Phetchaburi adventures

Phetchaburi, Thailand
Wednesday, December 31, 2013

On the return drive to Bangkok this time we WISELY broke the trip into two parts and stayed over in Phetchaburi for two nights. This gave us time to explore this fun city--and not go crazy from driving 8+ hours in one day. A famous Buddhist cave with hoards of aggressive monkeys and a lovely temple from the Khymer period were the two sites we visited. It was fun to see something new--especially the cave.

Sunday market

Saphli, Thailand
Sunday, December 29, 2013

Tonight we enjoyed another trip to Saphli's Sunday market. All manner of food for sale: fruit, spices, vegetables--even fried bugs. We bought some treats and headed home...

Beach pursuits

A's inland empire

Outside Chumphon, Thailand
Sunday, December 29, 2013

Over the past week or so, we have spent many, many hours on the beach here at Chumphon Cabana. Our favorite activities have included looking for shells (me), picking up garbage (Frank) and building sandcastles (A). The wind and waves are strong this time of year so we haven't spent too much time in the water--except for jumping in the waves as they crash in...

Here's what I found on the beach...

Jungle roses

Outside Chumphon, Thailand
Saturday, December 28, 2013

We have returned to Chumphon Cabana for a few more days at the beach--and the festivities surrounding the New Year. This morning the staff were making these wonderful flower arrangements out of newly cut palm fronds. It's like origami with plant leaves. Wonderful creations.

A "tree house" at last

Khao Sok National Park, Thailand

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Frank had eventually given up trying to find the guest house he really wanted near Khao Sok National Park--Art's Riverview Lodge. They have no web site and all the phone numbers listed for them on the web didn't work. Then, by accident, Frank happened upon the Lodge once we were already staying somewhere else near the park. So, for our last night in Khao Sok, Frank booked a cabin at Art's Riverview Lodge. It is located at the bend in a small river with a nice swimming hole, complete with rope swing.

Being in the cabin is like being in a (low) rain forest canopy--well, sort of anyhow. It's on brick stilts about 15 feet up in the air. Last night we sat on the porch and watched the bats come out and listened to the cries of the far-off gibbon monkeys. As the bats came out, A got inspiration to draw some more of the creatures we've seen on this trip. As the light faded, Frank got out the headlamp and A kept drawing--well-coated with bug spray, of course. But actually, the mosquitoes weren't too bad here.

And the mosquito net "tents" inside the cabins glow magically in the dark...

IF you can find the place, it's well worth the effort.

Into the park

Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
Wednesday, December 25, 2013

We made a brief foray into Khao Sok National Park today. We were ready to explore some of the nature trails and see some waterfalls, etc., but the youngest member of our party was a bit too tired to get much out of this experience.

We did, however, get to walk a ways among the stunning bamboo, watch a bunch of monkeys do their monkey thing, and get startled by the buzzing of an enormous beetle that Frank was inspecting at close quarters. There's lots, lots more to see here, but for us it will have to wait for another time...

Khao Sok super beetle

"goi, goi"

The elephant in question

Outside Khao Sok National Park, Thailand
Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Great was my reluctance to get on that elephant. I wasn't sure if I should be relieved or worried to see that an actual seat belt was part of the contraption that we were supposed to ride on. But get on I did. This elephant ride was too-long awaited for me to turn back.

Thai coffee beans

To simulate the experience of "trekking in the jungle", our elephant handler led the elephant up, down, and around the mountainside near the camp where the elephants live. I had some doubts about how well the elephants here are treated, but I hardly know WHAT a 40 year-old elephant is SUPPOSED to look like.

In addition to learning what a coffee beans look like "on the branch", I have now learned one important phrase in elephant-handler talk. "Goi, goi", I learned, means "carefully, carefully" which, I am happy to say, brought us back safely to the elephant dismounting station in about one hour's time...

To see the view from "up top," click below...