Bob & Tom's Most Excellent Adventure: March 2012

Excited to leave Bangkok, Tommy and I took and overnight sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai where I luckily didn’t have to chase down this train or become a stow-away, running from ticket collectors and ducking in and out of bathrooms (http://bobby-thisisindia.blogspot.com/2011/11/crazy-train_26.html ). This train was nice, and air-conditioned and had friendly people on it. Arriving the next morning to a smoky Chiang Mai, where the “dry season” was really quite apparent, we headed out towards our guesthouse passing a few farms where left over crops were being burned off, leaving a blanket of gray in the sky. At first we thought it all just looked kind of dingy outside, but we optimistically found the beauty that lied in the amazing red sunsets that filled the skies with all sorts of oranges and pinks, similar to that in Chitwan, Nepal during their summer. Being that it was noon, and had a half day to explore this new town, we walked around town to try and get a feel for the city. As we strolled the busy streets of Chiang Mai, we met up with some other travelers and were able to see a few temples and get some good street food. Later that night we went to the busy night market, exploring the little knick-knack filled street carts that lined the sidewalks for over a mile on each side. Weaving our way through all sorts of underground shops, stumbling upon an outdoor stage performance with Thai dancers performing cultural dance, we couldn’t turn a corner without finding some new interesting area to experience. With it getting late, and thinking that we could easily spend all night at this market, we decided to escape at a decent hour to get a good night sleep for the next day.

Knowing that you get an overall better sight-seeing experience by not following the crowd, Tommy and I decided to rent scooters the next day and do our own little tour, away from the packed out, scheduled tour busses. Getting everything mapped out, we would plan on visiting a few waterfalls and temples, the king and queen’s Pagodas, as well as the tallest mountain in Thailand standing at about 2100m. All of this could be found in the beautifully enormous Doi Inthanon national park and all was suppose to take a full day to see. Or so we thought.

Heading south, down hwy 108, we quickly had to get used to riding the scooters among hundreds of other motorcycles, scooter carts, tuk tuks, busses, semi-trucks and just about anything else that had wheels and an engine. And to make it all more interesting, there are no lanes. If the drive to Doi Inthanon wasn’t fun enough, the drive through the national park definitely was as we twisted and turned through small mountain roads, trying to keep our eyes focused on the street as beautiful forests, rivers and Thai culture was around every turn. Arriving at the first waterfall we saw a river community of people, whose homes, shops and living areas were literally right on the river shore, and also sticking over the water on bamboo stilts. Making our own path, hiking through the forest and right up through the river, we were soon refreshed by the cool water that misted down on us as hundreds of thousands of gallons flowed off of the cliff down onto the slippery rocks around us. Looking back down the valley, we could see the how much life thrived around this nurturing water. Soaking it all in, Tommy and I sat up by the waterfall for a bit, before heading back down river to our scooters.

Driving up steep hills and coasting down into valleys, we soon came to the next waterfall, where we amazed at the vast size of this colossal waterfall. Hopping over the unpatrolled railing we balanced our way out onto an ancient slippery log that protruded towards the falls. We were able to get an amazing view of this cascade of water as we tilted our heads back, almost falling over, trying and see the top of this water source that was soaking us from head to toe from the mist alone. Exploring every facet of the waterfall, we followed the water down river a bit only to find a few smaller waterfalls and pools that had a more tranquil, calming fundamental nature to them as the greenery shaded the slowed water.

Arriving at the next waterfall, we were a bit discontented at the fact that you had to view this amazing flow of water from a distance, up on a platform, hundreds of meters away. While the view was still spectacular, we thought we would go ahead and blaze a trail down from the platform and up to the waterfall. Sliding down the steep slopes of the jungle, we finally made it to the base of the waterfall where we were then determined to scale this watery beast. Free climbing up the rocky sides of the falls, Tommy and I carefully maneuvered from one stronghold to the next until we reached a point where we could go no further. Three quarters of the way up the waterfall, we stood beside thousands of gallons of water, free falling down onto the rocks below. Looking out into the dense green jungle, seeing all of the way out to the silhouetted mountains in the distance, we both knew this climb was well worth the view.

With the sun beginning to drop in the sky, Tommy and I decided that we would see one last monument and then begin our journey back to Chiang Mai. The king and queen’s pagoda sits at the tallest point in all of Thailand, in the Doi Inthanon national park. These stunning structures were amazing to peruse as we not only walked around the pagoda’s well manicured gardens, but also got a glimpse of the dramatic interior, furnished with the most extravagant artwork I’ve seen in all of Thailand thus far.

Looking down into the valley, the smoke of the burning forests and crop fields created a mysterious tinge to everything the fading light touched. Wanting to get a little bit of sunlight on our travel home, Tommy and I coasted down the mountain, back to the ranger station, or national park checkpoint to get advice on the quickest way home. After a little bit of charades and enough hand motions to make a mime dizzy, Tommy and I headed out to what we thought was the right direction back to Chiang Mai. Little did we know that this was about to be one of the longest, brutal journeys of our lives…

After two days of traveling in and out of airports, I had finally arrived in Bangkok where I was to meet up with my cousin Traci and her husband Blake and also meet up with my lifelong friend Tommy the next day. After walking around the airport a bit, trying to figure out the best means of getting myself to Traci and Blake’s hotel, I ended up finagling a free ride from the shuttle bus of their hotel.

