"When I was 30 miles from Myanmar..." Part 1: The Lodge

One 9 hour over-night bus ride, five hours of waiting at a bus station and another five hour van ride through the mountains (more like West Virginia-y foothills) I was dumped on the side of the road in Soppong, Thailand. A bit about that van ride: The Thais can’t drive. Not down a flat top road and certainly not on mountain roads. On thin, windy roads with 200-foot drop offs it is a terrible idea to pass while going around a blind curve. Speeds in excess of 80 mph are uncalled for while hugging the curves of the hills. Imagine being on a five hour roller coaster ride and you’ll have that van ride pictured perfectly. I spent the last three hours of it willing myself not to be sick. (I was stuck in the back of a crammed 13 person van with nothing to puke in, no less. It would not have been pretty.)

Located 30 miles south of the Burma border, Soppong is mostly a way station for tourist headed to the larger mountain town of Mae Hong Song. I arrived in Soppong just as the sun was going down. I stood across the street from the sign that said my lodge was 8k down the road. I walked to the only market area, found a stern looking woman and said “taxi.” We spent about a minute chatting to each other in our separate languages (where I tried to say ‘taxi’ in five different ways) before she picked up the phone and Poof! a man appeared with a motorbike. The ten-minute ride was one of the most beautiful motorbike rides I've ever had. The road sliced through the jungle forest and the chilly mountain mist was forming all around us. And so I arrived to heaven chilled, but feeling great.

Cave Lodge is owned by an Aussie named John who came to Thailand 30 years ago to do some jungle trekking. He fell in love with Thailand, his wife, his wife’s sister and the 200 some caves in the area. The lodge itself looks like it’s been around for 30 years with very few tweaks. Set up against a hill and raised up off the ground, the floorboards shift under your feet and have been patched in places. There is a huge fire pit dominating the center of the common area. There are tables, swings, a ping-pong table, a hammock and a lounge chair made of old tires. The dorms are worn but comfortable and there are bungalows that have been added over the years for those seeking more comfort. As I walked in I noticed the sign by the door that I will always regret never snapping a picture of. It said something like: “For New Years we are constructing a ten foot bamboo lady boy with explosive boobs and a firework stuffed cock which we will erect on the banks of the river then shoot with rockets out of our bamboo cannon. Then the party starts.” I felt at home instantly.

Dorms being cleaned

I arrived just in time for dinner and to meet all the trekkers coming back from their hikes. I was traveling alone but almost immediately I made friends with an Aussie (who was the only other person in the dorms with me) and an American couple who teach in Bangkok. The husband was sporting Rogue gear so I bonded with the two of them very quickly. The people I met were the friendliest I’ve encountered in Thailand. There was an older couple from Denmark, Arnie and Lotta, who didn’t look the wilderness type and I was impressed when they told me all they had accomplished in their trip to Thailand:

The sign says "Water for Fire." They've had some issues with fire.

“We spent so many years traveling to beaches and resorts,” Lotta explained, “that we decided it was time to do more. So we’ve been trekking and rafting and trekking and staying with tribes and exploring caves. But we are headed to the islands after this.”

There was a girl from Singapore who took longs walks every morning:

“I got here a week ago. I was suppose to be here two days but I just keep calling and cancelling all my other plans. Everyday I say ‘I will go today’ but I can’t leave.”

This seems to be a common occurrence. My friend Ben, the optimist lawyer from Texas who wants to change the world (and after talking to him I think he might actually do it) couldn’t remember how long he has been there, exactly. I thought he was actually an employee, since he was always in the kitchen and driving the car and serving food.

“I left, then came back, then left then came back…not sure how long it’s been.

The Lodge

 I spent days talking to these people. My first day was full of caves and spectacular hiking (or trekking, as they call it here). My second day was spent mostly in the hammock, reading John's book about 30 years on the Thai/Burma border during the glory days of the Golden Triangle. I walked along the river and watched John and Ben build the lady boy and took pictures of the villagers. You’ll have to forgive me for gushing about this place and these people, but frankly, I feel madly in love with all of it after my three days. I’ve never felt so good: relaxed, comfortable and adventurous. The atmosphere was beautiful, the staff felt like one big family and they treated you like you were apart of it, the villagers in the area were friendly and curious and I felt peaceful.

Bungalows

At one point while sitting in the hammock this ancient villager came up to me and started swinging my hammock for me. We couldn’t speak to each other but he just smiled at me and started to sway the hammock. He was covered in aged tattoos, which he showed me after he saw my one tattoo, and started laughing while using his hips to rock the hammock. He was so thin I was worried he’s break one of his hips. Then he just walked away.

I’ve been in Thailand almost three months and the only regret I have so far is that I had to leave. 

Building the lady boy