Introduction to the Rainforest

First, I need to apologize for my lack of pictures. Unfortunately, the whole computer situation here is not so good and I honestly don't know when I will be able to upload some pictures. So I'll try to figure out a way, but no promises. I am taking them, though, and will be more than happy to share at some point! But to the good stuff...

Finally, my first look into the true natural beauty of Thailand. This past weekend, ISDSI took us on a retreat to Mok-Fah National Park. It is only about an hour outside of Chiang Mai, but allowed us to get a glimpse of the vast wilderness we will be trekking through later on in the semester. Some of the weekend was dedicated to a few crash courses on wilderness first aid, some time was set aside for group activities, but much of the weekend was reserved for rest and relaxation.

One morning, some local guides took us on a hike through the rainforest, which was fantastic because the guides would stop us every ten minutes or so to share their knowledge of the area. We tried a little nibble of an edible vine, we identified a poisonous tree, we saw how nearby villagers come to illegally harvest bamboo shoots, we learned how to determine if a mushroom is edible or not, we discovered all of the usable parts of a banana tree, and we slid down some steep muddy slopes in the process. It made me really excited to get out to the villages and witness how the villagers live off of the land.

The namesake of the park is an absolutely breathtaking waterfall. Following a trail alongside a river, about 10 minutes from our quaint bungalows, the stunning feature suddenly emerges out of the forest: 50 feet of vertical rock carved out from the landscape with columns of water falling down from over its edge and then surrounded by masses of green. The bottom of the fall forms this great pool which then flows down into the rocky river below. So immediately, I dropped my backpack, hopped in, and swam back behind the waterfall. Leaning against the slippery rock face, I looked out at the perpetually flowing curtain in front of me. I looked up to see the blur of rushing water, surrounded by solitary drops that ricocheted off of the wall. The roaring thunder of the water drowned out any other sound. And I found myself in an interesting dichotomy: witnessing the power of nature was both extremely exhilarating yet at the same time also blissfully serene.