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  Saturday 17th of January 2015 and my friend knocked on the door. He told me it was 8 o'clock already. I checked my mobile and it was 06:36. And I cannot remember that there was  anyone from the hotel to knock on the door at 6 as we had agreed
Well, a shower and we were off to the restaurant at 7, or just after 7 and we were delirious by anticipation to get out on the safari. While we’re having the breakfast there is always the exciting list of Wildlife in Khao Yai National Park for you to read. I had toast with butter and there was an American couple coming for breakfast. They guy was hovering around the toast and toaster. I told him to be careful with the butter as I suspected that I would have to live with the taste of the butter in my mouth for at least 2 or 3 hours. He thanked me for the warning. I had 3 big cups of Milo in order to try to get rid of the taste of the butter in my mouth. I asked for a plate of papaya and it was just as good as I remember the papaya to be from Bangkok. At 8 o'clock they came to pick us up. Our Guide and his older sister that was the driver for today. It was cold but me and my friend got up in the back of the pick-up truck. They told us to sit there to look for animals, good, just as the game drives in Africa.  The arrived with the car
 Getting up in the car
 On the way to Khao Yai National park
 On the way to Khao Yai National park
 It was so cold so I left my friend alone in the back
I was freezing in the back of the car, I have lived in Thailand for 20 years and I was here for the first time back in the 80's and I have never, NEVER, been so cold. I thought we were close to  the Khao Yai National Park and that we were going to start with the gaming. Khao Yai National park was obviously some 30 minutes away and I asked them to stop.  I got in to the car and we continued. My friend was stubborn and he stayed in the back. And it looked like he was freezing like hell even though he tried to convince us with a เย็นสบาย every now and then.
I was happy to be inside the car and of course, as an extra bonus I could flirt with the driver. She was quite beautiful and I was soon interrogating her about her life. And it was so nice to be in the car and not out in the back. We passed the gate and we paid the  entrance fee, 40 Baht, included in the tour. Foreigners have to pay 400 but as I have a Thai driving license I only need to pay 40 Baht.
I'm lucky that it is not required to believe in ghosts as it seems most of the Thai people  believe in ghosts. My friend have had the TV on all night long. Full blast and even though I lived in the room next to him I could not fall asleep until 5 in the morning. So yes, I was dead tired when he knocked on my door at 06:36
Ghost Town - The Specials
Well, seems like the normal things to do in Thailand. I told everyone about this and they looked at  me like I was crazy. Then they turned to my friend.
- Oh, clever! - Did it work? And a lot of people that had used the same trick. I was flabbergasted, this was normal and everyone I asked believed in ghosts. I told them that I would move in to my friend’s house when I died. And I asked the girl (our driver) if she wanted to move in with me when we were both dead. We stopped at a viewing point to look at the view. We got Leech protection socks, but as they only reached a wee bit up my calf I didn't bother as I was wearing shorts.  It was freezing cold
 Leech protection socks, but this time of the year they protect us from ticks
And as I was wearing shorts it was pointless for me to use them
 There were plenty monkeys at the viewing point
 There were plenty monkeys at the viewing point and I took a picture before we took off. We had to go register and sign at the head quarter. Me and my friend walked around checking out the area  while waiting for the Guide and our driver.
There were some kind of information center/ museum and we checked out the place. There were some pictures and the history of Khao Yai National Park. 
And honestly, we were soon growing tired of this and we went to see if there were any girls we could chat with. And Khao Yai was pretty much like Laos. All the Thai people are very friendly and the girls attacked us eager to talk. I was chocked in Laos, when in Bangkok, the girls are calling the Police when Porky the Human Balloon is  coming around the corner. But here it was a different story.
We didn't have to approach any of the girls, we were under constant attack and we were not even having a second alone. But it was fun and time rushed away. Something to drink? I don't shop at 7 Eleven or at  any CP Food shops any more. So I skipped the 7 Eleven at Khao Yai, but my friend pointed out that it was not a 7 Eleven. It was a 7 Elephant and we entered the shop and we bought something to drink.
Our Guide and Driver was soon coming back. They had signed in and they had been told that there was an elephant in one of the salt licks. So we were going to check this out before we were going for our forest hike. Bu now the temperature had gone up to 17°C and I decided to sit in the back with my friend. And it was still cold. We were soon reaching the salt lick and we were lucky, the elephant was still there but he was about to leave when we arrived. But we saw an elephant, not an angry elephant but anyway, an elephant, the reason we came to Khao Yai National Park.  Our Driver
 The elephant is about to leave when we arrive
  We had the chance to take a few pictures of the elephant before he left. We had seen a Barking deer on the way to the elephant. Otherwise we had not seen any wild life. OK, there were quite a  few of the Sambar deer’s running around the head quarter when we signed in to the park.
