1 - 5 December 2014
We woke up quite early since our room sounded like it shared a wall with the kitchen...you really do get what you pay for! After a restless night and an early morning we decided that we could use a down day, so we booked a pretty nice hotel ($30 USD) with plans to spend most of the day inside. Last night Tim saw a pizza place and since then wanted (needed) some familiar food so we stopped on our way to the hotel:
This wasn't the best pizza we ever ate, but it was the only pizza we have had for the past 3 weeks, so it tasted pretty good! After lunch we got to our room and I was able to access the damage from the motorcycle trip:
I know...it doesn't look so good...but you should see Tim! He is a lot worse, but didn't let me take a picture so you have to imagine worse than this. Luckily we had a really nice hotel room to hang out in and it had many cable channels in english that kept us occupied for the day. Around 7 PM we were finally ready to leave the room and get some food, so we headed to the night market for dinner and then headed straight back to the hotel and went to sleep.
The next morning we woke to a day of travel. We caught a tuk tuk to the bus station and got on a minivan to Pai, 3 hours away for 150 Baht ($4.50 USD). I was looking forward to a nice relaxing van ride where I can chill out and read my book, but that was just a dream. Little did I know that the van from Chiang Mai to Pai is called the vomit van since we hit mountain roads with incredible turns that the drivers seem to ignore and pass whenever they feel like it. Needless to say...Tim swore that if we made it to Pai alive he would never get back on the van to return...little did Tim know, there was no other way back and he would just have to deal with it.
Anyway...we made it to Pai and rented scooters to go the next 60 KM (37 miles) to Cave Lodge where we planned to spend the next 2 nights. We started riding up the mountain. Luckily there was a nice rest stop half-way up the climb that was well needed:
The next morning we woke to a day of travel. We caught a tuk tuk to the bus station and got on a minivan to Pai, 3 hours away for 150 Baht ($4.50 USD). I was looking forward to a nice relaxing van ride where I can chill out and read my book, but that was just a dream. Little did I know that the van from Chiang Mai to Pai is called the vomit van since we hit mountain roads with incredible turns that the drivers seem to ignore and pass whenever they feel like it. Needless to say...Tim swore that if we made it to Pai alive he would never get back on the van to return...little did Tim know, there was no other way back and he would just have to deal with it.
Anyway...we made it to Pai and rented scooters to go the next 60 KM (37 miles) to Cave Lodge where we planned to spend the next 2 nights. We started riding up the mountain. Luckily there was a nice rest stop half-way up the climb that was well needed:
After 1.5 hours of twists and turns of a mountain road, we made it to Cave Lodge and fell in love as soon as we arrived. As a matter of fact, when we checked in we instantly added a third night to our stay. What do think...would't you have added a third night after arriving to this?!?
After checking into our private bungalow (700 Baht per night ($21 USD)):
...we had some lunch and signed up for a 3 cave adventure tour for the next day (600 Baht/person ($18 USD)). We didn't know what to expect, but the description said it was a full day walk from the Lodge through spectacular karst scenery, visiting three caves.
Well...let me tell you...we had no idea what we signed up for. We left Cave Lodge at 9:30 AM and headed to the trail in the back of a pickup truck. We arrived at the trail for some beautiful treking to the first of the three caves, fossil cave.
Well...let me tell you...we had no idea what we signed up for. We left Cave Lodge at 9:30 AM and headed to the trail in the back of a pickup truck. We arrived at the trail for some beautiful treking to the first of the three caves, fossil cave.
As soon as we entered fossil cave I was wondering what we go ourselves into. It was a bit terrifying, but the guide and the others on the tour were so awesome that we forgot about the danger and just enjoyed the adventure through and amazing cave with wonderful formations. Next stop is Waterfall cave that promises to be the most adventurous of the caves we are going to explore.
After about 1 hour or slippery up and down hiking we arrived at Waterfall cave. Before entering our guide stripped down to just shorts and told us that everything we wore into the cave would get soaking wet. All the younger ones stripped down as the guide did, but Tim and I decided to wear long pants, long sleeves, and shoes to ensure that we would be protected from rocks and such. Plus, the weather was getting hotter and the next cave was a 2-2.5 hour walk, so if our clothes were wet at least it would keep up cooler for the upcoming hike.
As soon as we entered the cave we knew that this was going to be "fun". We were required to crawl through a small space on our elbows and knees being neck deep in water. After three such areas we arrive to an underground waterfall that made the whole trip worthwhile, but not before we had to turn around and head back the way we came, though all that crawling and water and rocks and such.
After about 1 hour or slippery up and down hiking we arrived at Waterfall cave. Before entering our guide stripped down to just shorts and told us that everything we wore into the cave would get soaking wet. All the younger ones stripped down as the guide did, but Tim and I decided to wear long pants, long sleeves, and shoes to ensure that we would be protected from rocks and such. Plus, the weather was getting hotter and the next cave was a 2-2.5 hour walk, so if our clothes were wet at least it would keep up cooler for the upcoming hike.
As soon as we entered the cave we knew that this was going to be "fun". We were required to crawl through a small space on our elbows and knees being neck deep in water. After three such areas we arrive to an underground waterfall that made the whole trip worthwhile, but not before we had to turn around and head back the way we came, though all that crawling and water and rocks and such.
We finally exited the cave and had lunch on the edge of a field.
