Highlights of Thailand
There are a few memories that stick out above the rest, trekking rare trails in the northern Thailand, Khao Sok National Park, Marshall Law in Bangkok, and diving off Koh Tao. These are four of plenty more but they are the first four to come to mind.
Trekking with a young lady from France through burning mountain underbrush was definitely something I won’t forget anytime soon. It was in the searing heat of the hot season and we left Mae Hong Son on the Burma border high in the mountains for a 5 day trek to Pai through valley rivers and crossed mountain ridges. We ate off the land and made our utensils out of bamboo. Every river supplied us with swimming holes to jump in and cool off.
We past though valleys with Karen tribes that still rarely see outsiders and their hospitality unsurpassed. They were as curious about us as we were interested in them and their way of life. Our guide knew almost everyone we met, whether they were hunters, farmers, fishermen, or village folk, they all thought we were nuts to be out in the jungle in this heat jumping through underbrush fires and flowering bamboo. It was a desolate walk and difficult ups and downs.
Some of the mountains were so steep we literally skidded on our washed out shoes and clung to branches and trees to get down while closely watching for the next foot purchase on the way up. When we stopped for breaks the views were breath taking and remote.
The nights were chilled even though we spent them near an open fire in a hammock away from the red ants.
Many of the bushes are poisonous or have saw sharp thorns up their stalks that bleed me on numerous occasions. When the locals saw my shins they would giggle and laugh as if I was an infant. Humility is an easy lesson to learn in the northern Thai jungle.
Khao Sok National Park is always a treat. I have been there numerous times now and still enjoy everyday I walk the seven kilometers up to the last swimming hole and waterfall where fish tickle your feet and tiger prints are still fresh at the edge of the water.
I didn’t stay in the valley this time but at a nearby bungalow set up in the shadow of the limestone mountains surrounding the area. It is quiet and the shower/bathroom are open to the stars. www.khaosok-greenmountainview.com.
An over night on a floating bungalow, a night boat ride looking for eyes in the canopy, river caving, communist history of the area. Monolith limestone columns erupt out of the lake with their own ecosystems on the very top.
A sunrise long boat tour through some narrow waterways with Orangutans, monkeys and Hornbills over head, fish jumping in front of the boat and Kingfishers flying into our wake for food was a dream with the warmth of a new day upon us.
Marshal Law in Bangkok; I was there while the people were protesting to oust the Prime Minister who turned out to be the sister of the last Prime Minister who self exiled himself, who in turn is the brother of the Prime Minister that the people felt was too corrupt to run the country.
It turned out that the whole family was corrupt and the people would rather have the military run the country. The military are corrupt as well but they seem equally corrupt among all and more satisfactory until new elections can take place.
I walked safely through the protest camps as the Thai Royals and police stood aside watching and waiting. There were assassinations, grenades, road blockades for months, trucks tearing down walls of the Prime Ministers’ residence and anytime anything really bad happened she was conveniently in Chiang Mai.
Marshal Law hit the country and a curfew set at 10 pm in Bangkok and 11pm on the islands that were mostly populated by tourists and no real political threat. Everything eased into daily life after a few months and no one could tell the difference except that no one was taking advantage of the rice farmers to the south or anybody else.
Diving was truly a pleasure I hadn’t had before. I grew up in the water, played water polo and swam at university but diving had eluded me until now. I met some fabulous people at Asia Divers on Koh Tao and wanted to dive.
Once I had my Open Water certification, there was no stopping me and I went straight into Advanced Open Water and that takes you down 30 meters.
There are some assigned courses you have to take with it but there are also some elective type courses as well and I chose buoyancy, underwater photography, and a night dive.
All are worthy. Koh Tao is one place to dive but there are many and with these certifications in hand I chose not to go to Nepal at the moment but to go east to Borneo and Sulawesi where I fell in love with diving and still dream underwater.
I’ll write about diving there when I get to those countries. Next is Laos, the most bombed country on the planet and never actually in the war with Vietnam except from Richard Nixon’s point of view.
Of Course, there’s always a good time had by all at the Banyan on Koh Tao. There are also incredible beaches everywhere you look. Just look.
www.davidcdagley.com
