Escaping from LopBuri (where we became stuck thanks to a train strike) my two Dutch travel buddies and I thought we might get a break from the travel fiascos.

Never follow the tuk tuk driver who flails his arms wildly, claiming he will take you to the moon for a good price. For some reason this morning we went against our better judgment and took just such a fellow to a hostel about two kilometres outside of town. Only known to him, and the hostel owners, was that it was closed for renovations.

This fact became known to us after he dropped us off and we had paid him! Cursing the day we trusted him, I bargained a lift from the hostel owners. Some 120 Baht later (about five dollars) we found a hotel that would suffice for one night to visit the nearby temples in Sukothai (Rising Happiness).

That afternoon, rather than some organised tour, we chose public buses to Sukothai, which are easier to use and there's less chance of being ripped off.

An hour later we arrived for just 12 Baht each (about 50 cents), rented bikes, and began our pedal through this luscious, lakeside temple area.

Built in the13th Century, Sukothai was the first independent kingdom of Siam and kept the Khmer empire at bay and influencing the culture of Thailand until it was superseded by Ayuthaya in the South. While Ayuthaya (where we had just come from ) may have trumped Sukothai years ago, it doesn't touch Sukothai for its architecture. With every turn of the bicycle I arrived at images that my camera could barely capture.

After two hours in this tranquil setting we made it back to the coffee roadside stand for the last bus back to Phitsanoluk. One night here and with all the 'fun' of the trains the previous day we decided on a bus to Chiang Mai (the haven of trekking) and away from all the wats!

We arrived in this North Thailand town around 10 p.m. so we were at the mercy of the tuk tuks who swarmed around us. We managed to stay away from moon-promisers and got to the hostel we wanted for a fair price. The only problem? They were full.

Exhausted after a six hour bus ride we just found a room to do (a theme while backpacking) for the night and we could move the next morning.

At 7 a.m., bleary eyed we queued with at least 20 other backpackers hoping they might have some rooms. While my travel buddies found a double room, me, the poor single, was relegated to a dorm!

It only cost two dollars and there were only two other people in the room ... two drunken Irish (is that repetitive?) guys! After surprising one relaxing in his underwear, I dumped my bags, ran out (I don't know who was more shocked) and decided to stay only one night in the room nicknamed 'the oven'!

Luckily Chiang Mai more than made up for the less than ideal living situation. Surrounded by a moat, the city is the place for those looking for trekking, cooking classes or just relaxing.

After a few days of treacherous travelling I decided my first port of call was some pampering. I found a hair salon with a woman who spoke English well. At least she was able to express her disgust at my hair well enough! All the hard water, heat and dirt will take a toll to be fair to me.

Anyway after a deep condition, a trim and her trying to set me up with her son I felt human again. Navigating away from her son's phone number I headed back to the hostel because me and the Dutch guy were going to give Thai boxing a go here in Chiang Mai (nothing like a new haircut for a workout).

Two boxers arrived on two motorbikes. I reluctantly got on the back of one and we took off – in the opposite direction of my Dutch travel buddy.

I gave my driver three chances to turn our bike around and follow them or I would get off. He wouldn't or couldn't understand me so I made him stop – I was not going to disappear with a Thai boxer.

It might have been an overreaction, but being fairly new to this solo travel and motorbike thing I was not going to put myself in unnecessary harms way.

The change in plans, however, put me in the great position to organise a three-day hike from Chiang Mai. A German girl in the hostel found a company that would give us a discount if we recruited more people to go. Like I needed any more incentive! Within an hour I had two Dutch girls, one Belgian guy, one British guy and two Polish girls ready to dip into the Thai countryside.

It was going to be a 8 a.m. start so I wanted to get a good night's sleep. Ha. Not only was I contending with two roommates whose idea of visiting Thailand was the bucket tour (a drink made from a bottle of Thai whiskey, two cokes and two Thai, lethal red bulls in a bucket), but I was also next to the hangout area.

After maybe three hours of sleep, I rolled out of bed, said goodbye to my Dutch travel buddies, went to the trekking company, left my valuables and headed for the hills with two tour guides one of whom introduced himself as the Bond, James Bond of Thailand! (He almost lived up to the name.)

Green as far as the eye could see, we hiked through banana trees and lemon grass that towered over my head. Not even the regular monsoon rain storm in the afternoon could drench our spirits and after about four hours of hiking through this green wilderness we arrived at the first hut we would stay in.

Mattress strewn on the floor of a bamboo hut and a kitchen overrun by chickens (no wonder Bird Flu is impossible to contain) – it was fantastic.

Dumping our bags it was time for our daily shower. That is after riding our elephants through the forest. ... not as much fun as you might think. Smaller than the African elephants, I didn't feel any better on the back of this massive animal as the trainer had him navigate tiny rock passes and down steep banks through streams. My German travel buddy and I were squealing and holding on for dear life much to the amusement of the trainer (honestly you don't know how big these animals are until you're stuck in a small crate on its back).

Hot work this riding elephants so when they went to a pond for a wash we went to the nearby waterfall for ours! Nothing like a natural shower, before returning to the camp for our gourmet dinner made by Bond himself! Open flames and a few pots produced enough rice for almost all of Thailand and a curry that I could have eaten for the rest of my life.

I was more than ready for sleep so I grabbed a mattress and mosquito net and hit the hay. Even the 4 a.m. rooster couldn't ruin my sleep or the mist strewn mountains that greeted me as I had my morning coffee.

Before long though it was time to head out and on to the next village. It was slightly tougher trekking this day so I think we were all happy for the hearty breakfast (stir-fried bamboo shoots for me). By 4 p.m. we arrived in the next village where pigs are stored under the stilt houses and children run around in rags of clothing. Apparently a road was only built here last year though, of course they still had a satellite for the one TV in the village.

After spending the afternoon playing with the children it was another gourmet dinner in the same hut we were sleeping in, a concert from the children and then a sing-a-long by us that probably kept the village awake!

The next morning, unfortunately, our last day was also the worst weather. We couldn't see the mountains for the clouds and rain permeated every piece of clothing. Of course after climbing the day before we had to descend today. Not easy through the barely-there mud and stick strewn paths. I am proud to say I did not slip once! Not an easy task for a self-proclaimed clutz. Others arrived mud-caked ready for the white water rafting that awaited us at the bottom of the mountain.

Without too many falls out of our boats and drifting down this amazing green overgrown river we arrived at the next stop on our tour ... bamboo boats. Well more like a bamboo carpet for us. I'm not sure this flimsy structure was supposed to hold eight people and we were grinding along the ground more than we were floating. After navigating the river via new and traditional means it was time for lunch before our stomachs ate themselves. Exhausted and thoroughly happy with our trek it was time to head back to 'civilisation' and a shower!

Next stop: A shower before starting a four-day motorbike tour of northern Thailand.