2 May

Its an early start to the day, we have to be at the park gates at 08h00 for what lies ahead. We head to the shop about 400m away to first stock up on water, lots of water. The evening before we had purchased ample supplies to keep us going through the day. Today will be a test, at Taman Negara we had marched like army recruits and completed a mere 8 km in 5 hours. Skeptical I calculate how we will fit in the days travels. The first stop is 3 km from headquarters, the second and third 1.5 from there, the fourth another 1km, the fifth is towards another direction so irrelevant, six is another 0.5 km and seven is another 1 km from there. In total to walk from HQ to no 7 is 7km of jungle trek.

The prior evening we had disputed with parks board and other agencies to find the cheapest price for a guide to take us deep into the forest. The starting prices were 1200 Baht and the cheapest we could find was 800pp, in total 1600 is quite expensive taking into consideration our accommodation is a mere 200. The guide said that 1 to 4 was not difficult but from 4 to 7 the route was difficult and that a guide was necessary . I've learnt that they will say anything to get you to fork out your greenbacks. We decided to attempt the trek on our own, but only for so long as we took no chances and stayed to obvious paths. In my mind 7km there and 7 back is to tough, especially for a trek that one is unfamiliar with in regards to path and difficulty.

We decided that whatever distance we could cover from 8h00 until 12h00 would be our end point. From here we would rest for an hour and eat lunch and return at 13h00, this would mean we should be back by 17h00 at the latest, given that the sun sets at 19h00 and that the last 3 km was a parks board road connecting HQ to no 1, we felt safe.

We decided to do the first 7km or less if need be in as quick a time as possible to get an idea of what was reasonable for the trek back. (Seeing as it's the same route back). The first 3km is a road connecting the swimming pools at no 1 with HQ, this we walked in under an hour, with 3 hours left and only 4 km to complete it we felt comfortable. From here the path becomes that of dense forest where often you cannot even see the sky, sounds are muffled and leaches literally follow your every step. The leaves are so dense that there could be five layers on one stretch of earth. Walking noticeably slower and taking cognizance of the environment, careful not to step on some of the 3 to 7 m King Cobra monsters that prevail these forests, we edge closer to our destination.

We come to the first sign, its been smashed, but elegantly puzzled back together on the floor indicating the route forward. Some form of uncertainty crept in, but we know where to go. Up and down the route leads, to a gigantic tree, the name of which eludes me. From here there appears to be a small walkway up, whether that of a curious tourist or the trail to follow we are unsure, but with a clearly marked arrow towards a well trodden path we assume the former. We continue with the path walking all the way down the hill we had recently scaled. Only to come to a cross road which we knew we had passed before. Assuming we had missed the turnoff we head back the way we came to the broken sign and decide to go towards another direction which I know to be wrong in my gut, but decide to explore. After about 1km we join the river, a beautiful stretch where campers had stayed. We follow the river North coming to a section where the remains of pineapples lay consumed, but the end of the road is evident seeing as no further path exists.

Now knowing that the path wanders over the hill at the tree, into the next ravine, we head back with the trail and continue into the ravine. The circle route had cost us an additional 1km if not more. Over the ravine we go, up the next one and down another. Some slopes so steep that I have to pull myself up with the vegetation and then pull Leanne up. The road is slippery and dangerous at places, where one would have expected to find ropes or railings around steep escarpments, they are none the wiser. Some trails one literally needs to put one foot ahead of the other walking slowly to ensure you don't slip and slide down the 40m slopes towards the river below. At least there will be plenty of trees to slow you down before you get that far, lets hope not.

We come to the turnoff for no 5, this is totally out of the way so we continue forward, at least we know we're on the right track. Another 1.5 km and we'll be at the waterfall and swimming pools at no 7. The time is 10h40 so we should make the last 1.5km easily with sufficient safety time to return. We continue the pathway now becoming even more notorious and slippery, but allowing one to feel part of nature as the bird and monkey calls echo into the distance.

