Thailand On The Road

Thailand On The Road

 

February 18, 1999

We wondered how we would get by in Thailand since we don’t speak the language.  The answer is same as in any other country where we don’t speak the language – universal sign language.  Example: we needed insect repellant and the girl in the small country store spoke no English.  I flapped my “wings,” made a “zzzzzzzz”  sound and poked my arm with my finger.  The girl led us straight to the insect repellants.

We were visiting the Kraeg Krachen National Park – the largest in Thailand, but not the best developed.  It is located in the Thai peninsula adjacent to the unfriendly border of Myanmar (Burma).  Driving into the park from the headquarters and visitor’s center requires about 2 ½ hours on a very rough, gravel road.  Some sections are paved but contain large potholes.  The last hour is very steep and narrow, so traffic is allowed only in one direction every few hours.  Visitors may enter from 5 am till 10 am.  Then from 12 PM till 1 PM autos may exit only.  In our opinion, the drive was worth the cost.  The views of the mountains, forests, and wildlife are spectacular.  At times it is possible to view four or five ridges of mountains, one behind the other.  The most distant ridges are difficult to see because of the humid haze in the air.  The hills and valleys are covered with rainforest.  Lots of bamboos, strangler fig, palms and many other trees.

We met a Thai fellow named Kob at the campground.  He showed us several birds, a bird-nest, a long-tailed black squirrel and a white-eyed macaque.  He obviously knew his wildlife.  He agreed to serve as our wildlife guide for ½ day the next day.  He was to meet us at our bungalow at the park headquarters at 5 am.  We were to provide transportation, lunch for all, and 400 Baut.  We waited until 5:30 am and decided that we had been “stood up.”  The early morning sounds of the rainforest were intriguing.  Practically every bird we saw was a new species for our lifetime bird list.  Among the most spectacular was a flock of Great Hornbills.  Very large birds with large curved bills. The macaques and gibbons (monkey-like critters) howled, the hornbills called, and various other birds whistled or make other kinds of wildlife music to our ears.  It was very exotic stuff!

After a long day of wildlife and driving we were tired and ready for the first bed (soft or otherwise) we could find.  We stayed in bungalow rented by the park on a large lake.  No hot water, bed with bottom sheet and a large cotton towel for a cover.  Bath with cold shower and a squat toilet.  But for the price of $15 per night, who can complain?  Since the drive to a comfortable hotel was hours away, we felt lucky not to be sleeping the car.  Sometimes it seems that we work very hard at goofing off.

 

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