I came to Thailand with the intention of going camping and exploring the natural world as much as I could. I packed my new tent and hammock, spent a few afternoons at REI deciding on the best bug spray and water filtration system to bring and told myself that the Asian critters wouldn’t be that bad. I’ve done a lot of camping in my life but it’s been almost exclusively in the Northeastern US and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect here in Thailand.
As I prepared for my camping trips and researched locations it became clear that the areas to camp were usually near the headquarters of the national parks rather than campsites that you would hike up to. I read up on and chose which places I would head to and set up camp. I stocked up on non-perishable foods, got a pocket knife, and a mosquito net for my hammock, packed Dr. Bonner’s all purpose soap and made sure my camelback was filled. I knew I couldn’t prepare for everything because nature is unpredictable but that is part of the draw and excitement of being in the wilderness.
Despite my preparation and experience I made some annoyingly, rookie mistakes. I was camping during the hot season so I did not bring a sleeping bag or pad and figured I would be fine with a folded blanket. What I did not account for was how high up in the mountains I would be at some sites, and it got extremely cold at night. I had piled up a bunch of pine needles to be a cushion and help insulate me from the cold ground but it was still a frigid, uncomfortable first night. At one point I tried to ask the groundskeeper if I could make a fire and he pointed at a ceramic bucket and charcoal. I wasn’t cooking food so when I said, “No, don’t need, only fire. Is ok?” in my Thai-nglish along with hand motions, he just nodded. So I gathered some wood and rocks and made a tiny fire, not planning to have it burn too long, and just sat watching the flames. All of a sudden a motorbike came riding over the terrain and pulled up next to me with the man yelling ‘No’ a lot and he kicked the fire (which just spread out the coals instead of putting it out!). I calmed him down and quickly flattened the fire and poured water on it. I guess having a fire was not allowed…oops. The next day when I packed up, I unhooked my hammock, stuffed it into its stuff-sack, folded the mosquito net and hooked it to my backpack; absentmindedly leaving the two 30ft lengths of rope tied to the trees along with two carabiners. I was so annoyed when I got to the next campsite and realized what I had done. Other than these foolish and awkward moments my camping experience was extremely successful!
This was not the first time that I had ventured out into the natural world by myself but it was the first time that I had camped overnight on my own. That solitary existence can be peaceful but it also heightens your awareness. I would find a comfortable spot to relax, take in my surroundings, and watch the sunset and growing darkness. Quietly staring at the landscape I would admire every detail, sights that would normally go unnoticed, subtle sounds your ears rarely pick up, evidence of how vibrant and alive nature is even at its most calm. Yet, at night those senses play tricks on your mind. From inside my tent I had to remind myself that the sounds seemed louder and much closer than they were. One night I rushed to pack up my belongings, sure that I could hear raindrops hitting the trees and a downpour was about to start. When I got out of my tent to check, I realized it was merely the strong winds at the top of the trees making the branches hit into each other. I felt foolish but then noticed some glowing lights on the mountainside just up the road and went to check it out. I saw that in the mountain fields along each row there were grow lights hanging above the plants, which from afar looked like hundreds of candles. The hills glowing with the soft light was so beautiful I stood there for quite some time in the dark. I was reminded of the amazing experiences I’ve had when I follow my curiosity and explore.
Camping gave me the opportunity to explore so much. I was able to start my day already in the midst of the wilderness with my pick of places to go and see. I visited waterfalls, scampering all over the rocks and jumping into the crisp refreshing water. I drove around exploring, wandered down trails and searched for places on my map that were not clearly marked, like most places in Thailand. There was one hike through the jungle that turned into a bamboo grove and then became the hot, dry, forest covered in dead leaves the size of my head (I’m so lucky I didn’t step on a viper on that hike as they like to lie in wait under leaves) and ended up at a high, trickling waterfall that offered some much needed relief from the heat. Before and after each of my day excursions I enjoyed some spectacular sunrises and sunsets.
Each place that I camped was quite different. Whether I was sleeping next to a reservoir high in the mountains with the morning mist rising into the cold air, down in the valley beside a calm river with a warm breeze, or under the tall pines in the wind on the highest mountain in Thailand, I was so happy to be in nature. Heading far from civilization into the natural world is such a welcome escape while also being a time that I feel most present.
The Voyager 