Thailand : Khao Yai National Park : Animals

We creaked out of bed at 7, which was when we had promised to wake Sebastien and Anna. 15 minutes later we managed it. Thais have no concept of breakfast as a different meal: "The Thai people, we eat breakfast, lunch, dinner; same same. Same same, but different". One street vendor in Bangkok began cooking by throwing a handful of garlic into the hot oil-at 9am...So we had toast. I really wanted to do the Thai thing and eat garlic, but my belly (read brain) didn't agree.
Nine taught us lots of Thai that morning: sawatdee kap and kapun kap (hello and thank-you). It is kapun ka for girls, and kapun ha for she-males, somehow I acquired the nickname "ha".
Pong was a fantastic guide. He was rolling through the thick mountains and steep forests at some speed, when he jolted to a stop and set up the telescope in the middle of the road. An eye glared back through the glass. We all stood around trying to work out which speck in the distance the eye belonged to. It was a large monitor lizard, draped over a tree branch. Pong had spotted this at considerable distance and speed. He continued this feat all day, pointing out a kingfisher, a giant squirrel, some macaques (bright pink bottoms!), a bright green viper, some hornbills, some samba deer and some barking deer, a millipede, several bird and lizard species and an enormous spider, up in the forest canopy on a six foot web. He would only explain this feat with "It's plastic, I hid it there yesterday..." or "This park, for me, it's like my office!"
The chugging of the truck was cut through by an eerie duet of hoots and calls. Pong scampered into the jungle and we awkwardly followed, clambering over roots and vines. After some time we were ready to turn back, expecting a wild goose chase. Pong redeemed himself. We saw trees shake and large black shapes swinging overhead. GIBBONS were hooting right over our heads. From right underneath we could see six, two parents, two dark coloured young and two light. He could even read their body language and tell when they were about to jump. Liv took some absolutely stunning up close photos through the telescope.
We trekked through the jungle. The atmosphere was very close and real with the humidity and the jungle sounds. We found all sorts of strange wildlife, a large spider floating over our heads on his web; and a fat shimmering millipede. The millipede felt extraordinary, its legs oozing over my skin. Liv loved it and passed it around. It tickled really weird. I dropped it. It rolled into an armoured ball, but was OK and eventually crept away.
We found an enormous thick tree, the light pouring through the canopy above it. Liv took a photo with my ears glowing pink from the light behind. The tree must've been 100 feet high and was supported by tall splayed roots. Angry ants swarmed.
We emerged from the forest onto the baked and cracked red earth for a snack. "Spicy" or "fish" flavour crisps, washed down with lurid & sickly pear drop Fanta :P
We walked along a river and came to a rock outcrop over a waterfall. It was the scene from "the Beach" (but the water was only 3 metres deep at the bottom). We took the path. Job jumped straight in and found a submerged platform right next to the pillar of a waterfall. My eyes were slits for all the spray and wind. Liv and I waded round to the cave at the back for a hug. We felt like real esplorers :)
Nine was guiding another group and drove behind us. They were this hilarious New Zealand family with a rugged father, a bright mum (bright blue tie dye T-shirt to complement her bright orange hair). They had 3 kids who were all very proud of their baseball caps but nevertheless impressively intelligent. Nine jerked to a stop behind us and jumped out. On the road was a palm sized green scorpion. He tweaked it up by the sting and plopped it onto the youngest childs head. He grinned nervously while we took photos.
Nine reassured us the sting was only as bad as a bee's, Job assured us that he was stung once and his index finger swelled to the size of a golf ball.
Sun set and we drove home in the dark. Stars swapped or firefly flickering and Pong's occasional torch flashes. Gak gak gak gak came from hornbills overhead.
This time Job stopped the car. A ten foot python slid just off the roadside. Nine grabbed it's tail and immediately dodged to avoid a pounce. Camera flashes popped and the python became increasingly confused.
We slowly stopped by the side of the road. Grass stretched away to darkness on either side. We piled out, not knowing what to expect. Pong flicked the headlights to full beam and illuminated a herd of elephants in the distance, their large forms glowing pale white. As they moved, their shapes fused and split in the half light. After a short while one trumpeted, both groups moved on.
We froze on the way home and flopped into bed.