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Published: December 14th 2007
Arriving in Thailand, we stayed in Bangkok and sorted out our Vietnam visas. As this was going to take 5 days, we took a trip to Khao Yai Nature Reserve. Not know what to really expect, no hotel booked, we jumped on a bus which drove in the correct direction! True backpacker style, we just blagged it all the way!
The second we stepped off the bus a lady handed us a hotel leaflet, offering tours into the Nature Reserves, within seconds we founds ourselves in a taxi to Garden Lodge Hotel.
The following day, 10 of us sat expectantly in the rear of the truck, not really remembering the full days itinerary ahead. Holding on tight, off we went. First stop was of a view, then we were handed large looking socks - leech socks! This was quite a giggle! Our trek, took us into the wilderness, looking high above us we saw monkeys swaying in the trees, everything here seemed tropical. Trees towered above us, with massive trunks and huge leaves. Not quite like the New Forest of home! Following our excitable guide, we wondered what we'd see next. Reaching a watch tower we eagerly surveyed the distance,
The Famous waterfall.
From the film The Beach.unfortunately no elephants could be seen.
Another stop at the roadside, and we were told to hop out and look for pythons! I thought this was a joke, but continued walking, and suddenly our guide became very excited! A python was found, curled up, about 2metres from the roadside, in a bush. Wow this was no joke!
After lunch we ventured down to the famous waterfall, staring in the film The Beach. It wasn't huge, but was large enough to impress us. From here, we piled back on the truck, there was news of elephants! So we zoomed back to the watch tower, trudged through long grasses, desperate for their sight and there they were. A family of 5, 2 adults, 3 youngsters, munching on the undergrowth. Suddenly the elephant, turned, stared at us and gave out a loud growl. A silent moment of unsureness swept the group, some people sprinted vibrantly back to the safety of the tower, others (like us), stood like statues hoping they wouldn't come our way! Soon enough, the elephants turned back into the dense vegetation, like they'd had their appearance on stage and the curtain was closing. This wasn't the last elephant
We entered a bat cave.
When disturbed they'd fly past you in the darkness. we saw. On the way home, an elephant was ripping the hedgerow apart, on the side of the road - it demonstrated how wild this park really was.
The following day was our trip to the Bat Cave.
Venturing along rich red dirt tracks, lined with towering sugar canes, we bumped along in the back of the truck. At the Bat cave, we descended a very steep stairway into a dark, damp atmosphere. Slowly walking in semi darkness in the cave, we found bats, hanging upside down on the rocky ceiling. Some disturbed by our human presence, flew around us to find safety elsewhere. From here we were driven to watch the bats fly out of a cave.
As darkness approached us, we stood in a field looking towards a limestone hill. I didn't know what to expect. Suddenly our guide sprinted away, and we all had to follow. There in the sky was a swarm like fluid motion of millions of bats in a line. Riding the thermals, their path varied in the darkening sky. We could hear the flapping of their wings, energy towering just meters above us. Capturing one of natures magnificent events is simply
Black horned spider!
Apparently not too friendly! impossible on camera, such a memorable moment. I'll never look at bats the same way again.
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