After moving in and unpacking, we walk back to the restaurant to fill out some check-in paperwork. We are shown the tour menu, which is the back half of the food menu. We are surprised to have a tour menu placed in front of us. “Here’s your room now what tours are you going on?” Rather quick and to the point if tours are what you’re after. They seem surprised that we’re not interested in booking tours.
Maybe another time. For now, we’re just interested in relaxing.
We walk the road towards the entrance to Khao Sok National Park. We enjoy the flowers in front of the restaurants and bungalow resorts. We check out menus. There are a lot of restaurants, bungalow resorts, and tour booking agents along the road. Quite a tourist oriented strip with a lot of tourists like us out and about.
We stop by the minimart to get some insect repellant. This is an essential we neglected to bring with us. Brands here have quite a lot of DEET in them. 50% DEET = plastic melting strength.
We chat with a German couple outside the store. They are also staying at Our Jungle Huts and today hiked some of the trails in the park. They have a map of the park. A map of the park is a good idea since we’re not hiring a guide.
Eventually we make it to the park entrance. The rangers there provide us with a map and information for the morrow.
On the way back, we stop at a stall by the bridge over the river. They have satay. We try some and it’s very good. The flavor of Thai satay is quite different from Malaysian. The Thai satay has undertones of honey and something savory like soy sauce. Malaysian is more spicy.
Now for some dinner. We cross the bridge and look at the menu at Baan Rimnam Resort’s restaurant. The restaurant is back from the street. There’s no one in it. We ask a couple sitting in a garden swing if it’s open. They say yes. Maybe they are the owners. Seems like the lady gives instructions in Thai to the staff throughout the evening.
We go in, which means just going up the stairs because, like most restaurants here, the seating area is open to the outside. The restaurant is decorated with old television sets. Even the fish tank has TV parts set around it. Looks like just the Nature channel is showing tonight. Lori orders some pad thai and I have some chicken cashew nut. Baan Rimnam’s cashew nut sauce has pineapple in it. Tasty.
We walk back to our hut in the dark. We somewhat drape our mosquito netting over us as the circular hanger doesn’t quite extend the netting out to the edge of the bed.
The jungle insects are loud. Jungle sounds for a lullaby?
