Welcome to the Jungle!

Our group

One national park wasn’t enough for me, I had to go see another one the weekend after Erawan national park. Jess and I planned to meet up with a couple of girls we met on orientation at Khao Yai National Park. This park, I believe was the first national park to be established in Thailand, and I’m pretty sure it is one of the biggest, with lots of animals roaming around wild. My friend Ashley, planned the whole trip so we all met up at this little guest house called “Bobby’s” that was run by this German dude, his Thai wife and his family.

BewarE! Elephant Crossing

It was at this little mom and pop shop that we ate, slept an even got set up with a guide to some trekking in a jungle. Our guide sort of reminded me of mogli from the jungle book. In fact, I’m pretty sure the jungle produced him. He was this little 5 foot, dark Thai man that seemed to be able to talk to the animals. He was so energetic and hilarious and when we were running after him in the jungle I kind of felt like Leonardo Dicaprio in the beach.. when he was running through the jungle.

Waterfall in "The Beach"

Speaking of The Beach, this particular national park had the waterfall that was featured in the movie (The one where they jump off the fall into the water…. Jess and I just re-watched the movie!). During our jungle trekking, we saw crocodiles, monkeys, gibbons, many types of bird, HUGE spiders—really huge, lots of different trees that are made for incense and perfume like Sandlewood and many butterflies. Unfortunately, the elephants and tigers I think were too deep in the jungle.

Our guide, Non, decided to take us to a “private waterfall” to go swimming. Of course he didn’t mention that there really wasn’t  a trail to get to it, and that we would be essentially mud sliding down in order to get there. It was kind of ridiculous watching everyone grab onto bamboo for dear life so as not to fall flat down in the mud, which is where everybody ended up.

Oh and did I mention, that we had to wear leech socks (very stylish I must say) to prevent leeches from leeching onto us and sucking blood. I must say when I saw a couple leeches on my socks I freaked out at first, but as the day progressed, it became second nature to just simply flick the leeches away.

Our monkeyman guide being Tarzan

Our monkeyman guide took as an interesting adventure, and got us home safely (of course on the way back we had to stop and get some special plants that would stop the bleeding from two huge leeches that got on him!)

Jungle Trekking

We said goodbye to our friends and headed back to Chachengsao to start another week of work. It’s already Friday, and I can’t believe another weekend here. I think I’m going to lay low this weekend and my friend Alyssa is going to come and hang out with me, so I’ll get to guide her around Chachengsao!