More Thai adventures with Mr Bunleod
14th October 2010
As impossible as it might seem we had even more fun adventures with Mr Bunleod on our second full day with him. In the morning Mr B jumped on one of his scooters again and Aaron and I on the other. We drove out of the village and back to the main road where we took a left and headed slowly, but steadily up to the north entrance of the Phu Wau Wildlife Sanctuary. We had to take the long route by road since tracks through the park are not easily negotiated. We did however take a shortcut through the NW section on a relatively easy dirt track. I only had to hop off the bike at the end of the track where an expanse of sandstone formed a bridge.
We hiked a short way into the jungle before through the trees we saw a huge expanse of gray rock with a waterfall tumbling down it. We had reached Cha Nan Waterfall. We waded through part of the river at the bottom of the waterfall, then gazed up at the impressive sight. Water streamed over the rounded surface, hit a pool was diverted and went off in another direction. Far on our left and to our right gushed the two main watercourses. In-between water cascaded in a thin film forming multiple criss-crossing streams.
We scrambled up the steep rock in the middle of the waterfall to the top. There Mr B found a shallow place to cross the rest of the water. Aaron fell in a hole waist deep, but hopped out quickly enough not to damage his camera. Mr B then led us to a discreet path through the trees. As we made our way up the path the ground turned sandy. It felt soft and grainy under our bare feet as we padded along carefully. We soon came to an opening in the trees. There was another beautiful waterfall pouring into a large natural lake. In font of us the white sand spread out like a beach. The landscape looked very romantic and the water really inviting, however Mr B suggested we didn't swim there. Apparently the crocodiles that used to inhabit here had all been shot, but I think he was concerned about snakes.
We headed back down to where we had left our things at the bottom of the waterfall where Mr B searched around the pools and found an ideal spot to swim. We all eagerly slid into the water which was breathtakingly cold. A small waterfall thundered down the rock in front of us. As I followed the others and edged gingerly out of the eddy I noticed that the current was not too strong, however it was powerful enough that it was possible to get plenty of exercise while swimming on the spot. Mr B discovered that if you sat on the rock opposite the falls you could put your feet into them and it felt like you were getting a massage!
Next we hopped back on our scooters and stopped at a small village cafe for lunch. Mr B ordered us both vegetable pad tai. I have discovered that the vegetarian dining in Thailand does not have such a vast selection as in India. Usually I can eat omelette, vegetable fried rice, vegetable fried noodles or vegetable pad tai. At first I was a little put out that Mr B had ordered without asking us, but when it arrived we enjoyed it so much we both had seconds. This was the first time I'd had pad tai and as far as I understand its a sort of very thin noodle often served with beansprouts, vegetables, scrambled egg and sometimes peanuts. Since leaving Kham Pai Aaron and I have often had experiences where food has not quite lived up to our expectations and we sigh and say “it's not like when we were with Mr B”.
After lunch we hopped back on our bikes and cruised to Phu Tok, a massive sandstone outcrop. Monks have constructed a complicated network of wooden stairs and viewing platforms around the rock. Aaron described the design as having an M.C. Escher or Dr Seuss quality. We climbed hundreds of steep wooden steps to the highest platform. The sun was warm, sweat dripped down me and I could hear my breath straining as I slowly ascended the steps, one after another. The huge lunch we just consumed gave me energy to climb, but was regrettably a little too much and sat heavily in my stomach. The effort of the climb was well worth it though as the views at the top were amazing.
Wrapped around the edge of the rock was a narrow wooden platform, clinging precariously to the sheer wall. This wouldn't have been a good expedition for someone with vertigo, I don't think my sister would have enjoyed it so much. I followed Aaron and Mr B around the platform, creeping along as close to the rock as possible. I hope that no small children are taken up there as the deadly drop was only guarded by one waist high wooden bar. At the top of the complex is a Buddhist temple set in a outcropping in the rock face.
