Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
George's World Travels
What an interesting 3 days!
One of our full days was spent on a lake tour, whereby we sped accross the man-made dam, an added part of the national park, for an hour to the beautiful and charming line of raft houses.The photos speak for themselves so I will leave them to it. They will be up soon! that day we also had a jungle hike to some caves, which we ventured into as far as the rising water would allow and visited a cute little waterfull that reminded me of those posh water features you get in very up market hotels, that look like they are conprised of individual stones as the backdrop. After some refreshing fruit and a mini swin we headed back. I proved to be as clumsy as ever on the slippery stones and made the trip back just about in one piece. We saw some cool plants including an inside out small red mushroom. Looked like a mini wine glass.
As we reached a our docking area of boats - a very marshy, probably leach infested marsh, our guide, Lek, triggered a mass of butterflys to rise from the lomg gross and fly around him. It was beautiful. Just like something, very cheesy, from a movie. Perfect. The butterflies in the national park were all very tame, theyd come and sit on your arms and then fluter to the top of your head. They were also very pretty. Yellows, whites, blacks, reds. many stripes and different patterns.
Our lunch back at the raft houses was gorgeous, rice with stir fried veg and scrambled egg. Then a plate of fruit and sticky rice with banana, which we were both delighed to have eventually found! I followed your advice Julie! Basically they were balls of sticky rice with coconut shavings on the surface and mushy banana inside. Apparently mango ones are the best, we are still hunting them out.
After a stint on a canoe, which didnt go amazingly well, especially once we came across a dead white fish floating on the surface of the water and thought maybe theres more, bigger creatures in the water than we have been told about. We were almost forced to have a swim in the lake, which was lovely although done perhaps a little nervously!
One of my favourite parts of the day, however wasnt even on the itinerary. Lek stopped off at a local food market to pick up a curry dinner and we were able to explore for 20 minutes. I LOVE markets, a phrase I have rammed down Nickis throat this holiday! I love the colour, the atmosphere, the sense of reality, of real people going about their real life, illuminating a part of their culture thats not adjusted for tourism. (well not this maket anyway) Again, see the pics I took. the locals were so friendly to us, and one woman on the bakery stall gave us a free snack each, which we had taken a bemused interest in. They were sweet wafer mini takos with a kind of thick, very sweet cream splodge inside and then a green (I think) mini splodge on top of that. Quite yummy. Very strange! we also bought a dougnut each for 10 baht thats less that 10p. Very good prices! I think we will be horrified when we come back to the high prices of the UK.
That night we read loads and had and retired to bed early. That reminds me every night we were awoken by the thundering noise of the rain on our metal roof. Infuriating. Also I think it was that night that we found a bat INSIDE our big mossie net that encompassed our bed. WHY? HOW? The creature must have really waned to be there as it would have been a mission to sneak under and arund the net then almost jump up to the bed. Nicki was very brave and once the bat escaped to under the bed after some fluttering of the net, she used the broom and torch to seek him out. Apparantly, as I was staying well clear, he had a very red furry belly and looked very unlike the image she had envisaged of a fruit bat! The next morning he was gone and we could laugh about the incident.
Another day we ventured alone into the national park. We read about the biggest plant in the world-very ugly and red, which resided in only two places, both in Thailand, and one being Khao Sok. Sadly we didnt make i to the plant, but saw many pictures. So our walk, well as I metioned before there are many leeches in the area, so we were on guard. First Nicki got one on her leg and nimbly caught it on her paper brochure as it dged its way up her leg on the hunt for a good place to suck her blood. they are very horrid creatures. Very unhelpfully to her all I could do was have a nervous laughing fit and thank God it wasnt me! Thats where my luck stopped and I got attacked next as we watched a fun spikey lizard. I screamed bloody murder as she had to try and get thing off me before it lached on. Thankfully Nickis quick actions saved me. Unfortunately her next attack was not so lucky and the thing had already started to expand double its body size by the time she found it. As she resolved to the fact that shed have to let it be until it was done (wasnt sure if should take the thing off) I tried to take her mind off it and continue ou hunt for waterfall one. Yes we still had not reached the first landmark of 13 in the trail!
