Thailand, the big post.17:28 Feb 26 2007
Times Read: 669
Six hours after the refuelling stop in the United Arabic Emirates (which is chock full of edgy and fanatical Muslims), the plane finally set down upon the sizzling tarmac of Phuket airport, Thailand, and the three hour drive to Krabi began.
It was still daylight when we set out from Phuket, and I had plenty of time to suck up the surroundings. Flashbacks from ‘Nam came rushing back, and I instinctively grasped for my rifle, but found none. No wonder, really, as most of the Vietnam movies have been filmed on location in Thailand or the Philippines.
In the absence of a rifle, my iPod would have to suffice. Out from the thick, lush jungle a radar tower stretched; a very peculiar sight.
Three hours passed quickly, as I was drowsy from the 13 hour long flight, on which I managed very little sleep. Upon arrival at our hotel in Krabi, by the city Ao Nang, the day had passed, and it had become dark, and I was rewarded with a sight signifying just how alien the surroundings were to me; a blood-red moon. (When I had returned to Norway, I found out that I had seen a phenomenon which also would show in other areas of the world, but it sure increased the impact, not knowing of that then.)
Anyway, I quickly acquired the key to my room, and rushed up to the third floor, and crashed in bed. No food.
Got up early. At least, for me, 9 am is early. I opened the veranda door and stepped out into the flowing, pulsating heat. Right outside was the top of a big tree, in which sat several strange chirping birds. They looked like sparrows, yet different. Three floors down, surrounded by tables, palms and small marble elephants, was a massive swimming pool, quietly trickling with overflowing water. A few crickets buzzed a morning conversation down there, tree to tree. I would later find that on set times throughout the day, the crickets would take off into arguments of deafening proportions.
Beyond the palms, a massive second hotel towered. It was composed of three major segments, its roof decorated with elephants, female busts, fire patterns and roofs like those found on Chinese temples. Indeed, this hotel even looked like a Buddhist temple itself, even though slightly incomplete. For those guests who would like to try the new hotel, the reception would arrange the move. I did not take this opportunity. Even with the two weeks I had available, time had to be spent wisely. Besides, the hotel obviously had to be more beautiful to behold from outside than from within.
I soon took a speedboat tour around the Phi Phi islands. During this very eventful trip, I snorkelled among hundreds of tiger fish who were going berserk on loafs of bread the guide threw in. They were far from wary of humans, and even chewed my fingers now and then, to ascertain if I was edible. On a beach of white powdery sand, I lay baking in the sun watching a 5 foot long Varan (1.5 meters) stroll by, scouring the beach for something to eat that a tourist might have left behind. But most of the time was spent in the water. I even swam 3 feet from death; below me writhed a striped sea snake, which are apparently related to cobras, but are far more poisonous, however less aggressive, luckily for me. But Angelfish, Parrotfish, Butterfly, Clownfish; hundreds of colourful species, corals, anemones, made for hours upon hours of snorkelling.
Days passed and plane tickets and another hotel booking were arranged. This time, to Bangkok. Once there, we made the trip I had been waiting for. The Tiger Temple.
It was a hot day, 39 degrees Celsius (over 102 Fahrenheit), and the Tigers were drowsy, drowning their heads in the cool cement buckets of water. The two meter (6.5 feet) long beast didn’t even flinch as I stroked my hands along its back. The fur was not soft as I had expected, but dry and coarse, like warm grass.
Despite the heat, the Tiger cubs were energetic and playful. They ran around and attacked camera straps and the odd shoelace. One of them climbed into the cement water bucket next to me, and I scratched its ears as it cooled off. The other cub noticed what was going on, and climbed over it’s sibling to get the scratches instead. I obliged, and for a while, they calmed completely down, allowing me all the time I wanted.
Memorable, to say the least.
Hehe. This post is too long already. Check the portfolio for pictures.
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