After a month in the islands we ventured into the rainforest to Khao Sok. The journey there was slightly terrifying. Our minibus drove way over the speed limit and overtaking people on corners near cliffs that would make me nervous. But we made it there safe and sound, and it was definitely worth the trip.

Our hotel, The Montania, was surrounded by beautiful cliffs streams and thick green trees. We stayed in a cute woodland cabin and our porch became our little home base for arts, crafts, reading and plans for the future. I actually finished two whole books during our stay.

One of the highlights was a boat trip to Cheow Lan Lake. The lake is man made, created when the rainforest was flooded, and the landscape honestly looks like nowhere else you’ve ever seen. We spent time cruising around just admiring the views on the boat before heading into the forest for a hike. Our guide told us all about the local wildlife and plants, and then we explored a cave filled with critters and bats. I was very brave (as many people know I have a deep seated phobia of rabies). As we were leaving, our guide casually mentioned that the cave was next to the one where the Thai football team got trapped for days. I’m glad he waited until after we’d left to tell us that.

After a really good lunch we swam and kayaked on the lake. It was like a dream.

We loved the little area we were staying in. There was a very cheap laundry place next door, a great lunch spot, and the hotel staff were so lovely. Every afternoon they brought us tea, they had the cutest hotel cat (often dressed like different Disney princesses) and they even gave us Thai t-shirts as gifts when we checked out.

Bryson and I had an ongoing disagreement about whether noodles are an acceptable breakfast food. I happily ate everything from curry to spaghetti bolognese in the mornings, while Bryson stuck to banana pancakes and French toast.

Bryson’s number one mission was to see a monkey, and we were very successful. We spotted several during one of our many walks through the rainforest. Sadly no wild elephants, even though there were signs everywhere warning us about them, but the monkeys made up for it. And funnily enough, just as we were leaving the rainforest, we saw another monkey right in town.

All in all it was a very beautiful trip to a place that felt like it was from a different world.