Full report on the Thailand Jungle tour to follow. Sorry but i've been busy trying to re-adjust to salaryman life and trying to get a new passport. Watch this space!

On Thursday 2nd November me Michael Medoway and Michael Adams went to visit The Kayan Long Neck people in Nai Soi Refugee camp near Chiang Mai Northern Thailand.

As a child growing up on the cocktail of Attenborough, He-Man and CbbC I've always had a fascination with the Long Neck people and the mystery surrounding their existence. We arrived at the "village" which was actually a refugee camp funded by the Thai government at about 4PM. There were about 20 huts and the people in them seemed to all be busy weaving scarf's or making handcrafts, trinkets and treasures to entice the foreign dollar. Our guide then proceeded to give us a quick tour of the Camp pointing out every piece of clothing and its significance, The set-up was not unlike a zoo and I felt a bit outraged at the shameless photo snapping some of the other members of our group were doing but I didn't really have the right as I was one of them. I decided to refrain from taking any pictures until I had gained their trust, Which is hard to do in only 30 mins. I wanted something that would capture the feelings and emotions towards the invasion of their privacy. I struck up a conversation with Masun who at 20 years old was considered too old to be unmarried. She spoke very good English and she explained her culture in great detail. We joked about M.T.V and getting married (There is no single in the county side its either your married or your not!)and I asked her how she felt about all these tourists coming to admire her coils. She said She didn't really mind as it was a small price to pay to avoid the brutal military regime in Burma. I got the feeling that she genuinely didn't mind the intrusion from foreign tourists. She had a smile and a giggle that radiated a king of beauty that could only be found in an uncorrupted soul. I discreetly offered her 60Baht for her time and insight and she reluctantly accepted with great humility thanking me as she explained the people in the camp get nothing from the 250 Baht entrance fee. I then explored other parts of the village avoiding the rest of the group as best as I could. I came across a hut manned by 3 young Kayen children one of which reminded me of a student I teach at my School. To their amusement I did my trademark elastic thumb trick which seems to be a hit in South east Asia. I will never forget the smile they made, pure innocence. I spent the remaining time speaking to a young mother and her 1 year old son. She didn't speak much English but we managed to exchange names and nationalities. I let the baby play with my camera and I showed him a video clip of himself which made his mother chuckle. I a gesture to ask if I could take a photo of her and she made a pose but I said it was fine. I waited for a more natural moment and when she was pre-occupied by her son crawling up her body trying to grab her rings I took a great snap. It turned out blurry though as I had the wrong lens and the moment was lost. I could have spent all day talking to the tribes women but we had to leave. My visit left me satisfied and somewhat empowered but I yearned to learn more about their culture and lifestyle. In the bus ride back to Chiang Mai city we reflected on what we had experienced and Medoway asked me "How do you think these people feel when tourists invade their homes?" He said "Maybe they think we are strange for not wearing neck rings." And he had a good point. These people don't have TV or magazines telling them what right or wrong. Their main outside influence are the hordes of visitors who intrude their private life. Maybe they enjoy the attention, maybe they detest it. I guess its the price they pay for keeping their traditions in a modern society. “It's often safer to be in chains than to be free” Franz Kafka