heathrow to khao sok

what a view
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In order to reach Khao Sok direct it meant us flying from Heathrow, on an 11 hour flight, taxiing from Bangkok airport to Bangkok train station, hoping that the tickets we booked on the sleeper train in sleeper carriages had been held, then another 11 hour train ride to Surat Thani in the South, and meeting our pick up for a transfer to the resort. The flight went as expected, not a lot of sleep, but plenty of entertainment, in the form of films and music.

Then we had our first hitch at Bangkok train station-the tickets had been held until four(when our plane had landed) and then sold once we had failed to arrive on time. By the time we got to the train station there was only one ticket left in any of the sleeper carriages, so we had to buy the cheaper less comfortable option- which involved us sitting side by side on a very small seat with a vertical back rest trimmed quite comfatably with metal at head height. To get any sleep at all Joe went to sit with a nice monk and Tracey laid as best she could across the seat, head in the isle. in short 50 hours travelling, around 5 hours sleep.

home for a day or 2
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We were picked up at Surat Thani, transfered to the lodge and, after some food, promptly slept for our first afternoon in the lovely surroundings. We made our way back to the main building for dinner and drinks, where we met B, who was to be our guide for the floating lodge, which was on a lake in the middle of the rainforest, with limestone cliffs surrounding us.

On the way to the lodge, in a long boat, we saw our first and only gibbons, sat together in the top of a massive tree, only to scarper on seeing us glaring back at them.

our neighbours
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We did se plenty of Langurs, however, some at fairly close distance. We trekked in the rainforest, bamboo rafted a section of lake, and went inside a big cave with scary formations inside, glaring at us from the gloom. On a night cruise on the lake we saw owls, a snake and a civet cat, thanks to B.

At the lodge we ate well, with local fish on the menu, plus plenty of Thai dishes too. We canoed and swam in the lake, in down time, and shared our beds with cockroaches. Our hut was so far away from the toilets that Tracey peed out of our window into the lake.

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One more night was spent in our original resort lodge, which was shared with a small frog with a big voice. The drop into the bathroom was so steep that Tracey lost her footing on the slippery floor and ended up flat on her back.

It was a great start to our trip.