home from the hills - part 1

sorry to sound like doom and gloom in the last post... but things have taken a good turn up. I think I might put this into a few posts so you don't get bored with my rambling. Friday the thai tribe.. which i think is 12.. I keep counting and I can name them...but then Beth and I and the other non thai person gets in the mix.. anyway, they decided not to go to class so we could leave early and get to ChiangDao. Unfortunately, it was raining.. so Beth bought us light weight cheap plastic rain coats and we all ran about like telatubies. I have my hemp hat now which i decided looks realy sharp in a porkpie position.. I wish it did not remind me of Kevin P from the neighborhood.. With my rain cape and chunking legs hanging out of my extra long short.. the is no way I would be confused with his skinny self. Anyway.. it was hard not to laugh. We have a few thin folks..but there are some of us.. that the naives keep looking at and saying.. pomelos.. (they are much larger than grapefruit)... anyway we started off to the north and watched it rain. remarkably when we got to the nest.. (we stayed in nest2...oh's place) we walked to town and had several northern dishes and a beer. The group went to the cave and I went to our school. Rich is teaching in the Teak house since he was bothered by the children bowing all the time. The yoga group appears very happy with this... and of course there is the extra expense of transport to and fro and the house.. which adds to Beth's cost. I don't want to go there since many of you are students....but I don't think I will be again. The rooms were locked up for the weekend, but the kids were there.. and did summersaults and washed socks in the puddles.. and I remembered all the joy we had from watching them... I hung out for a long time .. and they got very comfortable with me and the camera. I mostly played with the camera that afternoond until the thai group was out of the caves.. we bought beer and walked back. By the time we got back they were organized for us to check in. To help the cause, we doubled up a little and but three in a hut.. I slept with Anne and another gal from FL joined us. This group is very flexible.
The thai folks wanted to see everything so many of us walked up the hill to the Wat at the top... and we even counted the steps... It was dusk and we were they only ones on the hill. They are studying with a master who talks a great deal about suffering and ending suffering.. so the sayings on the steps were received with a smile.
Friday night we had the bbq... which was great.. buffalo, chicken, sausage, tofu, corn lots of salads, prawn... and beer.. and a fire.... the little guy who started the fire also played the lute.. and it was fun. After we ate, we set up lanterns which I hope to bring home with me. I did find one by the side of the road this am.. they turn purple but they don't burn up.
I talked a little to the yoga group who raved about Wicha's food and said that they ate up there most of the time.. except the night before whent he hill tribe was washed out by rain. They had been to the elephants and were excited about getting a necklace. By the time the evening was over.. there were about 12 more orders beside the 5 I am picking up. It was hard to tell how things were going.. Marge was extatic about having her own room... Wendy was a little upset that they ate western.. but I didn't see her walking down. four people are leaving right after yoga classes.. and one leaving a day later. They all loved the teak house and were happy Rick was happy etc. I didn't get a great sense of bonding. I smiled as I thought of this thai group down in the village eating lunch .. for 40 baht. If you dropped a hat.. and said lets go.. they would. I think Beth is enjoying herself with the group .. as long as she stays away from yoga teacher. That night they shared a bungaloo... but as he said.. "I will be good". and a good thing or he would not have anything to be bad with. .... I coughed a bite.. but slepted well. and enough for this day......