Amazingly, we have already been traveling for a month. I am also amazed by the incredible sights and experiences we have already had, and today was no different. We started today by having a nice breakfast at the hotel (included with the price) and then picked up Kate’s cousin, Tak, who spent the day with us.
We then drove to Mae Wang National Park for our first stop of the day. There we went to the Pha Chor Canyon where we saw the geological effects from rain and wind on sedimentary rock. It is was quite obvious to us the differences in the soil types and weather at Pha Chor since the soils were much sandier and drier than the soils we saw the previous day. We walked through an interpretive trail and saw the Pha Chor cliffs which dramatically show the effects of water and wind erosion. Was sunny and hot so we rested afterwards in a shaded area and rehydrated for the rest of the day.

Next, we drove to a second national park, Doi Inthanon National Park. I didn’t know it at the time, but we would end up at the highest point in all of Thailand in the park. We stopped for lunch at a 7-11 (stores are everywhere in Thailand!) and then drove almost two hours to a temperate rain forest. We often think of rainforests being in hot climates, but we got to experience one in a cooler climate. The reason it was cooler is that the rainforest we walked through was at 2,565 meters above sea level (8.415 feet). When we stepped out of the car there I was shocked…I was chilled from the air. The temperature there was 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit). I was dressed for temps in the 80’s and 90’s so we had to keep moving. But, we were able to walk through a rainforest I will never forget. Pictures below.

Our third stop of the day was at a lower elevation in the Doi Inthanon National Park. We stopped at an area that was still inhabited by villagers that had lived in the area for years. We had to get a local guide to take us on the trail where we saw big waterfalls and parts of their villages and crops. Was a great experience.

After a long day of trekking we stopped at a local Thai restaurant that served food “Thai BBQ” style. This involved a buffet of raw meats, vegetables, and fruits that you picked out and brought to your table to BBQ yourself. We used a Moo Krata which is a cylindrical grill that has hot charcoals in the center covered by a dome-shaped metal skillet where most meat is cooked. It sits in the middle of the table where you cook the meat on top of it and then eat it. The dome-shaped grill is surrounded by water that you put vegetables and noodles in. The juices from the meats drain into there making a flavorful broth that cooks the vegetables and noodles. Was my favorite meal so far in Thailand.