David and Karen said goodbye to Carl and Julie and went further north, near the Thai-Burma border for some additional mountain trekking, but we used horses instead.  The very north is primarily agricultural, tea plantations.  We stayed at a farm stay which was right in the middle of the plantation.  The view out of our window was fantastic – so much so, we were compelled to share it.

We made arrangement to go horseback riding and should have been suspicious when we were the only two people signed up.  But no, common sense is lost when adventures are calling.  The adventure probably started when we noticed there were no reins, just a clothes line tied to ONE side, so things like commands were a joke.  The fact that the stirrups were tied with a big knot (more clothes line) the knot could rub into your shin easier that way and leave bruises.

Off we go, first one way then the other, stopping to eat grass, then running like the dickens because the guide had a large stick.  Remember there is only one rein, so if you pull (trying to stop the horse), you only drive yourself back to the other side of the road.  Four hours later, we took less than six pictures, because we could not arrange the animal to be still for more than 10 seconds.  But it was pretty; you just have to take our word for it.

We only saw one tribal lady, in town, who was laughing at us trying to control our trusty steeds.  Sometimes adventures just turn out that way.