Down the Rapids on Christmas Eve

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The minibus was due to pick us all up at 8am, unfortunately l had set my alarm for 7am and the next thing l remember was Tish telling me that l had 5 minutes to be ready as the Minibus would be here any minute. The Surin-to-Phang Nga trip is only 90 minutes, the drive is a scenic, all-natural stimulant; you’re guaranteed to be wide awake on arrival.

And what an arrival it is. The sea a distant memory, the minibus turns off the cliff-lined highway and makes its way down the narrow road, winding around green hills, over rivers, and past grazing cattle before finally arriving at base camp. All events start and end here. Coffee, tea, soda and water (complimentary, of course) are always available in the open air, riverside dining hall; lockers are provided so you can safely ditch the gear you don’t need before each activity.

The humour before the war

At headquarters, the groups meet up for our trip downstream with a briefing about what and what not to do and the fitting of life jackets, crash helmets and your paddle. Luckily, the tin mining operations of the past left reservoirs; open the dam and the well-behaved river shows a different side. The helmets, life vests, and thorough (while funny) safety briefing are starting to make sense. “If you fall in the water, remain calm, raise your hand like this, and wave goodbye to your friends.”

Each raft shuttles four passengers and two guides down the river, so myself, Chris, Frankie & Jacque get ready to face the wild in the water with Tish, Sam, Edward & Ludwig in another. Today’s flotilla consists of at least ten dinghies; in the calm stretches it’s an all out water war. Guides instigate the splashing, and in doing so, tease the playful side out of otherwise docile tourists. Nobody stays dry for long. When the rapids come, all oars get to work. With me stationed at the back with one of the guilds l felt like the champion oarsman, well l did until we hit a boulder and was catapulted to the front of the dinghy with the rest of the team in fits of laughter. We have a couple of stop breaks on our way down the rapids and even time to wet as many others as possible. Forty-five minutes later the guides are heaving the rafts into a gravity-defying tower on the back of trailer and we’re being shuttled back to camp. It’s time to eat.

Lunch at the camp

The massive teak picnic tables are already set when we return. Loads of tasty Thai food, soup, omelettes, cashew nut chicken, deep fried fish, vegetables, rice - as the main course, and a bounty of fresh pineapple and watermelon for desert, nobody leaves hungry.

The staff is attentive and quick to supply chillies or refill the rice bowl.

Now bring on the elephant

Elephants are a big deal in Thailand, so in groups of two we climbed aboard and took of on a gentle walk. The mahout, casually sitting side-saddle on the elephant’s head with guests riding on a seat behind him, chatted softly - it wasn’t clear to whom - while we rumbled along the trail, worn to a deep trench. The mahouts aren’t there to say “Take a left at the next pine tree, Dumbo.” The elephants know where they’re going. Rather, their job is to keep the animals on task. About half way round the Mahout ask if either of us wanted to sit at the front so l said to Jacque he should, so a few minutes leter with the Mahout on foot we carried on walking then into the river before we arrived back at the begining. Elephants require food, lots of it, and the jungle is a feast for these easily-distracted eating machines. And, while the ride was interesting, feeding them bananas afterwards was even better.

The final act bathing near the waterfall

Refuelled and rested, the seven of us pile in the back of a truck for the five-minute drive, followed by a five-minute mini-hike, to the waterfall. The water is cold and invigorating - a far cry from the warm waves of the Andaman Sea. We wade in the shallow pool, stand under nature’s shower like actors in a shampoo commercial, and cheer each other as we take turn in jumping into the water from the cliff above. I am starting to see a pattern here, what is it with me and jumping of cliffs.

When we arrive back we were then asked if we wanted a Sauna, as it was included in the price why not. so a short walk later all seven were sitting in a sauna in the middle of the jungle sweating and playing the, who can last the longest in here game. Once outside the sauna it was time to throw the bucket of freezing water over ourselves. I felt alive and kicking by the time the day had come to an end.

On the drive back home we even stopped at a Monkey Cave Temple with hundreds on wild monkeys waiting for the next tourist to turn up and buy some bananas or nuts from a street seller, once we started feeding one it was amazing how many turned up, there were older monkeys as well as babies everywhere. We then made our way inside the Cave Temple to find loads of Buddhas and Statues. These caves went on and on, there was even a second cave that was dark and had loads of bats.

I Love Thailand and all this on Christmas Eve too.

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