After lunch we hiked at least 2 hours an experienced some awesome scenery:
After much ups and downs and trying to keep up with the younger people in the group we finally made it to the last cave...Christmas Cave where we had to enter via 2 bamboo ladders:
After Christmas Cave we had about a 1 hour hike back to the Cave Lodge, and again we came across some beautiful scenery:
We also came across this way cool plant that reacted to touch:
We finally made it back to Cave Lodge very muddy and very tired. We sure were looking forward to the next day when we had nothing planned but to rest and recover. Meanwhile we will hang out in the lodge, have some dinner, and have a few beers around the fire...and this is where the talk started...around the fire.
The others that were in our group today decided on doing an all-day kayaking/caving trip the next day. Both Tim and I knew that we were too sore to even consider this trip, but as the night progressed and the beers were drank we agreed to and signed up for the kayak excursion, and at the same time we decided to add another night to our stay here.
The next morning we woke and wondered what we got ourselves into. After yesterdays up and down hiking and crawling around in wet caves we were both very sore, but we already signed up for the full-day kayaking trip and we didn't want to back out. The only thing that made it all seem OK was that our legs were really sore, but our upper body didn't feel so bad and we figured in kayaking we would be using our upper body mostly...so off we went.
We entered the river just down the hill from Cave Lodge. The first part of the trip will take us kayaking through Tham Lod Cave, a cave we plan on taking the full tour of the next day, but today we were able to stop at 2 other side caves that we wouldn't be able to see the next day, Hair Cave and Meditation Cave:
The others that were in our group today decided on doing an all-day kayaking/caving trip the next day. Both Tim and I knew that we were too sore to even consider this trip, but as the night progressed and the beers were drank we agreed to and signed up for the kayak excursion, and at the same time we decided to add another night to our stay here.
The next morning we woke and wondered what we got ourselves into. After yesterdays up and down hiking and crawling around in wet caves we were both very sore, but we already signed up for the full-day kayaking trip and we didn't want to back out. The only thing that made it all seem OK was that our legs were really sore, but our upper body didn't feel so bad and we figured in kayaking we would be using our upper body mostly...so off we went.
We entered the river just down the hill from Cave Lodge. The first part of the trip will take us kayaking through Tham Lod Cave, a cave we plan on taking the full tour of the next day, but today we were able to stop at 2 other side caves that we wouldn't be able to see the next day, Hair Cave and Meditation Cave:
After leaving Meditation Cave we kayaked down almost 9 miles of river ranging from pretty still where we had to paddle pretty hard to rapids that made our hearts pound and we were wondering what the heck we were doing here and why aren't we enjoying a day of rest. We made it to the lunch stop and considered calling it a day, but for some reason we pressed on. After lunch was more still and rapid river riding but we were able to successfully navigate the river (with much help from the guides) to the end of the route were we exited the river and climbed up to the last cave of the day, Coffin Cave.
The highlight of Coffin Cave is...well...coffins. These teak coffins are believed to be from 1,500 to 2,000 years old and are found only 3 other countries with most located right in this area.
The highlight of Coffin Cave is...well...coffins. These teak coffins are believed to be from 1,500 to 2,000 years old and are found only 3 other countries with most located right in this area.
After Coffin Cave, we walked back down to the road, got in the back of a pickup truck, and arrived back at Cave Lodge around 3:30 PM and had some well needed beers, dinner, and a fire followed by an awesome night sleep since we were sore...now both legs and arms...and quite tired.
The slept in the next morning and awoke with the only plan of the day to go to Tham Lod Cave around 4PM. We had some breakfast and I worked on the blog. Around 2PM a family from California was talking about trying to walk and find Meditation Cave. I knew that they had no chance of finding it on their own, so I volunteered my services. The selfish part of helping them is that the walk to Meditation Cave takes you past Tham Lod, so it would serve as advanced intel for our trip in a few hours. Tim decided to continue resting so off we went. It was pretty weird to be in the cave without the guide, but I was able to take them around to the different rooms without getting lost.
I got back to Cave Lodge at 4PM to pick Tim up and then we headed back to Tham Lod for the guided bamboo raft ride through the cave. A woman with a lantern took us from the gate to the entrance of the cave where we boarded a bamboo raft and then headed through the cave.
The slept in the next morning and awoke with the only plan of the day to go to Tham Lod Cave around 4PM. We had some breakfast and I worked on the blog. Around 2PM a family from California was talking about trying to walk and find Meditation Cave. I knew that they had no chance of finding it on their own, so I volunteered my services. The selfish part of helping them is that the walk to Meditation Cave takes you past Tham Lod, so it would serve as advanced intel for our trip in a few hours. Tim decided to continue resting so off we went. It was pretty weird to be in the cave without the guide, but I was able to take them around to the different rooms without getting lost.
I got back to Cave Lodge at 4PM to pick Tim up and then we headed back to Tham Lod for the guided bamboo raft ride through the cave. A woman with a lantern took us from the gate to the entrance of the cave where we boarded a bamboo raft and then headed through the cave.
Once inside the cave we were taken to 3 different stops along the river, all with very impressive formations. Here are some of the highlights:
In the last of the three side caves we got to see more of the teak coffins:
And here are some cool shots as we were rafting through the cave:
We timed the cave tour perfectly to be at the exit just before sunset when over 500,000 swifts fly into the cave as all the bats leave the cave for the night:
After sunset we had a 25 minute hike back to Cave Lodge in the dark...luckily I made that earlier hike out here so I was familiar with the route! We ate dinner, hung out in the common area, and then went to bed for our last night in northern Thailand. Tomorrow we made our way south to the tropical island of Ko Samed for some well deserved beach bumming.