Khao Sok National Park

Khao Sok is on the way to Phuket, having heard wonderful things about it we have decided to stay here overnight. It is one of Thailand's best maintained national parks and is a tropical evergreen forest (it cannot be classed as rain forest as it has a dry season of a few months) with lots of impressive limestone cliffs. One of the main reasons for going to so we could be woken in our treetop hut by the sound of gibbons calling in the morning.

we got to see a lot of the park just from the bus arriving and leaving the next day. As we were staying only one night we did not have enough time to do a trip deep into the park. There are plenty of trails that can be done without a guide, most of these are closed now for the rainy season but two are still accessible and that's enough for the time we have.

so the first attack came whilst Greg was lugging our backpacks to our treetop hut, I had gone on ahead to open the door. we had already inspected the hut and it was very basic but had a mosquito net and a balcony overlooking the river. He had dismissed my claims of the attack as he really just wanted to get the bags sorted.

Maybe the tree top jungle hut is not a good idea as now Agh!!! the room has a really big big black spider, and its on the bed- its was as big as my hand. but I was really brave and I did not freak I asked that when we returned the bed be checked before I got into it. Spiders are really high on the list of things that scare me and this was a big one. So OK we have been here five minutes but all will be fine I am sure, we change into waterproof clothes and go for food and a drink and a look about, its quite late in the evening and its raining. We never did see that spider again- phew!!

So trekking the next day suitably attired in walking boots, long all weather trousers, a waterproof coat a hat and the hood of my coat pulled up over it- nothing is getting at me!! Its raining again but its not cold.

I don't know how long we had been walking before I felt the need to roll down my sock slightly- and yes there he was a nasty little leech looking to attach himself, and by no means was he the last! They were everywhere you could see them reaching for you from the path as you walked by them and before long we had both flicked many of them off ourselves. Again I must say i was doing quite well at this point i was a little squeamish about them and really did not like he idea of them but i was coping.

We met some locals at the end of the first trek and sat with them for a while. A rather large leech appeared on the floor between me and Greg we are not sure which of us it dropped off (shudder) but the locals had a good time chopping it u with this huge knife that appeared from nowhere!!

Although it is raining neither of us are dry the waterproofs are not suited to the humidity of the park and we are both drenched with sweat, but the is not sweat rolling down my arm although I tell myself it is at first I cant help but have a look and as I take my coat off the sleeve of my top is soaking through with blood and the little bugger is still in my sleeve. This time a bit of panic starts to set in- how the hell did it get there??? and as I now have it caught up in my sleeve I find I am frozen in place- if I move it might roll away and get lodged somewhere else about my person. Eventually Greg does get me to get it out and this one was burnt in the lid of a pop bottle.

OK so panic over we continue on our way and start the second walk, oh my god there is something slimy on the back of my leg and this time it is an all out screeching and leg shaking freak out!! Its funny now but that slimy feeling was just the last straw. The leech was actually long gone what I had felt was a huge globule of blood welling up where it had been and soaking into my trousers.

Whilst we were inspecting my leg a couple came skipping (not really that's for effect!) round the corner in shorts and trainers and an umbrella, they didn't stop to wonder what we were doing and carried on their way. As we set out again I do remember wondering if they had it right being dressed like that at least you would be able to see them better if they were on you.

As we rounded the corner the girl was having an almighty screaming fit and stamping around wildly. The leech in question was not even on her it was on her shoe! Oh how much better do I feel about my own little (much littler!) fit now! We did stand and watch for a while :)

we never did see that couple again they didn't catch us up and on the return there was no sign of them we think they fled the park!!

I was aware of another one by my knee but I know I cannot roll my trousers that high, I will soldier on!!

Once back at the hut we both stood on the balcony and stripped there were a couple of fat leeches that fell to the ground and we checked for any more (one of them had got me on the bum!!). Those that were trying to wiggle their now fat little bodies to safety were squished with the boots, bright red blood would spurt out but the little sods wouldn't die they would just be gone when we next looked.

Greg did admit he hadn't believed me the first time I said I had been attacked- when we were getting the bags to the room! Ha!!

The wounds bled on and off for about 12 hrs, when the scabs did eventually form they were so fragile that the slightest knock would send the blood pouring out again. It was about 3 weeks before the little bumps went.

It was a relief go get the bus! Of the gibbons there had been no sound I think we may have been mislead and they didn' t hang in our part of the forest anymore!