We turned around when the elephant left and we started to drive back. We passed the head quarter and we continued back towards the main gate to Khao Yai National Park We stopped in the middle of nowhere, we had reached the start point of our hike through the forest. We left the car and our Driver would wait for us here and they expected the hike to last for 2 to 3 hours. We were soon in thick forest and all the signs of the road and civilization were disappearing behind us and we were surrounded by jungle noises.
We did see a beautiful red bird in the forest, but that was the only exciting stuff we saw. Well, I had expected there to be some kind of walkable path in the forest. We had to climb over and under fallen trees. Constantly looking where we sat foot so it was not possible to look around for any animals. It was nice walking around in the forest, but as for safari, not good. We must have been like a group of elephants coming through the forest. We were back at the car after 2 to 3 hours and we drove back to the head quarter for lunch. I had asked them about restaurants and I found out that we were not allowed to leave the Khao Yai National Park. Our tickets were valid for one time only and not for one day. Can't say that I was looking forward to our lunch. I knew the kind of place we were going to eat at. I asked how much the food cost. The food was included but I wanted to know what kind of place we were going to eat at. They had guaranteed me that it was a clean place. - The food is 50 Baht - OK, then it will not be a clean kitchen - Oh, yes it is very clean I was not convinced and I had the Goose on the dish water fresh in mind. So I went to the 7 Elephant to see if they had some snacks. There was not much to choose from and I ended up with 4 chocolate bars of a brand I had never seen before. I returned to the restaurant where my friend was waiting. He went to buy bananas  for me as I didn't ate the food. And when our food came he went on and on.
- You have to try the food! - I'm not hungry! - You have to try the food! - I'm on diet! There was nothing stopping him and I realised that I had to try a little. I had checked the kitchen before we ordered and that was the reason I went to buy the chocolate bars, I did not want to eat here. But he forced me and I took a wee bit from the plate with the food looking like it could taste good.  - What the  is this!!??
- Gai Phat Met Mamuang (Fried chicken with cashew nuts) This was something of the best I have ever had. And it turned out that it was our Driver that had cooked the food. I asked for a plate of steamed rice and I finished the while plate of Gai Phat  Met Mamuang. I called our Driver and she promised to make the same food for tomorrow's lunch.
We went back to the 7 Elephants and my friend bought a few chocolate bars and if I remember it right I happened to buy a few ice creams. I enjoyed my ice cream while talking to our Driver. My friend ran in to trouble with one of the many Sambar deer’s  while eating his chocolate bars. It is almost like the Sambar deer is drooling when she looks at the chocolate bar. Well, we were soon leaving, next thing on our itinerary is the Haew Suwat Waterfall and as it was mid-day I took a seat in the back with my friend, something that I was soon regretting. DARN! It was cold! It took us maybe 30 minutes to reach the Haew Suwat Waterfall. We passed 2 camping areas and they were full of tents and people enjoying themselves. As soon as we got out of the car at the Haew Suwat Waterfall is was nice temperature again. It is only in the wind it is cold. My safari uniform and helmet is for Africa, not the North Pole.
I was sitting on a bench talking with an old Thai couple. And the man looked at my uniform and helmet and he could not help but asking if I was on Safari - Yes, what about you? Have you seen any animals? - No I told him about all the exciting animals we had seen. And we ended up talking for 30 minutes  before we left for the Pha Diao Dai Nature Trail and the viewing point Pha Diao Dai Cliff.
And I was for sure not going to sit in the back, I made sure to get inside. But my friend refused to get in to the car. - เย็นสบาย - Up to you, I will be inside flirting with the Driver We drove up a mountain, or if it was a very high hill. But I think we call it a mountain. The sun was gone and we drove in the shadow and I was happy to be inside the car. Our Guide discovered a few red headed birds in the bushes and we stopped. I tried to get a few pictures, but the light was no good. And it is very hard to use the auto focus  when there are trees or bushes.
I took plenty pictures of the red bird in the forest this morning and I got one picture that I could use, and the picture was not very good. And of course, there are a lot of stuff covering the  bird and 2 ton of Aladdin trying to move around to get in position can scare the birds. But I will be known as the “Quiet Wind” for years to come in Khao Yai National Park.
Well, anyway, we stopped at a parking space and here was not as many people as I had expected. A few cars and a group of people taking a selfie. There was a nice path leading to the Pha Diao Dai Cliff. It was pure enjoyment to walk on the path comparing to the climbing in the forest this morning.
There was another viewing point 200 meter up the road, end of the road and we went there when we were ready at the Pha Diao Dai Nature Trail and the viewing point Pha Diao Dai Cliff. We got out of the car and we walked to the viewing point. Well, we could see forest for as long as we could see. There was a kiosk and I went to see if they had any Pepsi Max, but they had nothing that I wanted to drink. I sat down for a while resting my legs while enjoying the view. There was a grey bird landing in one of the trees. That was the only exciting thing happening, well, there were two Thai couples taking selfies a few meters away. We were in a, well, it looked like a military camp and my friend was watching football on the TV  with 2 of the guards.
