Friday, September 01, 2006

Car Trip #1



After 3 weeks we decide it is time to see something other than Phuket Island. We leave Moonshadow anchored off Yacht Haven Marina under the watchful eye of friend Don who is anchored nearby.

We rent a Suzuki jeep and head across the bridge to the mainland to the coastal towns of Khao Lak and Bang Niang. Driving around, Lonely Planet in hand, we are not finding the guesthouses listed. We suddenly realize that we have a pre-tsunami guidebook. The places we are looking for are gone.

There was much destruction in this area and rebuilding is slow. Many aid organizations including Habitat For Humanity are involved in tsunami recovery. At dinner we meet Fred and Christiane from Chicago and grown daughter Stephanie who work with the Tsunami Volunteer Center (Mirror Foundation) building wooden longtail fishing boats. Fred and Christiane came to Thailand on their large motor yacht Arcturus.

Next we head for the mountains and Khao Sok National Park with its ancient rainforest. Near the park we find Khao Sok Riverside Cottages at the end of a 1 1/2 mile dirt road. Raised boardwalks lead through the rainforest to the cabins and an open air restaurant overlooking the river. The cabins are traditional Thai, palm leaf and bamboo thatch. The floor of the shower/toliet room is smooth loose river rock.

While we are standing out on the porch Charlie Chaplin sneaks into our room and finds our bananas. Charlie is one of 3 semi-tame young gibbon apes that inhabit the resort. Richard tries to get him out but Charlie wants to play. He rolls around on the floor with a banana, then jumps into the bathroom sink to admire himself in the mirror. We finally lure him outside with another banana and shut the door. He swings up onto the porch railing and sits there, a decidedly hurt expression on his face.

After dark we listen to the sounds of the jungle. It rains most of the night. Geckos scurry about on the ceiling. At breakfast we hear the call of a wild gibbon.

We drive to the national park headquarters where there is a trailhead. We put on heavy socks, hiking boots, long pants and long sleeved shirts. We spray repellant all over ourselves. We feel prepared for the tropical crawling and flying beasties. The trail is good except for slippery river crossings. It is hot, humid and rainy. When we return to the jeep we are soaked.

We change clothes and drive to Chiaw Lam Lake where a Thai fellow points out that Richard has blood on his shirt. He lifts his shirt up and just at the beltline is a pencil size round area that is bleeding. The Thai man indicates that it is from a leech. Yuck!