Whenever we travel I like to try and get off the beaten path a bit, so that we have a better chance of having an authentic experience in the country and seeing how the people really live. I thought that trekking from Hsipaw into the neighboring countryside would be a wonderful way to do just that. We booked our trek through the Lily Guest House the day before for $30 each. When we arrived the next day the tour operator said they had booked more people for the trek and they would be refunding us $5 each. This is just one example of how honest and genuine the Burmese people are. It was so refreshing. Once everyone had arrived at the Lily Guest House a tuk tuk drove our group of 6 plus our guide to the other side of town. We began our trek through the Shan country side destined for a Palaung (pronounced Palaw) Village, the home of our young guide.

 

 

 

 

We walked through many small villages filled with smiling, friendly people. The children love to be photographed and look at themselves on the screen afterwards. It would've been great to have a Polaroid camera so I could give them pictures to keep.

 

 

 

We walked past farms growing sesame plants to make oil and enjoyed stunning panoramas of the land below.

We stopped for lunch in a village and were treated to mustard leaf soup, stir fried chiote and a type of gourd accompanied by rice and tea. After a short break we continued our ascent passing fields of tea trees, farmers and friendly villagers.

Upon arrival at our destination, a Palaung village, the villagers were drying tea leaves in the sun and sifting them to ensure even drying.

 

We walked through the village to the monastery where novice monks and other children played & posed for photos.

 

We had walked about 17 km of which 16 was uphill. We were pretty tired and it was about 4 pm so we each got on the back of a motorbike and were driven down the mountain which felt like a bumpy roller coaster ride. The sunset offered a wonderful distraction as we rode down the mountain back to town.