I head out to the breakfast buffet. My room does not include breakfast buffet but I can't imagine it being expensive. I inform the receptionist that I would like to stay one more night, she appears to be uninterested only looking at her phone. I give her the 400 baht for the room and proceed to ask for breakfast, 150 baht quite pricey for a few pieces of fruits, bland toasts and nothing else as the table was empty and never refilled. I go back to my room, trying to forget about the nagative waves I just got in me. Today, should be a good day hiking in the jungle and by a beautiful white sand beach in the Khao Lak National Park. I return to the reception, explaining that I want to go to the National Park. I wish to rent a bike or get a taxi to get there. Bad news there are only motorbikes available to her knowing. She tells me to walk to the main road to get a taxi.
I look around, no mototaxis in sight. I ask a songthaew driver if he knows someone who could drive me to the starting point of the hike in the National Park and for how much. He does know and calls one of his college. It appears to be an other songthaew, he asks for 400 baht. "No way mate, that's too much, it's only four kilometers from here" He then offers me a "friendly rate", 500 baht return. I am boiling inside, I offer him my final price 250 one way, I will walk back from there. 300 baht, WHATEVER DUDE. He drops me in front of the National Park, I give him the 300 and we both go on our ways upset and bitter, hoping to never see each others faces again.
A man is waiting in front of the entrance of the park, the fee is of 200 baht. I pay, he gives me a map and I question him about the safety of doing the hike on my own. He looks at me with disdain and doesn't even bother to answer. "Go ffff yoursfff you aaasss", I mumble when far enough for him not to hear. I put on my trainers and go on my way. The map doesn't seem to show the hiking path, and I will soon arrive at the Sandy Beach. So much for a great and happy day hiking in the jungle... the driver has probably dropped me off at the wrong entrance, and straight to the final point of the trail... I try to look around to find the trail, in vain... a huge lizard walks in front of me, BEAUTIFUL!
I walk around the beach, it is beautiful and it is all for myself. I watch huge butterflies, small crabs frolic around. I am still hoping to meet more lizards. I walk a bit further, where the campsite is. It seems that it could be possible to walk from here to the main beach where all the resorts are. Unsure of that I walk back to the main beach and let myself swing on the beach swing. A young family with children arrive, we greet each other and it is time for me to leave.
While walking back to the road, I discover a house with a homemade taxi sign. I enter the garden where an nice older lady greets me, "Taxi? 150 baht". We drive in her nice air conditioned car, she doesn't speak English but she is very nice. We try to communicate a little. She drops me in front of my accommodation, I "kop kun kaa" her very much she tells me to "have a good day" in a broken English. What a sweet person.
It is still early, I decide to head to the massage parlor. 250 baht for an hour of intense Thai massage. That was great, I have a cup of tea and I walk to the fruit store. I love yellow mangoes so much, I also buy rambutan and mini bananas. Maybe I could try to eat only fruits today, I have had so much meat and fatyy foods lately... wait what's that delicious BBQ aroma... on the side of the road, I meet two women grilling pork skewers. It smells wonderful, I buy a small bag worth with sticky rice, this will be my lunch. I spent a few hours on the terrace, where I meet a Thai woman married to a Swedish older man. She is beautiful, her skin is extremely dark, and she explains to me that she comes from a family of farmers. She is originally from the Surin province, a rural and relatively poor area of Thailand. Now she is enjoying holidays on her own, while her husband and children are still in Sweden. It is great to hang out with her. We welcome a heavy afternoon rain, geckos get cover under our roof, we both agree it is nicely refreshing.
After resting for a while, I walk along the road, trying to find descent offer for a snorkkeling trip to the Similan Islands. My original plan was to spend two day and night on either Surin or the Similan National Park, camping in my tent and on the beach. I gave up the idea and opted for a day trip there. Final offer for a late booking, 2500 baht.
Sunset walk in Khao Lak...
And a delicious pad see ew in a modest and traditional Thai restaurant.
