sickness & serenity in doi inthanon

It was our first waterfall of the day. As I watched the rushing water power through a maze of rocks, I felt an ominous rumbling in my stomach. That’s right - a few hours before this serene snapshot, I was struggling in a nature park bathroom with mild food poisoning.

Luckily, all cleared before our two-hour hike that afternoon (can you imagine how relieved I was?!). Our guide taught us how to mimic a bird’s mating call by sucking in air through a small, folded leaf placed between our lips. With our breathing transformed into bird songs, we meandered on through the forest. Our hike led us to two more stunning waterfalls, then onto open clearings of perfectly squiggly rice paddies and sunny marigold fields.

We came upon two buffalos nonchalantly observing us as they ate their lunch, as well as horrifyingly gigantic multi-colored spiders that could have easily eaten me for lunch. We ended at a coffee plantation, where over decades farmers have replaced opium poppies with coffee beans. The best cup of coffee I’ve had all year was complemented by the sweet-sour of a fresh passion fruit, the first one I’ve ever eaten.

Traveling has its yins and yangs. The food poisoning and the delicious Khao Soi. The squatty toilets and the authentic spots that house them. The unbearable humidity and the stunning sights rewarded by venturing outside of A/C. A fleeting moment of doubt, overruled by the comforting knowledge that I am exactly where I need to be.