadn't taken a camera but we so wish we had. The comedy started almost instantly as they slipped and slid down the path. By the time we reached the edge of the village Hilly had spent more time on her bottom than her feet, we were all exhausted from laughing so hard and Steph and Holly were 10 times muddier than they had been before. For safety reasons we decided to return to our hut. The girls pleaded with Pete to capture the moment with a camera, but as they tried to stand and pose they fell over again.
The ignominy of it was compounded when we saw a young village girl run up the same path, barefoot, carrying a small baby.
We moved to the porters hut for dinner of rice and then very careful walked and slipped back to our hut to enjoy more ovaltine, this time in the bamboo cups our porters had made for us.
We peeled off our stinking clodded boots and settled into our new home. Washing facilities were somewhat basic, well non existent really, after a chat to Pok we found out that there was a nearby waterfall, so an intrepid few grabbed their eco friendly wash and headed off to wash away the mud!
Misses Stephens, Turnbull, Rose and Kirk, Steph, Hayley, Hazel and Hilly trudged through the village, the staff wearing boots and the girls in flip flops. The staff were sure footed in the mud, but not so Steph and Hilly. We hadn't taken a camera but we so wish we had. The comedy started almost instantly as they slipped and slid down the path. By the time we reached the edge of the village Hilly had spent more time on her bottom than her feet, we were all exhausted from laughing so hard and Steph and Holly were 10 times muddier than they had been before. For safety reasons we decided to return to our hut. The girls pleaded with Pete to capture the moment with a camera, but as they tried to stand and pose they fell over again.
The ignominy of it was compounded when we saw a young village girl run up the same path, barefoot, carrying a small baby.
We moved to the porters hut for dinner of rice and then very careful walked and slipped back to our hut to enjoy more ovaltine, this time in the bamboo cups our porters had made for us.
After bathing and powdering our bites and scratches we settled into our netted areas to sleep. Three to a net. Miss Turnbull got to bunk in with Hayley and Hilly, and Miss Stephens, Miss Rose and the kirks bunked together. Not exactly Pete's idea of fun but it was that or sleep under the hut with the dogs and chickens, in hind site that may have been preferable!
I have recollections of laughing a lot, mainly at Miss Turnbulls expense or at the desk lamp sized head torch that Miss Stephens wore.
Steph's made the classic comment that it was 5 past 9 on a saturday night and we were all tucked up in bed, in a hut, in the jungle! School trips are so glamorous!
Miss Turnbull used the phrase "I'm a teacher get me out of here" on more than one occasion as she was prodded and squashed by Hayley and Hilly.
We watched the comings and goings of the villagers and marvelled at a chap who went to visit our porters, he was clearly a little tipsy and carried a bottle of the local rocket fuel, he was wearing the traditional sarong but over this a crisp white lab coat!! Still perfectly white when he staggered out an hour later but this time with the sarong missing! We concluded from his attire that he was the village doctor, and vowed not to get ill!
I think I should probably add that the floor in the hut was not the most stable!!! It seemed fine once you were spreading your weight in a lying position but if you tried to walk on it then you were clearly taking a risk! This was really one of the funniest days - I had stomach ache after watching Steph and Hilly - Funniest thing ever!
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