Kids from the Palaung hill-tribe walk 4 km. home from their school at ban KopDong to their home Ban NorLae on Doi Angkang. Kindergarten kids get a lift but Prathom kids must walk there and back each day.

Good healthy exercise...so they don't become lazy like the city kids.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28361002@N07/7429636150/in/set-72157612891423088

Would they still walk if they had the choice like the lazy city kids do? Don't think so.

maybe not...but the hardships of life do teach us what we are capable of...

That's a fair point on the hardship part. Can bring out the best in some. Bit rough on the city kid part, not their fault adults gave them transport and computer games plus the fast foods. I know schools here in Australia have much bigger emphasis on sports these days, not sure about Thai schools. Given that, Thai kids aren't quite as fat as Australian kids are becoming!

My grandpa would have said 4km, is that all? I walked 10 and I had to make my shoes..

Ha.. I used to complain about walking 3 or 4 miles to school and my Dad always came back with the old, oh yeah, well I had to walk 5 miles back and forth to school in the pouring down rain and when snow was 3 foot on the ground. My Dad, what a kidder.. since I had to do the same thing.

Time for the old 'Four Yorkshiremen' sketch from Monty Python I think....