After descending from the temple we were tired and the sun had worked it's way across most of the sky, however Mr B had another delight in store for us. We hiked up to another, more dramatic, waterfall, Chet Si, meaning rainbow (seven colours). This was a more popular waterfall as witnessed by the rubbish strewn across the trail and a few people we passed who had enjoyed one to many beers or whiskey. Aaron and Mr B got into the waterfall that dropped from 20m high, both determined and enthusiastic to make the most of it despite that it was already in the shade. We didn't stay long and as we trekked back out of the park we were offered a shot of whiskey by a small group who then accompanied us on the walk to the car park.
Back on the road returning towards Kham Pai we witnessed a gorgeous sunset. As I sat behind Aaron on the bike, arms wrapped loosely around him, discussing what a glorious day it had been, the stresses and strains we had experienced during some of our recent travels drained away. We both felt happy and relaxed and our spirits rekindled. It soon grew dark and insects which swarmed around the headlamp were swept into our faces, particularly poor Aaron's as he was in front. The bike we were on was small and uncomfortable and made the two hour journey seem to go on forever.
Before returning to our home-stay we stopped in Bung Khla for dinner at a Thai BBQ restaurant on the promenade of the Mekong river. Seeing as there was not much vegetarian fare and it was now too dark to see the river, I was not overly impressed, however Aaron really enjoyed the meal. We sat at a metal table with a hole in the middle where they placed a bucket of glowing coals covered with a domed metal plate. Around the edge of the dome was a gutter in which boiling water was poured and the greens were cooked. Pieces of various meat and seafood sizzled on the metal dome. Someone popped out on a motorbike to fetch me an omelette from a nearby shop. When Mr B ordered a second pitcher of “fresh beer” I wasn't impressed and refused to drink it. Seeing as I wasn't willing to drive this didn't really help the situation, but at least we weren't far from Mr B's home-stay. We arrived back about ten in the evening, thirteen hours after we had left. We were exhausted and delighted at such a wonderful day.
As impossible as it might seem we had even more fun adventures with Mr Bunleod on our second full day with him. In the morning Mr B jumped on one of his scooters again and Aaron and I on the other. We drove out of the village and back to the main road where we took a left and headed slowly, but steadily up to the north entrance of the Phu Wau Wildlife Sanctuary. We had to take the long route by road since tracks through the park are not easily negotiated. We did however take a shortcut through the NW section on a relatively easy dirt track. I only had to hop off the bike at the end of the track where an expanse of sandstone formed a bridge.
We hiked a short way into the jungle before through the trees we saw a huge expanse of gray rock with a waterfall tumbling down it. We had reached Cha Nan Waterfall. We waded through part of the river at the bottom of the waterfall, then gazed up at the impressive sight. Water streamed over the rounded surface, hit a pool was diverted and went off in another direction. Far on our left and to our right gushed the two main watercourses. In-between water cascaded in a thin film forming multiple criss-crossing streams.
We scrambled up the steep rock in the middle of the waterfall to the top. There Mr B found a shallow place to cross the rest of the water. Aaron fell in a hole waist deep, but hopped out quickly enough not to damage his camera. Mr B then led us to a discreet path through the trees. As we made our way up the path the ground turned sandy. It felt soft and grainy under our bare feet as we padded along carefully. We soon came to an opening in the trees. There was another beautiful waterfall pouring into a large natural lake. In font of us the white sand spread out like a beach. The landscape looked very romantic and the water really inviting, however Mr B suggested we didn't swim there. Apparently the crocodiles that used to inhabit here had all been shot, but I think he was concerned about snakes.
We headed back down to where we had left our things at the bottom of the waterfall where Mr B searched around the pools and found an ideal spot to swim. We all eagerly slid into the water which was breathtakingly cold. A small waterfall thundered down the rock in front of us. As I followed the others and edged gingerly out of the eddy I noticed that the current was not too strong, however it was powerful enough that it was possible to get plenty of exercise while swimming on the spot. Mr B discovered that if you sat on the rock opposite the falls you could put your feet into them and it felt like you were getting a massage!
