Limestone and leeches!

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Arrived late morning from my overnight bus and spent my first day relaxing and wandering a short way into the rainforest (sorry, apparently it's 'tropical evergreen forest', which is slightly different to the rainforests of Malaysia & Indonesia due to different biodiversity... so it said in the visitor centre!).

Although only on a short saunter along the path from the gate, I managed to meet a group of long-tailed macaques in the trees above me. Probably about ten of them who watched me with interest as I watched them!  On the way back from my afternoon stroll I was lucky enough to see a large Malayan water monitor lizard swimming in the river below. I was very greatful to the nice man from Aachen for calling me over to look.  It was over a metre long and was gently swimming downstrem with the current.  Harmless enough to humans, but some people we slightly alarmed when I told them about it, as they had been swimming in some of the pools not far upstream from there that day!

Lush green forests in Khao Sok
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Had a really nice meal at my resort, planned a tour for the folloing day and went to my jungle bungalow overlooking the river for an early night, having not slept much on the bus.

Friday 20 April

Early start for an organised tour to Cheow Lan Lake.  We drove to the jetty and then spent an hour or so cruising around the impressive limestone islands.  Beautiful karst - Gepgraphy geek heaven!! The lake itself was huge and still, with clear, bright, blue-green water, warmed by the hot sun, according to those who were allowed to swim from the boat (not allowed in water with infected ear - very frustrating!)

Longtail boats waiting on the lake
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The boat then took us to a set of bamboo rafts on which we ate a freshly-prepared Thai meal before having some time at our leisure to swim, kayak or (in my case) have a rest from intense heat of the sun inside a floating raft house.  The raft house was rather nice - very simple with a comfortable mattress, which would have provided a good night's sleep had I opted for the overnight stay option rather than the day tour.

In the afternoon we were taken a short distance by boat to another area where we walked throught the forest for half an hour or so before boarding a powered bamboo raft to whichthen took us to a limestone cave. The cave was not that deep and was dry inside, containing some impressive stalagmites and stalactites, plus a few bats and spiders. It was also a wonderfully cool place to be after the humid heat of the outside air.

Karst!
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We later returnd by the same route and eventually returned to the resort in time for dinner and an early night.

Saturday 21st April

After breakfast I took myself, as I had planned back into the national park for the day.  Armed with several litres of water, I embarked on a solo expedition into the rainforest with the national park sketch map as my guide.  Not long into the park I met the long-tailed macaques again and spent a while watching them eat, sit and watch me back.  I got a little nervous at one point as one of them made very agresive noises and seemed to be scampering in my direction. Luckily it was just asserting its authority over another member of the group and they had a short stand off, at point I decided to leave them to it and went on my way.

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I enjoyed a pleasant stroll through the forest watching and listening to beautiful birds, their calls and songs echoing accross the forest, often being answered by another far away. I kept walking on and on, along the well-marked paths deeper into the forest, past small waterfalls and bathing pools.  I eventually reached a small waterfall/pool where othres were bathing and, having reached it in two and a half hours from the gate (at a very leisurely pace) decided, as it was just about still morning, to push ont he extra kilometre to the further waterfall on the trail, recommended as the most impressive by the lovely girl at my first night's accommodation.

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The final kilometre (which felt like more, but I don't know as my wonderful pedometer decided to reset itself without me realising) was the toughest part of the day.  The path became narrower and steeper - in several places I had to climba dn scramble up slopes which had conveniently thick and strong lianas, roots or rock to grab onto (I had decided not to be silly and would have turned back had anything seemed beyond my limited scrambling abilities!) Several short but steeps ascents and descents to cross small streams and fallen tree trunks were negotiated and I managed to keep to the not-so-well-trodden path. Every time I was in the slightest bit of doubt as to whether I was still on the/a path there would appear an arrow or sign on a tree, reassuring me I was still on track! It was during this section of the walk that I met the leeches.  Either I have extremely sensitive skin compared to most people, who claim not to fell leeches oin them, or I was lucky enough to encounter four of the most unsubtle leeches in Thailand.  None of them made it past my feet (didn't even get close to the ankle) before I had undone my sandal and dispatched them with a few squirts of DEET insect repellant (many thanks to the New Zealand couple who had provided me witht eh DEET tip the previous day!). Anyway, the leeches were but a minor irritation and onyl really because they seemed to pick annoying times to (attempt to) attach themsleves - usually when I was halfway up a scrambly bit or crossing a stream on stepping stones!

Azure water
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After nearly an hour of tramping, scrambling, DEETing my feet and sweating (unnecessary detail??!), I arrived at Ton Kloi waterfall. I was quite relieved to find a decent flow of fast water tumbling a couple of metres into the pool, as many peopl had been disappointed by some oif the downstream 'waterfalls', this being the dry season.  Rested for a mere ten minutes before I decided to head back as I could tell I was going to run out of water. I made good time getting back and collapsed briefly at the ranger post 3km from the park gate for a serious rehydration session before covering the final stretch back to the resort for a much-needed shower!

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So much for the early night after the early dinner..... I ended up chatting to some German students and spent the evening with them before turning in much later than planned!