We come to a crossroad, the one path like before looks well trodden while the other is showing signs of growths and neglect. With no indications on the map, we stay on the well trodden pathway continuing to the river, now starting a decent from the heights it naturally feels right. We continue at least 300m, by this stage I'm sure were on the wrong track, but there is one STEEP section where one literally needs to do mountain climbing. Heading down as slowly as possible to ensure we don't slide down, bags and all. Indicating to Leanne the easiest places offering foot and vegetation support for the hands, we scale the almost vertical slopes to the bottom where the river is visible. Once grounded we find that there are no pools which one can visit without using a machete to hack through the heavy vegetation engulfing the river banks.

Convinced this was not the route and once again the hidden one is probable the right one. We scale the cliffs and continue back to the other route. We head down the ravine and over a stream and come to another steep decent. I decide to head down first leaving the bag behind. At last the pools lie ahead, I collect my bag and assist Leanne down the decent to the pools. Amazingly neither of us had any serious slips along the way. We hang our sweat drenched clothes to dry on one of the large boulders while taking a dip in the icy waters. Its 12h00, talk about timing, taking into consideration we walked at least 2km off the track. We start with the lunch of salty cracks and tuna with a mayo sauce followed by water, lots of water. The sky is becoming ever darker and the rains are not far away. We asked the parks board the previous day regarding the rains, their comments were, it rains, maybe 13h00, maybe 15h00, maybe 18h00, for 30 minutes or 1 hour or 2 hours - apparently no one can predict.

Its 13h00, knowing the rains are near and that the first 3 km are the most treacherous we set off for home. We're up the slope and down the ravine, when we meet a guide with two Brits looking like they would pass out in front of us. We had hardly continued for 15 minutes before the rains started to fall. First a reasonable bit, enough to want to make you head for cover, but not wanting to put on the ponchos, we put the bag's rain cover on and continued. Now it really starts pouring, we continue for another 20 minutes hoping it will stop at any minute, but becoming wiser and absolutely drenched we take out the ponchos.

O, I almost forgot, similar to Taman Negara there are leaches, and not few of them. Both Leanne and I had some on the way there, but we were able to get them off without loosing to much blood in the process, unfortunately we forgot a lighter. Leanne first informed me that I was playing host to two little bloodsuckers, I tried to get them off, but they were too well attached to me. Not wanting to tear them off leaving the head behind causing an infection, I allowed them to get their fill of blood and drop off. Ever so often I would look down to see a little larger leach hanging from my leg. By the time the first one let go it had morphed from a slim worm to a fat tear shaped attachment.

There was no time to stop, the heavy rains continued and we still had 3 streams to cross, afraid that the torrential rains would cause the streams to swell not allowing us to cross safely. I looked down to see if the last leach had decided it reached its max consumption and detached itself, to my amazement it was still hanging on now larger than its predecessor with two new comrades accompanying it. My luck - 4 leaches bit in 1 cm squared! The rains subside, but still continued, we had covered the most difficult portion of the trail in good time, but going slowly to ensure we were cautious.

A green snake crosses in front of me, first slowing I look to see where it is, before informing my snake phobia wife of the 1.5 m thin tree snake not lying 2 m from us and watching our every move. She takes it well more, concerned about the leaches which will climb on her than the suspicious reptile watching us. We move past slowly keeping an eye on it, before I am told to walk faster just in case it decides to follow us.

Hardly had we continued for another km than a shorter brown snake slithers past us into the bushes, Leanne now becoming ever fearful we hasten our last 500m to the rangers hide, by now the rains had stopped. We cross the last stream to the rangers hide, where two Dutch hikers had waited for the rains to subside. My luck he's smoking, I borrow his lighter and burn off the last remaining leach, Leanne also has one on her which we remove. By now my leg is bleeding profusely, I dash on some disinfectant, but the bleeding continues.

The last 3km to HQ, the road seems so much longer than before, both of us are tired and our speed reduces dramatically, knowing we had returned to an area of safety. Its 16h00 and we're home, we shower and head for the old lady who really knows how to cook. I'm in for a green curry and Leanne is enjoying a chicken and vegetable dish. The rest of the day we relax on the balcony of our forest hut on stilts, just wish there weren't so many mosquito's!