Something a little different today! We spent two nights as guests of Greenleaf Guesthouse and Tour – http://www.greenleaftour.com/index.html. For one price you get picked up at Pak Chong train station, two nights stay in the guesthouse, a half day tour of a natural water spring and a bat cave then a full day tour of the Khao Yai National Park searching for the wild elephants and watching the local wildlife – both splendid treats with fantastic guides – our first guide, on the half day tour, was laughing and joking around, giving us funny stories and tidbits of information about the area and getting people involved, the second guide, on the day tour, was full of enthusiasm and ability to spot a tiny creature from the cab of a moving truck was incredible. He would regularly dart off with his telescope, find something and beckon us over to see some fabulous animal. We highly recommend these guys as the trip was well worth it.
The accommodation was pretty basic, but they are quite clear about this when you book. It worked well for us though as it’s winter at the moment so only 30 degrees, and Jo had developed a minor cold with all the air con we had been in the last week. There is also no hot water in the shower, which was an experience but not so bad considering I had spent each day sweating constantly.
They have partnered with a hotel close by so any customers who cannot deal with the room have the option to upgrade to aircon and hot water, but honestly the restaurant attached to our place by far made up for the room – it was some of the best Phanaeng curry I’ve had on the trip, by far.
So, without further ado – and because there isn’t much more to say as we mainly bounced around in the back of a converted pickup truck, photos!
By the way – there are a bunch of videos below the gallery because I haven’t figured out how to mix them together yet – check them out! It’s worth it for Jo’s reaction to a Whip Spider and Scorpion!
A break from the ice cold A/C from Bangkok. Fortunately it’s winter here so only 30 degrees, apparently when it’s hotter a lot of people go to their partner hotel with A/C. Oh, and the ice cold shower too.
“Pick up some of the sand on the ground. Smell it. Rub it in your fingers, this is important soil, you know what this is?” “What is it oh tour guide?” “Bat Poo” “Ewww”
He got us to turn all of our torches off so we could hear the bats flying in the cave, it was pretty amazing.
We didn’t really speak to Mac the Murderer on the trip, and he didn’t really look like a murder at the time, but now I see this picture…..
Me showing off my fashionable leech socks. Much good they did me, I got a leech on my ankle on the way home :/
Water Dragon. The guide had a telescope with him and was a master of spotting wildlife from miles away and getting great shots through the ‘scope.
I spy with my little eye, something beginning with T….It’s Trees, before you spend too much time looking for the animal which isn’t there.
This was the only sign we saw in French, apparently because it was put up after a French girl decided to have a selfie with an alligator. It did not end well.
We walked out onto the river here, there were hundreds of butterfly which would dance all around us as we walked through
We walked out onto the river here, there were hundreds of butterfly which would dance all around us as we walked through
We walked out onto the river here, there were hundreds of butterfly which would dance all around us as we walked through
This is the waterfall as seen in ‘The Beach’ – the one DiCaprio jumps off of. Pretty damn amazing waterfall.
This is the waterfall as seen in ‘The Beach’ – the one DiCaprio jumps off of. Pretty damn amazing waterfall.
This is the waterfall as seen in ‘The Beach’ – the one DiCaprio jumps off of. Pretty damn amazing waterfall.
This is the waterfall as seen in ‘The Beach’ – the one DiCaprio jumps off of. Pretty damn amazing waterfall.
This is the waterfall as seen in ‘The Beach’ – the one DiCaprio jumps off of. Pretty damn amazing waterfall.
This is the waterfall as seen in ‘The Beach’ – the one DiCaprio jumps off of. Pretty damn amazing waterfall.
This is the waterfall as seen in ‘The Beach’ – the one DiCaprio jumps off of. Pretty damn amazing waterfall.
We screeched to a stop in the middle of the road, our guide jumps out, and picks something up off of the road.
It’s a Blue Scorpion – the smaller scorpions are the really deadly ones. Our guide has been stung by both.
This is our wonderful guide Lek. Lek is fearless. He’s been doing this for 11 years and sat telling us all about scorpions and the park, all the while stroking his new friend.
Apparently scorpions hiss when they want to attack – what you don’t see here is us all crammed up on the opposite side of the truck not really wanting to find out.