I was soon growing tired of the view and the grey bird in the tree. Looked like the bird was preparing for the night and he was not moving around performing any tricks. We left for the head quarter. The night safari would start at 6 thirty, one hour to go. And my friend still refused to come inside the car. And by now it was very cold and I was not looking forward to the night safari as we have to sit in the back of the car.       Time to leave for the head quarter
We killed 40 minutes joking with the girls while waiting for the night safari at the head quarter. And I Was lucky, they had run out of ice creams at the 7 Elephants so I had to survive with out  any ice cream. Good for my diet.
OK, maybe I was guilty of having finished most of the ice cream. Our Driver had done nothing but giving me a hard time about the ice creams during the lunch break. OK, maybe I had have a few too many cones at the lunch break. But there wasn't really much to do while waiting. So in order to alleviate the boredom I had ice cream. Night safari, and I thought that we were going in the same car, but we were changing car. We got a new driver and the Guide was with us in the back. And we had a guy in charge of the search light with us in the back. I have done this once before, in Africa. But in Africa it was pitch dark, here is a lot of background lights and plenty other cars on the road so it was, well, we saw a few deers during the night safari. Actually more than I had expected. I was very happy when we were back at the head quarter, it was darn cold and I could not wait to get in to our “original” car and leave Khao Yai National Park behind for today.
And a restaurant, I wanted a nice restaurant and there were several nice restaurants outside the park according to our Driver. We took off and we had set our mind to an Italian restaurant. I don't know, but this was changed to another place. Our Guide told us that we had a 75 Baht allowance for dinner included in the price. - Forget it! I said and I continued: - Then we can as well eat at Tesco Lotus. Bring us to a 5 star place, we pay our self. Our Driver told us about a very nice place where they had all kinds of food - Is it clean? - Very clean! - OK, let's go check it out! My friend wanted to buy beer, the restaurant at the hotel close at 10 or 11 so we stopped at Tesco Lotus. I asked what I wanted and I asked him to buy 6 bottles of Pepsi Max. - If they don't have max? - Then Pepsi Light, but NO coke Well, I joined him just to make sure he got it right. We paid the drinks and we were soon off to the restaurant our Driver had recommended. We were getting hungry after all the walking and  adventure we had experienced during the day in Khao Yai.
The restaurant was not far away from our hotel and the whole thing reminded me about an old fort. And the name was most likely something they had got from some Viking story, Midwinter Green. We walked up some stairs and we saw  a PICKNIC shop and the food they sold for picnics looked very good. If the restaurant was as good I thought and I was delirious with anticipation. We walked through the house and we came out on a terrace overlooking a big plaza. There was a stage and plenty tables on the plaza.
We got a menu and I asked for a pot of Earl Grey tea. She was soon back and she told me they
We ordered a plate of fresh bread, a spinach gratin appetizer a cheese and cold cut platter and a spaghetti and sausage as a main course. Suddenly they dumped a plate of spaghetti in front of me and I asked them if they knew what starter or appetizer means. She looked very puzzled and I had expected much more at a place like this. - What? She brought the menu and I pointed to the appetizer section. An appetizer is something we start the meal with. They had brought the spaghetti and there was nothing to drink on the table. They dropped the spinach gratin on the table. Cold, and with a thick layer of cold melted cheese that  covered the spinach
- Where the are our drinks?
This was bad, nothing to drink and we had all the food on the table. They brought a pot of tea and 2 cups and a small jug of milk. Well, it was a LUMP of milk in the jug. I asked what it was and they told me it was milk. - NO WAY!!
We have ordered fresh milk and they brought this. My friend asked what it was and they told us it was fresh milk. They brought back the tea to the kitchen or where ever the foock they had found it. Finally, they brought back our drinks. The cold cut and cheese platter (690 Baht) was excellent. The spaghetti with sausage was a hit, both I and my friend liked it very much. The spinach with cheese was a disaster. Cold spinach covered in cold melted cheese, most likely defrosted from the freezer. Seriously, with the prices they charged I had expected some kind of trained personnel at the restaurant. It was a disaster, if you pay 50 Baht along the road you really can't expect any service. But this was bad, very bad. Well, we were back at the hotel around 9 o'clock and I was in bed at 11 o'clock. My friend told me that he felt sorry for our Guide and Driver. He thought they needed to get some sleep and he wanted them to pick us up at 9 o'clock. - It is because you're going to drink beer, I said - No, they need some sleep Well, I don't mind, I need some sleep and I told him to turn off the sound on his TV during the night so I could sleep. I had got an extra pillow and blanket and I was soon asleep. Well, we're looking forward to a new exciting day at Khao Yai National Park tomorrow. They will come to pick us up at 9 o'clock and my alarm is set to 07:41. You just have to click HERE to find yourself in the middle of tomorrows adventure in Khao Yai National Park.
    
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To www.aladdin.st since December 2005
Visitors from different countries since 26th of September 2011
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