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	---> MORE Cover Stories: _________________________________ CHIANG MAI’S CITY PILLAR CEREMONY Hydrophile Heaven! The Songkran Festival in Chiang Mai The Poy Sang Long Festival Samoeng: ‘Three Cities’ Amongst Lofty Mountains Underwater Warriors: The Beta (Siamese) Fighting Fish CHIANG MAI’S BIG BIKERS WILDLIFE WALKABOUT: The Chiang Mai Night Safari LOOKING FOR THE SERPENT LORD Cruising the Ping River A Tripartite Trip to Paradise in southern Laos Muay Thai: The Inner Fight Farangs' Tale A Two-Wheeled Taste of Chiang Mai A New Look at Traditional Ligay For Those about to Songkran – We Salute You The Hills are Alive – especially at Doi Angkhang Lanna’s Legendary Talismans Animal Wonders in the Chiang Mai Zoo Creative Core - Nimmanahaemin Art Promenade CHIANG DAO - City of Stars Chiang Mai’s Veggie Festival A Sharing Moment on ‘Tan kuay salak’ Day Flower Power: The Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden TATTOOING IN THAILAND AT THE BUFFALO SACRIFICE Human’s Hidden Weapons: They’re all over you 'WALKING STREET'CHIANG MAI Eating up a Storm in Chiang Mai City Chinese New Year DON'T KNOCK THE CHIANG MAI WINTER FAIR Chiang Mai to Mae Hong Son and (hopefully) back again Cruising the Mekong in Style LOI KRATHONG FULL MOON FESTIVAL KHUN BUPHA GETS THE TREATMENT - Western and Traditional Golf in the North of Thailand - Fore! Travels in the Golden Triangle THE REMARKABLE HISTORY OF HERMIT SUTHEP Betel mania - A harmless narcotic in decline SONGKRAN IN CHIANG MAI - A Survival Strategy Visiting a Famous Monk in Northern Thailand City of Novice Monks Skilled at Massage and Cooking? A 'HIGH' IN CHIANG MAI YOU WON'T FORGET ULRICH'S LAST OUTING THE RIVER OF LIFE AND DET Khao Phra Viharn from the Cambodian side WAT PHU - BACK TO A TIMELESS KHMER TEMPLE FOREST GIANTS: Yours to command, perhaps The Gates of Chiang Mai Escape to a Houseboat CHIANG MAI GUARDIAN SPIRITS Sawadee Pii Mai - Splash! A VISIT TO ANGKOR And more besides Thailand's Hidden Green Secrets Teak, King of Timbers: See it While it Lasts Chiang Mai Hero: Khruba Si Wichai 16th Khom Yeepeng Festival Year 2007 The Dhevo Rohana Ceremony The Elephant, Soul of the Thai Nation SWINGING FOR FREEDOM: The Akha New Year WELCOME TO THE GOLDEN LAND THE CHIANG MAI ENLIGHTENMENT TOUR CHIANG DAO NATIONAL PARK LAOS NEW YEAR IN LUANG PRABANG LIJIANG:From Chiang Mai to the Edge of Tibet and Back STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN UP PHU KRADUNG Ready for the Jungle? CELEBRATING A RECORD REIGN Royal Flora International Exhibition Fig trees in lore and life and all around you Next Stop China Shopping on the San Kampaeng Highway Footloose in Northern Thailand THE FOUNDING OF CHIANG MAI The X Centre: Get Ready to SSScreeeaaammm!! SONGKRAN IN CHIANG MAI: All Your Questions Answered OVER THE HILLS AND - DOWN TO MAE CHAEM SNAKES Alive! And all around you in Chiang Mai ALL ABOARD FOR THE CHIANG MAI WINTER FAIR Hold on tight!... It’s Whitewater Season! DON'T MISS THE LOI KRATONG FESTIVAL Phaya Nak: Serpent Lord of the Underworld The RAMAKIEN: Ubiquitous in Thai Culture THE CONSUL WHO LOVED FIGHTING BEETLES Take Flight! EXPLORING CHIANG MAI'S OLD CITY WALKING (!) UP TO THE TEMPLE ON DOI SUTHEP CHIANG MAI NEW YEAR: COMES IN WITH A SPLASH A DAY OF DANCING FOR CHIANG MAI'S SPIRITS Visiting Mountainous Doi Angkhang OFF TO SEE THE PAKERYAW AT HOME JULIE CHRISTIE CAME TO BREAKFAST LIGHTS! BALLOONS! FIREWORKS! Remembering Kavila looking at his City Luang Prabang: Journey to Happiness WALKING UP TO THE WAT PHRATHAT UP ON INTHANON EXTREME LANNA: Get footloose in Chiang Mai THE INTHAKHIN CEREMONY Songkran! Year after Year, I Still Enjoy It THE RAMAKIEN: The Epic that’s Fantastic Fun QUEEN CHAMADEVI MAKES AN APPEARANCE FLYING HIGH IN CHIANG MAI TERA JAN: THE TROUBLED MONK OF WAT UMONG LOY KRATHONG: Full Moon, River, Fireworks and Crowds CHIANGMAI’S MYSTERY METAL MONSTERS CRYSTAL LADY, APOCALYPTIC MONK IN THE HOUSE OF THE SPIRITS Thailand’s “Women of the Second Kind” CHIANG DAO BOUND

THE RIVER OF LIFE AND DET
Whitewater Rafting on the River Taeng in Northern Thailand

There's something about a river that just invites amateur philosophizing. I don't know what it is, exactly - maybe the fact that it winds its way nimbly though many territories, or that its origins are usually a bit fuzzy, or maybe just because they're just so doggone important. Whatever it may be, standing alone by a river, most of us will think: "Yeah. What's it all about, anyway?"

