…So That’s Where It Is.

About a week ago I was looking through some photos of the Khanom area that I’d taken some years ago, before I’d moved to Thailand. I noticed this one…

…and I thought “I have no idea where that is.”

You see, when I’m tootling – as I call it – I don’t often bother with a map or a GPS device, I just head down interesting-looking roads, which take me to more and more roads, usually getting narrower and narrower, until I finally decide to find a sign that will direct me back to where I started. My first trip to this area was much like that. So many small roads. So much to explore.

When I saw the above photo I hunted around on Google Maps to try to figure just where I’d been. No luck. And then a few days ago, while looking for images of Wat Suan Mokkh – the place I visited earlier this week – I found this photo on the web…

“That’s it” I thought. But it certainly isn’t Wat Suan Mokkh. Yet another misplaced Google Image – but no matter, because that took me to a web page that gave me the real name of the place. Wat Khao Suwan Pradit. And then I discovered it’s just twenty minutes up the road in Don Sak. Naturally, I had to go check it out.

So this morning I was out early, but definitely not bright.

Blame Lord Grantham. Last night I was watching an early episode of Downton Abbey, and when His Lordship poured himself a large scotch, the mirror neurons in my brain signalled – you should do that.

So I did.

I shouldn’t have.

In this weather drinking anything like liquor – that will help dehydrate you even further – is a really bad idea. I must try to remember that.

How hot is it? Well, the thermometer, which is sitting in the shade in my small walled back garden, hit 45°C yesterday, and is about to reach the same today. I think most people would agree that 25° is pleasant, 35° is too hot, and 45° is just plain silly. But it’s been hot and dry since the end of January, and I don’t see any change in the forecast.

On my way back from Wat Suan Mokkh I could see some storm clouds on the horizon, and I was getting excited thinking I might see rain for the first time in three months, but by the time I’d travelled another twenty or so kilometers the clouds had gone. Were they really there? Was I hallucinating? No idea.

So yes, early-ish, I headed up to Don Sak. The wat is on a hill – well, you can see that from the photos above – overlooking Don Sak’s harbor entrance, with views of all kinds of islands, large and small. An attractive location…

The wat is highly decorated and looked resplendent in the bright morning sun…

But the chedi/stupa is up a long long flight of steps.

I cheated.

There’s a small road that winds around the hill, and that was much easier to walk up than the steps, and was mostly in the shade.

Actually, I think I could have driven, but that would have been really cheating.


So, here’s what I found at the top…

Back at the main wat area, I found more of the small hobbit houses I’d seen at Wat Suan Mokkh which I assume are used by the resident monks. They sure have a nice view…

And after that I took a few photos at the bottom of the hill where I found out what it must be like to live in a small fishing village. Not such a pretty sight, but it’s all part of Thai life…