The mere mention of travel often fills our hearts with excitement, especially when we see stunning images from various destinations. This desire to explore has driven us to embark on countless journeys over the years, capturing memories through photographs like countless others. However, on numerous occasions, we have opted to join groups dedicated to environmental conservation efforts. As a result, our recent trips have frequently incorporated activities that benefit nature. These experiences have allowed us to combine travel with meaningful contributions, creating a unique and fulfilling form of enjoyment.

"We believe we have found our path."
"Volunteer travel just wants people to get more out of their travels than just sightseeing."

The day of the trip, many people were ready, but many others seemed not so much. Some people disappeared from the group chat because they were very busy with work. But before the meeting time, there was a little chaos because one member had an urgent work commitment. It was a trip that filled up very quickly when it was posted, but there was a lot of chaos until the day of the trip. Then, in the afternoon, just a few hours before the meeting time, an angel agreed to join our trip willingly. I don't know if we tricked her or if she was just easygoing. Haha. Haha. Haha.

The members and the van were ready by 9 pm. It was time for us to depart from Big C Saphan Khwai, where we had arranged to meet. After the last member boarded at Nonthaburi, the van sped off, and we gradually drifted off to sleep one by one. We encountered some light rain along the way. At 3 am, we were awakened and asked to disembark at Tak Market to buy breakfast and lunch. The rain was still drizzling. We groggily stepped off the van and were greeted by a wide variety of sticky rice and pork dishes at the shop. Our eyes lit up, and we eagerly placed our orders.

From here, we had to take a car to Thung Krasae Subdistrict Municipality. We slept on the bus until almost 5 am, then we got off and prepared our things, took a shower, got dressed, and waited for another group from Tak. We divided the seeds and got our slingshots, and we were ready to go.

We took a 15-minute ride from the municipality to the starting point of our hike. From there, we had to walk 11 kilometers on our own. It took us a while to get started, as we were still enjoying taking group photos and had plenty of energy. We continued to walk in a group, as the path was not too steep at this point.

Despite the lack of leeches, as many had mentioned, we were fully equipped with hiking gear. As the temperature rose and the wind remained absent, some individuals began removing their equipment. We continued our trek, taking breaks as needed, until we reached the first rest stop. While some members of the group were still energetic, others began to lag behind. We continued to encourage one another, maintaining our smiles despite the intermittent breaks. After regaining our strength, we resumed our journey.

The path ahead of us began to get steeper, and we started to walk one step at a time, stopping for a second after each step. Many people began to breathe heavily, their faces flushed and sweaty. However, we continued to walk together in a group, sipping water along the way. Some people even asked to eat rice before the others, and we didn't mind because everyone's condition was different. After walking for a while, the officers and porters told us that we could start planting seeds at this point.

When we were shooting, we just prayed and told the mahogany seeds, "Grow, sprout." (What kind of crazy person talks to mahogany seeds? 555) Many people were shooting until they started to get the hang of it and seemed to be enjoying using the slingshot. Even though they were a little worried beforehand about whether it would hit their face, we secretly saw several people get hit on the hand by the rubber band, and some even shot the trees. How accurate can they be? And we were shooting so much fun that we forgot about being afraid of the cows earlier. The cows must have been so happy that they even lay down to watch.

After walking for a while, we stopped for lunch. We ate the sticky rice with pork that we had bought at 3 am. After we were full, we continued walking. By now, our group had started to split up into several smaller groups. Those who walked faster and had more energy tended to walk ahead and wait for the others. Those who walked slower continued to walk at their own pace, as the path was relatively clear and there was one staff member walking behind the group.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

May is someone who needs to walk at her own pace, but she is not the fastest in the group, nor is she too slow. Many times she will try to tell everyone that those who walk fast can overtake her, and those who walk slowly can follow her. And there are many times when she walks and stops to take pictures, and when she looks at the people in front of her again, they are far away. She tries to catch up, but she can't. But when she stops to wait for the people behind her, it takes a long time for them to arrive. On this trip, May was stuck on the ridge of the knife, the ridge of the sword, or the windy ridge. They are different names but the same place. There are two paths to walk here. The path above is a bit narrow, but it is not scary and the view is better. May walked this way. The other path is below, along the ridge of the mountain.

After a while, people started following from behind. May continued walking and tried to speed up to catch up with the person in front. She managed to catch up with the group, but eventually slowed down again. She stopped to wait for the group behind and took some photos. After passing through the bamboo forest, the forest seemed denser than before, with many strange-looking trees, both large and small. When she heard that they had reached the first pine tree, her energy returned.

This steep section is another challenging point. We walked slowly, heads down, taking one step at a time until we reached flat ground. Those who arrived earlier rested first, and many seemed hungry. Whatever was offered to them was quickly devoured, even raw quail. They enjoyed it immensely. The rest of the group gradually arrived, and after resting and regaining their energy, they continued on the flat path. From this point on, everyone seemed to be walking leisurely, like true masters of the flat terrain.

The second stop was another perfect spot to shoot the Makha seeds. The view was breathtaking, with unobstructed views of the distant mountains and the peak of Doi Luang Tak, which still seemed far away. After resting and taking some fun photos, we didn't forget the task we had come to do. The slingshot was picked up again, like a village headman's daughter who always carries one with her.

