2018 Winter Escape
(Chapter 2)
Thailand Revisited
A Respite
in the Thai Countryside
A short plane ride and we were back in Thailand, southern
Thailand this time. We planned a stay at
a country lodge near Sri Phang Nga National Park so that we could explore the
park’s wildlife with a guide. This area
is just to the north of touristy Phuket with its beautiful beaches and
islands. It sits on the long peninsula
leading south from Thailand proper. Many
might remember the horrific tsunami of 2004, which devastated so much of the
coastline here. When we asked our guide
about the tsunami’s effects in this area, he told us that damage was minimal
here. Most of this coastline is covered
in mangroves, which absorbed the waves and shockwaves from the event. It wasn’t until then that people realized the
value of the mangroves. Up to that time, they had been cutting them down and
making charcoal from them. It is still
unknown if they realize the true value of the mangroves as fish nurseries, too,
which accounts for most of the industry here.
Upon arriving at the lodge, we expected the usual smiling
welcome with a refreshing cool, scented towel and welcome drink. Well, that didn’t happen! We couldn’t even find anyone at the reception
to check us in after our 2 ½ hour drive from the airport. Eventually, someone did come, and we were
shown to our room. Of course, these
lodgings do vary in quality, but we were disappointed to find a small,
mildew-smelling cave-like room and a bathroom that was so dark we could have
actually been in a cave. As usual, we
decided to make the most of the situation, since it seemed to be the only accommodation
in the area; at least it was air conditioned.
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| Panoramic View of Lodge |
The grounds were quite picturesque, with a pretty pond and an
attractive swimming pool. We met our
guide the next morning and set up a trip to the park. It was the first time we had ever engaged a
bird-watching trip where the guide showed up sans binoculars and viewing
scope. Did he have x-ray eyes? Well, it turned out he needed neither of
these items, because there were almost no birds to see. Disappointing? Yes, for sure. In addition, our hike in the rainforest
consisted of fording a river 4 times (in each direction), with various levels
of water running swiftly over slippery rocks and boulders. The only positive note was seeing and hearing
gibbons. They are difficult to see, but
oh so easy to hear. Their melodious call
was worth the time we spent listening.
The sound would start at a lower pitch range and each successive call would
rise in pitch until it sounded like a soprano was exercising her voice. I had heard the sound before on
documentaries, but hearing the real thing was exciting.
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| Erythrina crista-galli, or cockspur coral tree |
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| Common Archduke |
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| Chestnut-bellied malkoha |
After the park trip, we were taken on a boat ride to the
mangroves. Again, mostly no birds, but
the guide had an ulterior motive. We
were to have lunch at a mud crab farm.
It was actually interesting to see the workings of this floating farm on
bamboo plank rafts. The cook had only
one wok but prepared the crab in different ways. When we thought we were finished eating, the
main course arrived, which was a whole cooked fish, steamed rice and wok fried
greens. We had our share of local color
at that lunch, sitting on low cushions looking out at the muddy water in the
sultry heat and listening to the constant hum of flies begging to share our
meal. In the sun, our hiking boots and
socks spent time drying out from their river excursion of the morning.
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| Chef on the Floating Crab Farm |
I had a feeling when planning this part of the trip that Thailand,
and most of Southeast Asia, weren’t really in tune with the larger part of the
world that’s offering ecotourism and nature tours. Information about birds and wildlife wasn’t
easy to come by, and this experience was about as expected. So, we chalked it up as a learning experience
and were ready to move on to the next adventure.
A Little
Luxury
After our rustic countryside stay, we transferred to the
greater Phuket area to enjoy a bit of luxury at the Westin Siray Bay Resort
while waiting to join our cruise. The
hotel is spread out on a hillside overlooking Siray Bay. It’s quietly away from the sprawling, noisy,
crowded and traffic-choked city of Phuket. The rooms are comfortable and
spacious with updated amenities. There
is a choice of restaurants and pools for dining and relaxing. The staff is friendly and welcoming, as in the
cool welcome towels and drinks we missed at the last stop!
Our visit coincides with Chinese New Year. The hotel is brimming with Chinese tourists,
lots and lots of them! Although Thai
people don’t celebrate the holiday, they’ve decorated the hotel lobby with red
paper lanterns, and the city of Phuket is awash in them, all in honor of the
many tourists from China.
Yesterday, we went across the peninsula to Patong Beach, a
crowded tourist mecca. It was a shrine
to the ‘Conspicuous Consumption’ that we are so familiar with in the western
hemisphere--so many stores and so much stuff!
We wondered if the Chinese were buying their own made goods and taking
them back to China with them? Across the
street from the megamall was a local market with fresh produce, seafood and
meat. A walk through the aisles with the
seafood and meat would have been a really easy way to convert one to
vegetarianism forever. I don’t know what
sea creatures can feel or experience, but watching the live ones struggling to
escape the confines of their crowded tanks was heart wrenching.
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| Entrance to Banzaan Market |
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| Fresh Fruits and Veggies |
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| Curries |
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| Fresh Fowl |
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| Lobsters |
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| Frogs! |
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| Eggplant |
Silversea Silver Discoverer
Saving the
Best for Last
On the appointed day, we boarded the Silver Discoverer, a
small expedition ship designed to travel into remote areas for exploration. The first thing we discovered after checking into
our cabin was a letter explaining that some of the itinerary had to be changed
in order to accommodate changing laws in the countries we were visiting. Thailand had just enacted a law prohibiting
the use of zodiacs (the inflatables that are used to ferry passengers from the
ship to many of the places we would be exploring.) Cambodia had done the same on a more limited
basis. And Vietnam was now forbidding
ocean vehicles from sailing up the Mekong River. To the credit of the ships’ officials, these
challenges were met and have been accommodated to the satisfaction of everyone.
Our first day out, we took speed boats into Phang Nga Bay, a
beautiful area with many limestone islands rising vertically out of the water
and covered in lush greenery. One of
them is called James Bond Island, owing to the 1974 movie, “Man with the Golden
Gun” being filmed there. The scenery was
breathtaking and everyone enjoyed the day.
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| Limestone Karst Island, Phang Nga Bay |
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| Sea Cave, Phang Nga Bay |
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| James Bond Island |
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| James Bond Island |
We now say ‘adios’ to Thailand and prepare for visits to Indonesia and
Malaysia. The Thai people were without
exception gracious and polite to us. And
Thai food has been quite good, much like Thai restaurants in the states. And as always, the tropical fruits, ripened
on the plants and trees, has been delicious and sweet.