Next we hopped back on our scooters and stopped at a small village cafe for lunch. Mr B ordered us both vegetable pad tai. I have discovered that the vegetarian dining in Thailand does not have such a vast selection as in India. Usually I can eat omelette, vegetable fried rice, vegetable fried noodles or vegetable pad tai. At first I was a little put out that Mr B had ordered without asking us, but when it arrived we enjoyed it so much we both had seconds. This was the first time I'd had pad tai and as far as I understand its a sort of very thin noodle often served with beansprouts, vegetables, scrambled egg and sometimes peanuts. Since leaving Kham Pai Aaron and I have often had experiences where food has not quite lived up to our expectations and we sigh and say “it's not like when we were with Mr B”.
After lunch we hopped back on our bikes and cruised to Phu Tok, a massive sandstone outcrop. Monks have constructed a complicated network of wooden stairs and viewing platforms around the rock. Aaron described the design as having an M.C. Escher or Dr Seuss quality. We climbed hundreds of steep wooden steps to the highest platform. The sun was warm, sweat dripped down me and I could hear my breath straining as I slowly ascended the steps, one after another. The huge lunch we just consumed gave me energy to climb, but was regrettably a little too much and sat heavily in my stomach. The effort of the climb was well worth it though as the views at the top were amazing.
Wrapped around the edge of the rock was a narrow wooden platform, clinging precariously to the sheer wall. This wouldn't have been a good expedition for someone with vertigo, I don't think my sister would have enjoyed it so much. I followed Aaron and Mr B around the platform, creeping along as close to the rock as possible. I hope that no small children are taken up there as the deadly drop was only guarded by one waist high wooden bar. At the top of the complex is a Buddhist temple set in a outcropping in the rock face.
After descending from the temple we were tired and the sun had worked it's way across most of the sky, however Mr B had another delight in store for us. We hiked up to another, more dramatic, waterfall, Chet Si, meaning rainbow (seven colours). This was a more popular waterfall as witnessed by the rubbish strewn across the trail and a few people we passed who had enjoyed one to many beers or whiskey. Aaron and Mr B got into the waterfall that dropped from 20m high, both determined and enthusiastic to make the most of it despite that it was already in the shade. We didn't stay long and as we trekked back out of the park we were offered a shot of whiskey by a small group who then accompanied us on the walk to the car park.
Back on the road returning towards Kham Pai we witnessed a gorgeous sunset. As I sat behind Aaron on the bike, arms wrapped loosely around him, discussing what a glorious day it had been, the stresses and strains we had experienced during some of our recent travels drained away. We both felt happy and relaxed and our spirits rekindled. It soon grew dark and insects which swarmed around the headlamp were swept into our faces, particularly poor Aaron's as he was in front. The bike we were on was small and uncomfortable and made the two hour journey seem to go on forever.
Before returning to our home-stay we stopped in Bung Khla for dinner at a Thai BBQ restaurant on the promenade of the Mekong river. Seeing as there was not much vegetarian fare and it was now too dark to see the river, I was not overly impressed, however Aaron really enjoyed the meal. We sat at a metal table with a hole in the middle where they placed a bucket of glowing coals covered with a domed metal plate. Around the edge of the dome was a gutter in which boiling water was poured and the greens were cooked. Pieces of various meat and seafood sizzled on the metal dome. Someone popped out on a motorbike to fetch me an omelette from a nearby shop. When Mr B ordered a second pitcher of “fresh beer” I wasn't impressed and refused to drink it. Seeing as I wasn't willing to drive this didn't really help the situation, but at least we weren't far from Mr B's home-stay. We arrived back about ten in the evening, thirteen hours after we had left. We were exhausted and delighted at such a wonderful day.
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