Eventually, after seeing one possible contender of waterfall 1 we decided to call it a day for our hike and head home, trying to avoid all other leeches.
That night we went on a guided night safari which was far better than our lone attempt. The sounds of the jungle a night, were as Klaus, the German owner of 'Our Jungle House', the place we stayed at, sounds wou could loose yourself in meditiation to. Our guide also had amazing eyesight and we saw a wild cat, deer, camellion, bat, frog, spider and something with green piercing eyes in a tree (which we couldnt understand the name of). Very cool. Especially the wild cat as it stayed in view for like 10 minutes so we could really see it. They have such long stripey bodies! Our guide was also awesome with the leeches and picked them off our boots if we ever spoted one. Im very proud to say that I was not bit once by a leech. I feel, however, that this is fair and just as my legs have already been throuh so much. Namely the 40+ mossie bites (in one night, many more followed), by burn from the exhaust of the rented scooter, which is now heeling well, the very deep and constantly annoying blister/holes in the backs of my feet from the treck that STILL havent heeled, and now the massive blue/black/green'/red bruise that covers the width of half my thigh which appeared from nowhere. Again pictures have been taken and will be on show soon.
Nicki has just reminded me of our red ant infested sandal discovery that morning too. Frickin hundreds of them (red ants bite) crawling around on our sandals, including quite a few big ones tha have an even nastier bite. It took abou 40 mins to wash/shake/poke the majority of them off into the stream. Very miserable task as hands kept being bitten. The insects appeared again the following morning when we were about to leave and after a can of insecticide and hours in a plastic bag they seemed to have all died or vacaded our shoes and we are now happily wearing them again.
So yes, our last morning in the national park...our bus was due at 9am so we were dropped off in plently of time for this at the side of the road. 9am came and went. No bus. So an hour and a half later the 10am one appeared to our relief and so the 3-4 hour trip to Phuket commenced. The bus was spacious and airconditioned. Luxury. Also, see pics, a little odd. The decor was just so strange it was funny. We also had the entertainment of Thai kareoke on repeat on the TV. It was cool seeing more of the Thai countryside. Of temples, shops, fields and fields. Normal people oing about their daily life. We also passed loads of schools, with kids having P.E lessons outside or laying in the playground.
Once in Phuket. Relief! Our last bus long bus journey with all luggage! The room we cbooked was above a cafe and was gorgeous. Just right. Pretty central to the beach and shops and run by an awfully helpful and friendly young guy who even walked us to the beach! We weren't based by the main beach of Phuket, which I have heard is notoriously touristy, so our experience of the place was very positive. Karen beach was lovely, and sun shone as we reached the sun loungers and opened our books. Based in another beautiful bay, the sunset was like another out of a movie.
Today...wow finally reached today! We caught a flight to Bangkok and arrived at 'Buddy Lodge' our accommodation, smack bang in the middle of Khao San Road-the main backpackers street in the capital and host to dozens of great market stalls through the day and night. Absolutely love the street. We have already gone on a shopping spree and can claim ownership of many bargains. The pictures, again are awesome.
The next few days are roughly planned...
tomorrow: emerald Buddha and other temples in the area (all supposed to be close to each other)-so culture day in store for us.
Friday: hopefully the old capital: Ayutthaya.
Saturday: the biggest market in Bangkok-Chatuchak
-need maps for, and advised to stay the whole day!woo hoo!
Sunday: Floating market and maybe flower market. Any additional shopping and sights.
Monday: Flying back home! Leave 3am this morning and arrive back 12.30pm UK time.
Am really looking forward to the next few days, soaking up my last experiences of this beautiful country.
- comments