Thailand: Day 17

2/7/12, Trang → Hat Yao

Bounding from boulder to boulder, I cross a small fresh water river and splash up the far bank. A virtually untouched tropical forest unfolds before my eyes, spectacular and inviting. I follow a ranger up a twisting and winding trail. As we trek up the mountainside, the sound of the river fades and a sense of wonder and curiosity takes hold of me. Large termite mounds surge up from the ground and fungi grow like steps up trunks of towering trees. Vines twirl upwards and dangle down from the leafy canopy. The journey up the mountainside is simply beautiful and the waterfall at the top is exquisite. In a moment I'm under the falls letting the cool, fresh water melt away the tension from the climb. It's not the ocean, but as one coastal proverb puts it, "the sea starts in the mountains" and I'm ready to begin.

*****

On Tuesday, February 7th, I left Trang for Hat Yao by song-tao. The modified pickup truck was packed tight with 18 of us squeezed into its two rows and all our gear on top. The lot of us made a can of sardines look roomy. It looked comedic, but it worked. I managed to snag a standing spot on the very back and watched as Thailand's countryside appeared in front of me behind us. Rubber plantations and small villages were a blur and we whizzed by a few farms and vendor stalls selling an assortment of goods from fresh bananas and papaya to motorbike stickers and stuffed animals. It was a sensational ride, to say the least.

Around mid-morning we stopped to stretch our legs. At the base of a wildlife sanctuary we visited a rubber plantation and spoke with one of the workers. He shared his insight into the plantation's operations and others like it in the area. After a brief glimpse into the rubber industry, we trekked up to Sai Rong, the Rainbow Waterfall, where we had lunch.

It was another fun-filled, 2 hours at the back of the song-tao before we reached Hat Yao. The Islamic influence in southern Thailand was noticeable as the hours passed. The domed roofs of mosques with gleaming spires dotted the countryside, peacefully, often near spirit houses or a Buddhist shrine. As our song-tao clamored into Hat Yao in the late afternoon, the call to prayer could be heard faintly in the distance.

I spent the afternoon and evening exploring the beach and its karst limestone cliffs. The physical formations from years of chemical erosion were mind-bending and seemed to defy gravity. Gnarly trees clutched the stalactites that hung from the jagged cliff face creating tiny islands in the sky. It was an unforgettable sight to see in person. Within the first few moments of arriving, I knew that I would really enjoy the time spent in Hat Yao.