Stepping outside of the air-conditioned airport, I was struck by the humid out-door temperatures of Bangkok, sending me into an instant sweat and immediate yearning for water. Quickly getting into the air-conditioned shuttle, we headed out for the hotel. Looking out the window of the bus at the enormous city that was before me, my mind began to wander, race, and imagine everything and anything this large city alone might bring me. Bangkok was immensely larger than I had previously imagined. Skyscraper after skyscraper, building after building, and enough people on the road to make a bee hive nervous, this city was more than busy; it was in a frenzy of commotion and somewhat controlled chaos. Neon signs, food carts, and people selling just about anything, lined the streets as we sped by among the other hustling scooters, busses and foreign vehicles on the road.

Passing neatly manicured lawns and foliage, the bus pulled up the driveway where I was met by Traci and Blake. Overwhelmed at finally getting the chance to spend time with family, my exhaustion of traveling the past two days was forgotten as we immediately headed out to the infamous Khao San Road.

After at thirty minute taxi ride, we paid the driver around ten bucks and began wandering down this tourist filled street. I was in a dumbfounded, sensory overload as we walked down the street with all sorts of Thai cooking filling our nostrils, music of all kinds playing in our ears, and enough blinking lights and neon signs to give you a seizure. Thousands of people were shopping, eating, dancing on this one street. Street vendors were constantly trying to hand us brochures and trying to get us into their shops to buy their merchandise, which was all so cheap that it was hard to say no.

We finally decided that it would be best to sit down, relax and observe this fanatical scene before us over some of Thailand’s finest beer, “Chang”. So the beer might not have been the finest, but it did the trick as we people watched, observed and tried to figure out this ongoing commotion. As a Thai guitarist serenaded us to the familiar sounds of the Beatles, we looked out at this foreign scene before us with interesting street vendors selling crickets, slugs, spiders and scorpions to eat; intoxicated tourists stumbling around until finally falling into one of the many Thai message chairs, leaving their airline stiffness to the strong hands of the five foot tall masseuse that laughed and chatted among her entourage of stress relieving, hard working comrades. Cars, scooters and mobile vendor carts squeezed by all of the ruckus, unfazed by any of the chaos taking place. This was an everyday occurrence to them, yet an incredible muddle of confusion to me.

After doing a bit more wandering and catching up, the three of us decided that we would head back to the hotel due to our early departure back to the airport; for them to head back to the U.S., but for me, to pick up Tommy and begin the first week of this nine-week long epic journey throughout Thailand.

Seeing Tommy’s face on the “Jumbo-Tron” arrival screen at Bangkok international airport the next days was one of the best feelings I’ve had since the Jet-boat ride in New Zealand. Running down the airport arrivals corridor with a giant smile on my face, weaving in and out of drowsy, jetlagged tourists, I saw Tommy in the distance and rushed up to give him a big hug, where we immediately picked up where we had left off over six months ago. Heading straight back to Khao San Rd. from the airport, weaving in and out of traffic in our bright blue colored taxi, I soon showed Tommy the interesting street life that takes place there. He almost immediately shared the same dumbfounded expressions I had the day before when I had seen Bangkok for the first time. Arriving on Khao San Rd. we quickly found a guesthouse to put our stuff down and stay at for the night and then immediately headed out to the street to grab some delicious Thai street food that costs only a dollar. Walking around, catching up and planning out our next destination, we experienced the busy streets of Bangkok together, taking in every new encounter and already having an amazing time.

The next couple days consisted of seeing various temples around Bangkok such as the enormous Wat Po, “Reclining Buddha” to the Giant Standing Gold Buddha to the Emerald Buddha along with the Golden Mount, Temple of Dawn along with a few others. Each temple was intricate and unique in its own way. The amount of detail and complexity to each temple’s design was so mesmerizing and compelling that we would spend hours analyzing every detailed facet with our squinted faces, inches away, looking at the finest elaborations of artistic design we had ever experienced. Colossal mythical creatures, covered in silver and gold, lined with dazzling gems, and just about anything else that could try to portray their divinity to their outright devout followers, stood before us. And with every elaborate exterior held an even more multi-faceted interior with detailed, ornate paintings, portraying ancient stories of man and the gods. As tranquil and quite as a summer, Himalayan sunrise, the insides of these temples all had the same spiritual calmness as you entered the discerningly red carpeted, dimly lit, high ceilinged structures. And at the far side of the building always sat, stood or laid a gold Buddha.

Aesthetically over stimulated, Tommy and I were loving every bit of this cultural experience. With the sun setting, we grabbed a tuk tuk (small three-wheeled buggy) back to Khao San Rd. where we mustered up enough courage to try some of the local insect cuisine. Choosing a colorful beetle to chew on, I reluctantly crunched down bite after bite, immediately regretting this outrageous decision. Tommy slurped down a slug that ended up getting stuck in his throat, sending him into a coughing fit that made quite the comedic scene on the street. Needless to say, I don’t think we’ll be eating bugs again anytime soon; but who knows, this is Thailand after all.

After four days in Bangkok, we decided that we would head up north to Chiang Mai, where we could experience a little bit more calmness and outdoor adventure in this beautiful country. What would happen next was anything but calm, but most definitely outdoors…Way outdoors.