Getting to Khao Lak and TURTLE mania

We moved guesthouses for our last two days in Krabi, to one called Laughing Gecko run by a Canadian woman and her Thai husband. It was a little more rustic than where we had been, the bungalows were made like traditional Thai houses. All bamboo, more open so the air flows through.

Since we were much closer to the main strip in Ao Nang we walked down there, although it was absolutely scorching. That night we went to the bar down the street, called Hippie Bar, where they do a nightly fire show. We didn't go in but we watched from the street. There were about 8 guys performing with poi, staff, double staff and rope. It was interesting, but Hitoshi was better than almost all of them, so we weren't overly impressed.

The next day I asked one of the guesthouse owners where we could see turtles, as we were trying to plan where to head after Krabi. He was telling us where to find monkeys and catfish, and I was telling him that other than the fact that monkeys don't look remotely like turtles, we had already seen them. Finally he says that there is the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries division near by, and they have really huge fish and lots of clown fish little sharks. Oh, and by the way, turtles too. Ok, now we're getting somewhere. Obviously he just didn't understand my all encompassing obsession with turtles.

After all that we rent a motorbike and head out to see what goes on at the Ministry of Agriculture. We found it just as it had been described, a big gate with Thai flags flying and of course a picture of the King. There was also had a giant ceramic clown fish. At the front office they told us to drive around back, where we saw several large pools, with walkways so you can peer down into the water. The pools were maybe 100 by 200 feet, and not very deep since you can see the bottom. I thought, no way are there turtles in here, that would be way to easy, since I had been asking everyone and no one had mentioned this place before. Maybe some kind of turtle, but definitely not sea turtles.

I was proven wrong in all of ten seconds, when we walked out onto on of the walkways, and right below us there was a turtle! I think it was a hawksbill, since they have really beautiful shells and are smaller and this one was only about three feet long, but it might have been a green. Either way I was so excited!! Then another one swam by and I was of course reduced to giggling hysterics. One of them was eating and Hitoshi filmed it coming up for air.

We walked around and looked at all the tanks, at least half of them were filled with Nemo fish (hence the giant ceramic clown fish at the front gate). I did see a group of Gills and one Dorrie which was exciting. After looking at the tanks we walked around the rest of the large pools. A school group had come and a man was feeding some of these giant fish (at least five feet long and two feet around) who where jumping trying to catch the fish. Then the kids wandered off, and then we saw them, little turtle juniors! They were probably about a year old and only a little longer than a foot. And there were three or four of them, all swimming around. Soooo cute.

We must have stayed at that place a couple hours, mostly watching the turtles. After we went to the front office to ask where the best place to see turtles in the wild is. They said it was very hard, but near Khao Lak there was another Ministry of Agriculture that specialized in turtles (this ones specialty being, you guessed it, clown fish). We got a name and a phone number and that finalized that Khao Lak would be our next destination.

What a good day. We are now in Khao Lak which is just north of Phuket. We are staying at Puh Khao Lak resort, which is the nicest place that we have stayed in so far, if not the most interesting. I guess by nicest I mean cleanest.. And we have a pool, which is totally necessary since the beach is at least an 8 minute walk. The grounds are actually very nice, almost like a golf course with palm trees, and everything is spaced pretty far apart. I can't believe we are paying about $4 each more a night for such a huge leap in accomodations.


______________


I have realized that in this perfect man that I have met, I have found someone that enjoys doing things by himself even less than I do. I don't really mind in general, since I like doing things together, but I was feeling weary when my presence was requested at Muai Thai, a Thai kickboxing event. I kept telling him he would have more fun without me, since I hate any kind of fighting and wont even watch it on tv, but after he told me he would pay, we could leave whenever I wanted and I would get a super foot massage after, I agreed to go check it out.

Khao Lak is a pretty small place, so the boxing 'stadium' was pretty tiny. When we got there, the third fight of ten was starting. The first 6 fights were all young kids, mostly teenagers. I really don't have much to say about the whole thing, except I would advise bringing ear plugs since the announcer is screaming a lot and between fights they blare horrible dance music.

I did make it to the end of the last fight, mostly by watching other people in the crowd. I thought the best part was the band made up of little grandpa's playing traditional Thai instruments while the fight was going on. And right before the fight, the boxer guys do a sort of dance / ritual thing which was interesting to watch. I guess I'm glad I went, since I know it made Hitoshi happy and it is a part of Thai culture. But I don't expect I'll be attending anymore matches in the future. Tomorrow on to much more exciting things - turtles!!


______________


I don't think there is anyway to top today. It started with a good sleep in, since we didn't get back from Thai boxing until almost 1 am. The we had a great breakfast and hopped on the motorbike to head 35 km south to Thai Muang to find the Ministry of Agriculture, Sea Turtle Conservation. Off the main highway we headed into town and then drove a few minutes north along the beach, which was gorgeous and had not a soul in sight. Too bad we didn't bring bathing suites but we were on a mission anyway.

We found it without much trouble, and then went and signed in. A guy gave us guest badges and then walked us around to the back, where there were rows and rows of tanks, about 4 feet deep and 6 feet wide and 30 feet long. And they were FILLED WITH BABY TURTLES!!!! Hundreds of tiny adorable flapping little turtles. I spent the whole afternoon watching them and holding them and seeing them get their medicine and eat their lunch, and even having their baths (the guy gives their backs a little scrub so they don't grow algae). There were tiny tiny newborns and teenagers and even a few full grown ones. I think something was wrong with the big ones, because I read that they release them when the getting bigger. I can't believe Hitoshi managed to get me out of there after a couple of hours, I had to keep going back to say goodbye. I want to go back right now!! I want to work there and live there and take care of them all day.

The rest of the day was pretty rad too - consisting of swimming in the pool, buying a few things, eating yummy red snapper and getting a Thai massage (you can have a pretty sweet day in Thailand and still spend less than $25) - but all I'm going to be thinking about is how I spent the best day ever with my little turtle buddies.