An hour and a half away from Chiang Mai is an incomparably lovely little river called the Mae Taeng. Bordered on both sides by steeply sloping fields of banana trees and lots of other unidentifiable green stuff it is easily one of the loveliest places I've seen in Thailand. Unfortunately, I didn't see very much of it - as I was there river-rafting, most of my time was spent staring at my paddle and the water, doing my best not be killed. Done it!

I went with Siam River Adventures. Owner Jason Younkin has been running river trips in Thailand for six years, uses the best equipment and runs his company with such iron-willed efficiency that he wears a German army helmet while navigating the Taeng. Whatever his reasons, the helmet sure inspired my confidence. Then I remembered that the Germans lost the war. Nevertheless, Jason hails from Colorado, and I knew that Coloradonians were experts on rocks and rivers, if not headgear aesthetics.

After a bumpy but scenic ride up to the rustic company headquarters, we ate lunch and then learned the basics of whitewater rafting. Groups of not more than six per boat were arranged and each was assigned a professional rafter as a guide.

It's been said that until you've stared Death in the face, you haven't truly lived. Well, I was already staring him in the face and hadn't even gone in the river yet. "Det" happened to be the name of our river guide. This is, of course, how Thais pronounce the English word "death." It was all very funny, though most of the laughter was coming from those assigned to the other two boats. Still, he had a nice smile and no signs of previous injury.

After drifting lazily down the river for a while we became lulled into a false sense of security. Then the first set of rapids hit. Det shouted out directions and we dutifully obeyed. Though strenuous, we ultimately emerged unscathed from the rushing tumult and raised our oars in an exuberant, but mathematically incorrect "high-five." We were all now very cocky - especially Sara, a 24-year-old American who had been wondering what to do with her life and suddenly declared that she wanted "to be a river rafting guide." This was what the ancient Greeks called "hubris" and for which the gods punished you, normally by making you the subject of a long, dull play. Safety

The next set of rapids was far more fierce and this time Sara tumbled out of the raft. She didn't seem scared at all, and was even waving at us and laughing. Siam Rivers' support team quickly threw a safety line from the riverbank and pulled her to dry land.

When we finally made it over to her, we could see she wasn't as happy about her misadventure as we had thought. Luckily, our safety vests had padded flaps in the back that help protect the head and neck as one drifts along the rushing water and rocks. She didn't have a scratch. "But you were smiling and waving to us," someone said. "No I wasn't," she replied, "I was making the signal of distress!" We had all forgotten our lesson: waving your hands in the air meant you were freaking out. Oh well. Sara was still raring to go. I solemnly announced to the group (and the gods) that I had no interest in ever becoming a river guide.

The rapids kept coming, faster and more frequent. Gradually we all fell into a rhythm and like a well-oiled machine forded our way over the boulders and falls and twists and turns. It was great exercise and exhilarating. I relaxed to the point where I could actually mug for the

cameramen strategically placed at the most scream-inducing spots. Looking at the photos later, it seemed others in the boat had become equally nonchalant and/or narcissistic. Nevertheless, we proceeded without further incident down the river until the final, peaceful stretch where we could calmly examine the scenery, our lives and our pants. hubris?

We thanked Det for taking such good care of us on our ride down the river of life and climbed up onto the banks of the afterworld. It was just like I'd always imagined the afterworld to be: well-stocked with beer and biscuits and full of hill-tribe women trying to sell me jewelry. Perhaps because this was a Buddhist country, I felt impelled to go back and do it all over again.

I'm kidding. I wanted to go back and do it all over again because it was an amazingly fun, beautiful trip, exactly like life itself. Except, that is, for the parts where everything gets rocky and nobody realizes you're panicking. Which is why I'm planning to wear a German army helmet every day, all the time. I may not really understand the relationship between metaphor and reality, but I'll sure look cool and moreover, I no longer have any fear of Det.

RAPID FACTS

Siam River Adventures

Website: http://www.siamrivers.com

Local Reservations: 089-515 1917 or 081-473 6839

Online Reservations email info@siamrivers.com or submit an online contact form on the website. 1800 baht per person for the trip mentioned in this article (Two hours on the river, about ten kilometers journey. Rapids vary from class 1 - 4). See the website for a wealth of information and other available trips. Pickup from Chiang Mai at 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.

Accommodation:

Siam River Adventures' Jungle Homestay - on five acres of parkland, a real working "eco-farm." Meals and transport to and from Chiang Mai included. 300 baht per night. Very rustic but clean, with shared bathroom. See contact info above.

Royal Ping Garden and Resort - Plush, upscale but affordable resort. 1,800-12,000 baht. (up to 30% cheaper if you reserve via a 3rd party online website). Phone: +66(053)293228-34 FAX: +66(053)293225. www.royalping.com.

Chiang Mai Moutain Biking, Tel. 081-024 7046.

When to Go:

July through March. From August to October the rivers can be particularly full and fast.

Additional information:

TAT Northern Office Region 1, Tel: 0 5324 8604, 0 5324 8607, 0 5330 2500 Fax: 0 5324 8605.

Text & Images © Oliver Benjamin 2008