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In the morning, the rains ushered us on our way. We got a ferry and bus ride back to Surat Thani and onward to Phang Nga on the Andaman Coast. The friendly bus driver delivered us straight to the doorstep of our hotel.
This morning, we went to the market to pick up some more Thai treats and then hitched a ride a few kilometers up the road to Sa Nang Manora Forest Park. We wandered along moss-covered trails strewn with large roots, tangled vines, and other jungle foliage. The path meandered among multiple waterfalls, steep limestone cliffs, and a few caves. The vines were so ancient, they were often as thick as trees themselves. We could sit on their knarled, twisted loops and swing. Huge bamboo and overgrown palms (with fronds up to 15 feet long) towered like giants overhead. Banana and longan trees also seemed twice the size of what we normally see.
We enjoyed swimming in the pools and climbing around the falls. Exotic sounding birds called out all around us over the murmur of crickets. As we walked, large skinks scampered off the trail to hide while ants and caterpillars stayed hard at work. As we crossed a simple single-log bridge, we paused to peer into the stream and saw a snake swimming by. As we left, it began to rain and we were thankful when a pickup truck full of Thai friends let us pile in for a ride back to town.
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What’s that blue striped thing in the first picture???
I’m so impressed with how easily ya’ll get around - people must be so friendly (and trusting!) there, to be so willing to stop and pick up hitch-hikers. Or do they stop because travelers pay them for rides, like an informal bus/transport system? That might help offset the cost of owning a vehicle, if drivers can make a few bucks along their routes by picking up hitch-hikers (foreign or otherwise). It’s pretty rare for folks to own big vehicles, right? Or are you seeing a decent amount of trucks and things in rural areas?
Love you guys!
Comment by Sandra July 22, 2007 @ 7:56 pmAll the talk about food makes me hungry, except when it comes to the bugs. What lovely lovely places you’re seeing.
Love, Mom/Alice
Comment by Mom/Alice July 22, 2007 @ 11:11 pmYou mention seeing a snake and I am wondering if snakes are very prevelent in the areas you’ve been traveling through? How do the people living in that area feel about snakes-any customs or rituals?
Comment by Mary-Anne July 23, 2007 @ 12:28 amAlso, have you noticed your tastes change due to all the Thai food? Do you think you will eat Thai much when you come back?
Love,
MA
The first picture is a edible Thai treat. It’s slightly comparable to Jello in texture although denser. We’ve had a difficult time figuring out the contents of many of the wonderful foods we’ve been eating and this one is the most elusive. They come in all sorts of flavors, colors, and designs, sold by women in the markets.
We haven’t had to pay for any of the rides we’ve hitched. In some places, there are very few cars, but those people with cars or trucks seem willing to share their transportation around. Yesterday we were in the back of a pickup truck with 11 other guys and they took care to drop us off at the doorstep of our hotel! Most people have motorcycles, which are used just like family cars (ie. a family of four or five comfortably riding while even holding a dog or umbrella). In Hanoi, Vietnam, the figures we heard were that there are 4.3 million residents and 3 million motorcycles. We even see young girls and boys driving them to school.
Comment by Lisa July 23, 2007 @ 5:50 amMary-Anne,
Comment by Lisa July 23, 2007 @ 6:04 amThere are a lot of snakes in SE Asia, although we haven’t seen very many of them. Traditional Thai buildings and wats often have little squiggly ornaments on their roofs going up toward the sky. These represent snakes and are believed to protect the building and it’s inhabitants. Some people eat snake meat and drink its blood which is believed to have medicinal benefits.
Eric liked fried rice before the trip and likes it even more now. We’ve been enjoying some really delicious Pad Thai and other noodle dishes such as Pad Siew, one of Lisa’s favorites. It’s so nice to have so much delicious food available for so cheap ($1-$3 per serving). We definitely think we’ll miss all the special Thai treats which probably won’t be available in the States.