Thai Trekking, Cooking and Boxing

Woke up this morning and did something I’ve not been doing a lot of, while travelling; I tucked into breakfast. We’ve got a hike planned today and in this heat I’m gonna need the energy, so a scrambled egg and french fry sandwich, or two, won’t go amiss! It’s a day of trekking and waterfalls – some of my favourite things. It was nice getting out in the jungle although 23 people walking along dirt paths in a jungle in around 30 degree weather is not a recipe for quick speeds! So as the group slowly makes it way through the forest we stop at various different waterfalls and swimming holes so we can all cool off and have a splash around. Now I say waterfalls but they tended to be more like small rock slides to me but that’s just even more fun, who doesn’t love a natural water slide! I do get myself into a little trouble. When we get to the final water hole, following on from a rocky mini waterfall which is unsuitable for a water slide, there is a nice bay like area with a small batch of sand next to some fairly settled water where we are told to swim. Of course my intrusive thoughts win and I go head first over the edge the other side and slide straight into strong currents, luckily I’m a strong enough swimmer. I can quite easily get myself out, but I do feel bad when I see two of the local guides panicking and come running over as if I am about to be lost to the forest forever. But, hey, it was fun and after that I did as I was told and stayed in the still water of the bay.

Muay Thai
(click on the top right hand icon)

The hike ended with a rather steep hill that the stragglers at the back like Emily, Lesha, Nicole, India and me were struggling with a bit, especially with the heat, but at least we hadn’t got lost along the way like Alex, Jon and Scott did! Anyway once everyone was back we tucked into lunch and started packing our bags. Our time at the home stay was coming to an end and it was time to get back into the not-so-comfy trucks which, with our luggage, was a tight squeeze to say the least. We where heading back to the city to a new, 8 room per person, hostel. The group got divided randomly: in my room were the boys Scott, Jon and Alex we also had Emily, Lesha, Kamila and Mia. A rather good group if you ask me, some what rowdy but good, I did feel for Mia she was a lovely woman from Germany who didn’t drink and was better behaved than pretty much anyone else on the trip but she was still down for a laugh so I like to believe she didn’t mind sharing with us.

Once we had all settled in it was off to a cooking class. Not everyone chose to do the class but enough of us to require us to be split into two groups, mine consisting of me, the boys, Lars and Lesha. It was nice to be in a group as we got to choose a few different things to make and therefore taste a few different dishes! But before any of that we get taken to a local market to have a wander round and get tested on a few different ingredients. I did pretty well, naming quite a few, even if I do say so myself, but I was also impressed by Alex’s herb and veggie knowledge, although I probably shouldn’t be as I know we both share a passion for food and cooking. So after the market and a chance to have a wander round some fresh food and veg it is back in the car to the cooking school. Each person made four dishes I personally chose Pad Thai, stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts, a Thai red curry and everyone did sticky rice with mango for desert. It was a fun lesson and very informative, incorporated into different sections of prep, cooking and, of course, eating. It was great being able to try all the other dishes people cooked including green curries, panang curry, hot and sour soup and more. It was also nice to wash it down with a cold beer: after all there’s not much better than sharing a beer with new and old friends with a meal you’ve cooked yourselves.

Next there was another activity lined up and one I was very excited for – a Muay Thai Show. Many years go, when I visited my bother and sister-in-law while they were living in Bangkok, I had the pleasure of accompanying them to a show and it was awesome, gruesome and exciting, so I couldn’t wait for the same experience. Thanks to Prae being a frequent flyer at this event we had some great ring side seating reserved for us. It was a great show consisting of fighters from around the world including a fight between two locals that we all estimated to be around the age of 14. As the beers flowed we all had fun talking a load of shit about technique and who won what round, as if any of us had any real knowledge about Muay Thai. It was great fun even if I did have to risk missing a round and pay five baht every time I wanted to go to the loo, as it was a public toilet outside the arena. I filled the down time between rounds by playing a little prank on Jon. Jon a great guy, love him but by god is he sweaty, so after my first beer in I broke off the tab from the can and gently placed it on the back of his neck to see if it would stick – it did! Everyone in the back row and in our group slowly became aware of this and would check periodically if it was still there. And there it remained even after Jon getting up multiple times for beers or to go to the loo. Once the fights had finished I headed back to the hostel with some of the group for an early night but Jon, tab still stuck, went to play pool with some of the others without noticing the entire night.

Boxing (Pull) Ring!