Krabi Adventures!

There was really no way of predicting the adventure and great fortune that would find us over the next few days…

We had just had a pretty wonderful day the day before, going to Railey Beach, but when we got back to the Diamond Home Resort (DHR) we decided to book a day of island hopping for the following day. The next morning, a shuttle bus picked us up at around 8am. In the shuttle were 2 native Thai’s named Nuch and Aek (from Bangkok) who were vacationing. I said hello as usual “Sawadee Krap”, but they replied in perfect english, “Hello, how are you, where are you from…?” We started chatting, and hit it off…before we knew it we were arriving (30 mins away) at Ao Nang beach for our island tours, unfortunately we were on different boats. While we were chatting they mentioned that the following day, they were going to a “viewpoint”, and offered to not only meet us there, but pick us up in the morning and take us with them! They said they believed it was a 4km walk up the mountain to the viewpoint, but that it was an “Easy Walk”, and the girls should have no problems with it… I’ll revisit this momentarily…

We exchanged contact info, shook hands, and wished them a good day. Then proceeded to our boat in Ao Nang for our tour. I was really excited to do more snorkelling, and to get an up close look at the karst islands in the distance that stood out of the sea as a halfway hammered nail stands from a piece of wood.

We were to see 4 islands on the tour, the first was a national park…Its was unique because it was really 2 different islands, but it was connected by a long sand bar. Unfortunately, it was high tide when we were there, so the sandbar was covered by a foot or two of seawater. We walked from island to island and back anyway.

The next stop, “Chicken Island” for some snorkelling. Although there were a few thousand little fish right around our boat, the visibility in the water wasn’t so great, and there was very little coral reef around. Maybe its just that we were spoiled by our snorkel in Chumphon, but we were quite underwhelmed by the snorkelling that day. Lol, boohoo right!

We got back on the boat and circled around to the other side of the island. It was there we found out why it was called “Chicken Island”. The limestone mountain stood up straight on one side which made it look like the neck and head of a chicken… or so some thought, haha.

We took some pictures and it was then that we met a fabulous family vacationing from The Emirate of Abu Dhabi. Christina (originally from South Africa), Philip (originally from Germany), and their 4 children (ages from about 15, to about 7). We started chatting, and seemed to hit it off right away. The next stop on the tour was a beautiful beach on a small island where we stopped for lunch. Our 2 family’s connected instantly. It had been a while since Ellie and Isabel really had time to play with other kids (at least other kids that they could speak with), and our girls were close enough in age to 2 of their children, that they just played very nicely together. This was also great for Philip, Christina, Lisa and I because they occupied themselves, giving us a little “adult” time to enjoy, and to get to know each other.

After the day on the boat, our 2 families agreed that we’d like to continue hanging out, so we joined them at back at their resort. It was a very nice place right in Ao Nang, where we continued our water day. The pool (# 11? on our adventure so far), featured a water slide, and a swim up bar. We continued to chat as the kids occupied themselves in the great pool. Then the sky’s opened up, and it rained so hard, a staircase near the pool looked like a waterfall! This was our queue to end “water world”, and get inside and dry. We had a fabulous dinner with our new friends, then realized that it was getting late, and headed home…tentatively making plans to see them the next day, after a relaxing jaunt to the viewpoint.

Back to Nuch (Oranuch), and Aek (although he pronounced it “Eh”, so that’s how we addressed him). The next morning, after not enough sleep, we rushed to breakfast at one of our favourite spots, and before we could finish, they arrived, ready to take us for the mornings adventure. We chatted on our way west, past Ao Nang, to the far west coast. I could tell Oranuch was very proud of her son Aek, who was close to completing his Masters degree in engineering. He mentioned there was a chance he might pursue his PhD in North America, in which case we suggested we’d love the opportunity to return their amazing kindness and host him for a visit to Toronto.

We finally arrived, and embarked on what was to be one of the best experiences either Lisa or I had ever had. The map at the bottom did read 3.7 km’s, as expected, but it turned out to be anything but an “Easy Walk”. On average, it was probably a 30% incline, on a rocky and or tree routed path, in the middle of a mountainous jungle, with zero breeze and high heat and humidity. At many points in our assent we were forced onto “all 4’s” grasping to rocks or trees in order to make the next step. I, sweat by nature (always have been), and was in big trouble. The girls knew they were in for a challenge, but had no idea the magnitude…nor did we. About 30minutes in, I was “shooting” sweat, lol! The girls started to ask “how much further”. Although admittedly, I wasn’t sure I wanted any part of the challenge, once they asked, I was pot committed. Especially because we, as parents, were/are in the middle of trying to teach them that they can do anything, and about the power of positive thinking. It was reminder lesson for me, because for the first few hours of our climb I certainly felt the negativity creeping into my consciousness, haha. Oranuke and Aek were also an inspiration, although it was their first time to this location, they continued on unfazed stopping only to point out unique vegetation, and listen to the sound of the jungle. The sound, we believe, were wild Gibbons from atop the tree’s around us.

Isabel, only 3 yrs old, was amazing… she’d ask for one of us to cary her from time to time, but we suggested that she COULD do it all by herself, and then distracted her a little by pointing different things we saw in the jungle (like strange lizards with a red head and brown body). After about 3.5hrs, we actually made it to the very top! We looked out over the entire peninsula. The forests below us, the surrounding (smaller) mountains, the sea with all the karst up shoots. Being from Toronto, home of the CN Tower, I felt I had a gauge on how high we were…maybe twice as high??? Maybe more? We were all truly elated, even the unflappable Aek and Nuch. Lisa and I were proud of ourselves, but astonished by our two daughters, who held hands with us on the super steep dangerous parts, but climbed the mountain all on their own! I’m sure they were the first 3 and 5 yr old siblings to reach the top. There was a rock at the very ledge of the mountain, below, certain death. After some deliberation, I decided to inch towards it…very sturdy. So I carefully sat on the near side, then slid my legs over so that they were dangling over the edge. I couldn’t help myself, I had to look down…dizzying! I asked Lisa to join me and she agreed, what a moment!!!

The journey back down the mountain was a seemingly brief 1h30mins, and the 6 of us decided to go for a nice meal. We were so proud of the girls, we agreed to get them each as much desert as they liked… They earned it.