Today, spurred on by yesterday's relative inactivity I decided to get out of Chiang Mai, so I headed for yet another mountain, Doi Chiang Dao. This time, rather than ascending, I planned to descend - Doi Chiang Dao has a network of caves that wind for miles beneath its towering bulk. I arrived in Chiang Dao, the small village five kilometres from Doi Chiang Dao, and began to walk to the caves in the hot, dry midday sun. After about twenty minutes of ambling along and photographing papaya trees, a local pulled up beside me and offered me a lift to the caves on his scooter. By the entrance to the caves is a small temple that contains a large fishpond. I idled away a good ten minutes feeding the giant fish (Koi carp and other monsters) before I paid my 5 Baht and entered the coolness of the caves.

I descended by electric light into a small chamber. There were a bunch of people hanging around with lamps. Only a small part of the caves is lit by electric light - if you want to see more you have to hire a guide. I paid my 60 baht and was directed to a small wizened old man who looked about 80. He was pumping his kerosene lamp with gusto, turning its dim whisper into a brilliant hissing. He beckoned for me to follow him and nimbly scurried up a flight of steps into the darkness.

After a few minutes the sounds and light of the first chamber faded away and we were alone in the darkness. The only sounds were the padding of our footsteps, the hissing of the kerosene lamp and the distant echoes of dripping water. The small lamp lit only parts of the giant caverns. Slabs of limestone hung improbably, like curtains from the ceiling high above. Huge stalactites reached down to head-height like giant arms. Nowhere was there a sharp edge - it was as if everything had been purposely softened by having a limestone drape thrown over it. Overhead on the roof, bats huddled silently.

As we walked, my guide pointed out rock formations that looked like things: elephants, chicken, turtles, lions and a fried egg. We came to a small hole in the wall, about ankle height. My guide gestured towards it and said something I couldn't quite make out. I nodded and smiled stupidly wondering what this was supposed to look like. At which point he bent down and, still carrying the burning heat of the kerosene lamp, disappeared into the hole. I boggled for a moment and then, clumsily, squeezed myself and my over-full rucksack into the tiny opening.

Generally my experience of caves has been one of brightly lit caverns and good solid walkways with handrails, and the only remotely dangerous thing might be where part of the walkway was a metal grille allowing you a glimpse into the bottomless pit beneath and - more importantly when you are 12 - the chance to throw things into it. This was turning out to be somewhat different. As I panted after my nimble guide, sweating in the heat of the kerosene lamp (god knows how hot he was), he casually pointed out that what I'd taken for a shallow depression to my left was in fact a sharp drop. "Sixty metres" he said with a chuckle. I suddenly stopped looking at the rock formations overhead and paid a great deal more interest in where I was placing my feet. After about half an hour we emerged into the sunlight, hot, thirsty and smelling faintly of kerosene. After cooling off with a few drinks I began to walk the 5km back to Chiang Dao. I had only been walking for a couple of minutes when another passing local offered me a lift back to the village. I liked these people.

I stood by the road in Chiang Dao waiting for a bus to Chiang Mai to pass, there being no actual bus stop - you just flag one down. A bus appeared round the corner - I had no idea what the Thai script said on the windscreen but I flagged the bus down anyway. "Chiang Mai?" I asked, hopefully. The young man by the door looked confused, but the passengers behind him said "yes, yes" and encouraged me to climb aboard. It was at this point that I realised that I wasn't on the normal state bus to Chiang Mai but a tour bus full of merry Thais on their way back from a day trip! There was a chorus of hellos and the tour guide with the golden microphone asked me where I was from and what my name was. There was amusement all round, I was offered water and even a whiskey. They dropped me off on the edge of Chiang Mai - they were en route to Bangkok. They didn't even charge me. What a nice bunch of people!

Hiatus

So see you all in a few weeks time.