Off the beaten path at the end of the road

Trains are the best way to travel. There are no worries about falling out of the sky, careening off the side of a cliff, or being sideswiped at an intersection. No-siree. The moderate pace and security of being stuck to the tracks is the comfortable way to go. Just do not – under any circumstances – order the train food. It’s completely inedible, and the biggest rip-off on our travels in Thailand thus far. Oh, and be aware that when you order two beers, you will find yourself with the daunting task of finishing two wine bottle sized bottles of beer. Do yourself a favor and splurge on the 1st class tickets. You get a private compartment with seats that turn into bunk beds with fresh linens, and your own little sink. For a 15-hour overnight train from Bangkok to Trang, you’ll be thanking yourself for not opting for the hard benches of 3rd class where you’re crammed next to throngs of other travelers, sardine style.

Dan’s friend Jenny (who works for the Peace Corps.) and her man Roddy met us at the train station, and we made our way back to her little village; first by tuk-tuk, then by public-transport van, and finally picked up by Jenny’s homestay family in their pick-up truck. All in all, it was about an hour ride from Trang. The village is, as Roddy puts it, “Off the beaten path at the end of the road". Its far from what most of us consider civilization. The village is centered around green rubber tree farms with lush foliage everywhere, and jagged green peaks rising impossibly into the mist.

Just a 30 minute walk from Jenny’s house is the most amazing cascading waterfall which forms, what we have all agreed to be, one of the most fantastic swimming holes on earth. It is an incredible sight to see, and even more incredible to jump in! There’s no sharp rocks and slimy gunk at the bottom of this swimming hole...no, it’s all nice soft sand with shallow spots, and nice deep spots. And none of this “hesitantly jump in, then right back out again because the water is cold enough to give you frostbite where the sun don’t shine.” No, no my friends, it is Perfect. After an intensely hot, sweaty hike to the falls, it is the perfect temperature to cool us off and be refreshing, and also warm enough that we can stay in as long as we damn well please! Descriptions cannot do justice to this place...and for one beautiful moment, there was that feeling of bliss, of being completely in the present moment, and knowing that this very moment would eventually become one of our happiest memories. All we could do is stand in awe, exhilarated, trying to soak it all up...and then...it’s time to jump back in and dunk your loved ones underwater.

After our first swimming-hole jaunt, it was back to Jenny’s to make homemade tortillas and salsa to go with the black beans that had been cooking all day. There’s nothing like a burrito to ease the homesickness of an Arizonan.

The next morning, Jenny and Roddy made us the most delightful pancakes which contained several unlikely ingredients including yams, freshly ground brown rice, dried blueberries, and various spices which coalesced into splendidly hearty little orange rounds with dots of purple blueberries – Roddy’s Orange and Purple Pancakes. We topped them with lashings of butter, honey and Roddy’s mom’s homemade plum jam. It was a fantastic change from eating curry and salad and rice for breakfast.

That day’s swimming hole adventure concluded with Dan finding a leech in between Kim’s toes, and Roddy conquering the evil creature with the flames of his mighty lighter. The leech shimmied away in defeat, but left it’s anti-coagulant secretions in Kim’s toe, which bled profusely for the duration of the walk home. (Though it didn’t stop us from stopping along the way for some fantastic fried chicken with sticky rice and spicy papaya salad!)

Eveningtime found us at Jenny’s homestay family’s relative’s house. The majority of people in the village are Muslim, and this family was no exception. The entire extended family was gathered to celebrate the end of Ramadan. We sat on the floor and were presented with bowl after bowl of food. The goat curry was the clear favorite of our group...just as long as we were careful to avoid the pieces of goat intestine intermingled with the meat pieces. Kim was lucky...Dan was not so lucky. The dishes were cleared away, and Dan and Roddy joined the locals in chewing some betel nut. Jenny’s homestay mom whipped out something that looked like an instrument of torture, but ended up using it to demonstrate how to mash up the betel nut so that people who have lost all of their teeth due to years of betel nut chewing can still enjoy their betel nut without the need of teeth. Jenny and Dan tried the betel nut mash. Kim abstained completely, being too vain to walk around with red teeth and mouth cancer.

We’re all back in Trang now to enjoy the annual Vegetarian Festival which is apparently a huge celebration in Trang, rivaled only by the Vegetarian Festival in Phuket. Festivities start tonight, so we’re excited to stuff ourselves with fake meat products. Except for Roddy, that is, who is allergic to soy :(

Tomorrow we board a bus and head to Railay Beach in Krabi province for rock-climbing and yoga on the beach. Wish you were here!

Love, Dan&Kim

Pharmd357 posted on 2010-06-01 at 11:14 pm

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Pharmd770 posted on 2010-06-01 at 11:13 pm

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David posted on 2007-10-24 at 10:17 am

Looks and sounds like a magical place you guys found. Did you pray to Mecca at all with the host family? I'm impressed that you both still look so fit after eating 10+ meals a day.

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Amy/from WHole foods ..well used to be :) posted on 2007-10-19 at 8:44 pm

You guys are awesome.i have been reading since the begining always rushing no comment time. But now I have it. I think you guys need a sponsor ,and a space on the travel channel! thanks for sharing your journey ,now I too want to go EvERYWHERE you guys have been !!! ps. Kim I am living in CALIFORNIA ...by Sanat CRuz ...out of the desert ....so if you return come find me :) Love Amy oh ps. My AUnt LOVES you videos!!

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Mom posted on 2007-10-19 at 12:26 am

Well it seems like it gets more interesting as you go. I wish we were there too. But we had a fun 2 days in helping with Rebecca's back yard makeover.Wish you were her for this event.I'll send some pictures as soon as I figure out how to upload them onto a viewing site.have fun. With lots of love.

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Beth @Whole Foods posted on 2007-10-17 at 5:08 pm

I hope you don't mind, but Monica gave me your link! And now you are both my new heroes! I love how you are sharing your journey with everyone. It's so, so, so, amazing that you two are doing this! I love it!!! Be Safe and keep the postings coming! It's like watching Lonely Planet, but better because I know you Kim! And Dan, I'm sure one day I'll meet you too! Peace and love, beth

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Simone Harrill posted on 2007-10-16 at 1:35 pm

Hi!!! I'm so sorry I haven't posted any comments sooner. I have been really busy, but I do read Danberly and I think about both of you every day. This website makes me smile. I love that I can still feel connected to you even though you are so far away. You're amazing!!! Love you!

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J de Okainamu posted on 2007-10-15 at 2:42 am

I really think you should shake off Nth Amcn. conditioning and give goat intestine a fair trial.

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