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Hiking
in Thailand — Gasp! - by Malik
In 1999 I spent 30 days in Thailand. The local currency (baht)
was down, affording me an opportunity to stay in good hotels.
Getting around was a breeze, a variety of means were available
at any time of the day or night: buses, coaches, rickshaws (tuk-tuk),
trains, boats and planes.
Thailand has a bit of everything; golden shrines, majestic ruins,
rain forests and palm-fringed beaches. One can spend all day
sipping cool and fresh coconut juice in a long tailed boat,
floating lazily on the Mekong River. On the other hand you can
join an action packed tour, involving elephant trekking, horse
riding, canoeing, mountain biking and adventure safari's.
The Worst Times Make the Best Times
By far the best (or worst) experience I had, was trekking in
the north. Over estimating my physical condition and underestimating
the age factor, I joined a group, mostly girls from USA and
Australia. Initially, it was fun to rub shoulders with young
ones and be among heaving busts. Soon the truth dawned on me.
I was no match for them.
The trail snaked through dense jungle in a steep rise and fall.
The rainy season had made the path slippery and dangerous. There
were deep river valleys, waterfalls and caves. There were swarms
of mosquitoes, bees and insects, leaving swollen red hot marks
on white thighs and bare shoulders. It required the skill of
a tight rope walker, the stamina of a commando, and an ability
to adapt to unusual situations, to keep moving on in one piece.
Soon I was exhausted and stayed behind. I lost concentration
and had blurred vision. Was it the altitude or the end of my
endurance? My heart was pumping heavily, my throat went dry
and my lower jaw moved uncontrollably. I barely managed to grab
a tree, rotated myself a little and rested my back on it. I
couldn't stand still for long and fell on my butt. I tried to
shout to draw the attention of the tour guide, but it seemed
I was speechless as well as breathless. The end was in sight.
I thought of those things which I had done but shouldn't have,
and of those I've not done, which I should've. I planned what
I would do, if I survived. Realizing how powerless a man can
become, I uttered Allaho-Akberö — God is great.
Hugs and Kisses
Luckily, the trek guide found me and gave me a helping hand,
to reach stop number one. A grand welcome was in store for me,
many hugged and kissed me out of sheer sincerity and concern.
A mug of hot coffee was passed on to me, followed by traditional
Thai massage by a villager, rekindling my desire to continue
on. Clare, an English girl backed me up. The hike involved fifteen
hours of trekking, ten miles of bamboo rafting in a wild river
and three miles of unruly elephant ride. It lasted for three
days in all. I must say I only made it, because I was either
pushed or pulled by the guide or the trekkers.
Hafeez ur Rahman Malik, Karachi-Pakistan.
Submitted: 28 September 2002 |
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Malik - Pakistan
Travel tale author |
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