Australian Day shenanigans

It's been a busy week!

I ran FORRU's first overnight camp for 30 private school students (year 5) at the national park village: environmental programs, catering and sleeping in tents. Making Aussie damper with the help of some other Australian teachers was particularly fun! Exhaustificating

The little cherubs; roasting damper on sticks at the evening campfire

The next day I backed that up with an Australia Day party. Funny how patriotic one gets when away from home! 5 aussies and 7 aussies-in-training for the day, from America and Canada. I made booklets of Aussie lingo and sayings and we donned the green and yellow zinc cream. Grub included meat pies and sausage rolls with sauce, pavlova, vegemite on toast (gaining at least one american convert), scones with jam and cream, twisties and tim tams. Also some Aussie beer. We had a long game of backyard cricket, with lots of local Thai interest from the sidelines. Rounded it off with some "Man from Snowy River" watching, and belting out the well known Aussie hits with the assistance of instrumentals from the internet. The party must have been good: little baby Ike had his first ever giggle. Headed home and watched some Kath and Kim on YouTube. Best Australia Day fun ever!

Some of the new cricketers, and friend Em with the make-do cork hat

Curious locals, and the Aussie tucker spread

I have spent the last 30 min trying to fix this formatting and have now given up. Grrrh Blogger.

Anyone free to come over?

Mountain climbing in the north

More chasing scenery. I spent the weekend with some friends from Sydney on a hike up the limestone massif of Doi Luang Chang Dao, Thailand's 3rd highest mountain, at 2240m. Hot winter weather in the high 20's/low 30's, followed by frost on the tent roof in the morning - hard to thermoregulate!The sunset and sunrise views were spectacular. Sore muscles.

A motorcycle gang, police escort and an ambulance.....

But all in the name of a good cause: the inaugural Chiang Mai Charity Motorbike Ride. Buddy Zach, and my postie bike helmet and I, joined over 200 hardcore harley motorbikers (and other modified bikes - some very impressive machinery) for a police-escorted ride through the city, then on a 100km mountain circuit, finishing at the local reservoir for a party (& beer).

It was an exhilarating ride, but understandably with my 100CC "beep beep" bike, I was overtaken a fair bit by the 1500's.

at the start; police escort through Chiang Mai, past a moat corner (it's ok - I wasn't on my mobile at the time...)


Some of the toys for disadvantaged children in and around Chiang Mai

the partaay

I'm pretty proud my 100CC got to 100km/hr but!

Happy New Year

New Year's Eve in Chiang Mai was a case of deja vu - it was just like Loi Krathong!

Lots of fireworks and hot air balloons being launched all over the city.

Some other aussie volunteers came to town

to party, so it was

a great time for

catchups and some

fun!