Phanom Bencha National Park

So, emboldened by the fact we didn't die from yesterday's scooter episode, we decided to try getting to Phanom Bencha Park. After 10 minutes of the same trafficy roads we did the other day, we then found ourselves on a quiet country road, and the riding became quite fun. It was fantastic in fact; as we were driving along, watching daily life unfold in the quiet Thai countryside, in the back of our minds was a vague but distinct sense of empowerment, of being able to travel on our own schedule.

Our objective was Phanom Bencha National Park. We arrived there, got our bearings, then decided to head out on one of their "Nature Trails". Doing so definitely emphasised how much is lost in translation. Call us naive, but when you hear the term "Nature Trail" you think of an easy walk with moderate grades; something you could bring your grandmother on. Obviously, the Thai translation of "Nature trail" is "a heinous primitive trail through a rainforest with scambly sections over snot-slick rocks".

The National Parks here are interesting, or at least this one was; the entrance and park headquarters were all nice and manicured, and they have no less than 11 (eleven!!) staff quarters for people to work there to manicure the lawn, plus a nice developed trail to the base of the first of several steps of the waterfalls. After that, the trail became heinous (as described above), for a good couple hours, with the only 'trail improvements, being one shabby frayed rope, which was cut halfway, and too short to provide adequate security down the rock band it was supposed to protect. Probably no money left in the budget after manicuring all those lawns...

On the way back we explored a couple of large caves, which were definitely worthwhile, and I enjoyed quite a bit. We returned to Krabi, just in the nick of time no less, just as we arrived in our rooms, the heavens opened again, and the daily deluge did not disappoint.

Tomorrow we head for Raileh... stay tuned.