Car Trip Part 2

Arriving at the town of Krabi (gra-bee) we find the Seaview Hotel, recommended in our Lonely Planet, on a quiet street overlooking the Krabi River with its adjoining esplanade. For 600 baht ($16 U.S.) a night we get a nice room complete with satellite TV and we spend two rainy evenings watching the Tour de France.

At a large stationery store in town I try to explain to the clerks, with gestures and sketches, just what it is I am looking for. Finally I find it--a child's workbook for learning how to write Thai script. My theory being that this might help to understand the language. However, we remain mystified by the written language. Fortunately some road signs are in English as well as Thai.

Walking through town we come to a main intersection and are dumbfounded at the sight of four huge caveman statues, each holding traffic signals. Wish we knew the story behind this!

One afternoon we meet Attilio and Lilia, a retired couple from southern Italy. Attilio asks if we would like to join them in the hire of a long-tail boat for a two hour tour of the mangrove lined river. So, off we go with Yas and his 12 year old son. Soon it starts to rain, then the wind starts to blow. The four of us put on our tourist rain ponchos. Yas seems concerned about the weather and pulls up at a cave site on an island. He has us get out while he drops an anchor. Minutes later as we all stand under a cliff overhang we see the long-tail, with the boy aboard, drift away in the strong current. Yas runs to the river bank but is too late. He shouts to his son who finally manages to start the engine and bring the boat back to shore. Yas ties it to a big tree.

Nearby is a rustic stairway with a couple of landings leading up the side of the cliff. Richard and I climb up and soon find ourselves in a very large cave with natural light coming in through two good sized openings. Attilio and Lilia don't climb up to the cave and apparently unnerved by the weather and runaway boat they are ready to abandon the adventure and return to the safety of their hotel. Richard and I agree go back even though we are having a great time. We are, of course, accustomed to wild weather and a little excitement on boats.

Leaving Krabi we drive through some beautiful countryside as we explore the winding back roads leading in the general direction of the town of Phang Nga. It is raining again. We take a room at the Phang Nga Inn, a large mansion converted to a guesthouse. It is managed by Juliet, who grew up in the house and her husband Mark who is from Vancouver, B.C.

The next day we head for home. Along the way we find some interesting Buddhist temples. Wat Tum Thapapaan is a very strange place. Walking through the garden we come upon a gigantic dragon. Entering its gaping mouth and creeping through the dark inner cavity makes us think of a carnival fun house. Emerging from the tail of the dragon we find ourselves in...hell.
Before us is a life size sculptural scene of torture, blood and gore. And this has been created by monks.

Further south is Wat Tham Suwankhuha with its huge main cavern, inside which reclines a 48 ft radiant golden Buddha. By climbing steps to adjoining caverns we find other relics and Buddhas. Outside, clinging to growth on the side of a cliff, are a troop of monkeys who have been known to break into cars if they spot food inside. Fortunately this didn't happen to us.