After some practice, we became more comfortable with the slingshots. We couldn't stop shooting, firing them individually, in teams, and all together as a group. The intense sun was no match for our focus on the slingshots. We had fun, but we were also serious, hoping that our efforts would blossom into a large forest, covering the hills and mountains with a vast expanse of green.

We planted the seeds we were carrying, one bag per person, until all the bags were empty. Our arms were sore, but no one complained. The only question was, "Do we have to walk any further?" Many people had already walked ahead. I walked behind them, following them through the banana grove, the most frightening part of this mountain. The first time I came here four years ago, we walked up another path, and this path would be the one we would walk down. I remember the park ranger just saying, "When you get to this banana grove, just run." Believe it or not, the six of us were able to run after each other without anyone falling for less than a minute. But the leeches stuck to our feet like crazy. All we could do was scream the whole way.

The legendary banana grove is no longer a haven from slugs, as the recent fire has decimated the banana trees. It seems preferable to endure the slugs than to witness the demise of the banana grove. The campsite is not far from this location, but May encounters Jade, who is at a standstill, claiming to be unable to find the way and unable to keep up with the group ahead. May takes the lead, guiding Jade to the campsite, completing a six-hour journey to reach their destination.

After setting up our tents and organizing our belongings, we hiked up to the viewpoint to watch the sunset. Despite the uphill climb, everyone felt comfortable without the weight of their backpacks. The view was worth the effort, with clear skies and stunning scenery, even though occasional patches of fog drifted by.

Dense fog, when hit by the evening sunlight, was a sight to behold. Our conversation, which covered a wide range of topics, was filled with laughter. We admired the beauty and took deep breaths of fresh air, filling our lungs with its purity. As the last light faded from the horizon, we saw stars in the sky and stars on the ground (the lights of Tak city).

The night after dinner, many people were tired and went to sleep early. Those who still had energy sat and talked until midnight. The weather was quite hot, so we opened the tent to sleep. After May had been asleep for a while, she heard the sound of rain getting louder and louder. However, she didn't get up to look. Then she heard Aon say that rain was coming into the tent. We tried to help close the tent, but Cake, who was sleeping at the entrance, was in the way. Cake then woke up groggily and tried to close the tent, yanking it and complaining, "Who closed the tent?" Aon replied softly from behind, "It was me." Finally, we managed to close the tent successfully. We checked the time and it was 2:30 AM.

We dispersed to our sleeping bags to continue sleeping. The sound of the rain had subsided, but it was replaced by the sound of conversation, interspersed with the flickering of flashlights and the sound of gas being turned on as if someone was preparing something. The conversation continued loudly, showing no signs of quieting down even when someone said, "I have to walk down tomorrow, please be quiet." Another voice replied, "Well, you guys were loud too. It's past midnight before you go to sleep. Let's just take turns for half the night." May slept fitfully, but the sound of conversation continued until morning.

The morning light began to break at 6 am. We quickly got dressed and left our tents, heading back to the viewpoint. The rain from the previous night had brought in a thick fog that drifted with the wind, swirling around us from left to right, front to back. Despite the swirling mist, we were confident we wouldn't get lost. Our brightly colored shirts, as if planned beforehand, stood out against the landscape. Each of us found our own space, soaking in the beauty of the morning on the refreshing mountaintop. The drowsiness and sleepiness of the night vanished in that moment.

Some choose to immerse themselves in what they see with their naked eyes, while others choose to look through the lens of a camera or phone, capturing what they can to the fullest. Some post on Facebook, while others send it to those who couldn't see what we see now, showing them how beautiful nature is and how it's worth the effort.

The intricate arrangement of mountains, partially obscured by mist, created a scene reminiscent of a fairytale. As the sun grew stronger, we gradually descended back to our camp, had breakfast, packed our belongings, and folded our tents. We divided the communal supplies among the porters, just as we had done upon arrival. We retraced our steps, with many others having already moved ahead. Our group, however, lingered to savor the breathtaking views, making us the last to depart.

After that, we walked with very few breaks, except for a lunch break at noon where only 10 of us were able to eat instant noodles. The people before us went hungry. But after that, we walked straight to the point where the car picked us up, with the only motivation being the promise of cold soda. But the closer we got, the hotter it became, and the wind died down completely. When we arrived, it started to rain heavily and continued to rain all the way until we almost reached Rangsit. So, who asked for rain? Who said that you never encounter rain when you go hiking during the rainy season?

Not just the destination

Though we didn't hike up and down like the first time we visited, and P'Ae said this was the most challenging ascent and descent, the view from above remained as stunning as ever. We witnessed sights we had never seen before, like a circular rainbow with our shadows within it. We encountered unfamiliar flowers and blades of grass. We enjoyed a meal that felt less like eating (a bit too little) amidst nature and surrounded by strangers we didn't know.

However, many things have changed. The area where we pitched our tents has become wider and more open, with no trees growing there anymore. It is still unclear how many tourists are allowed to visit the area. There is a permanent kitchen-like shed, plastic bottles left behind for future water collection (both new and old), and a pit filled with garbage, including non-biodegradable items. The remaining waste was burned, even though we had informed the authorities that we would take our garbage with us.

Is there anything else I can help you with?

We are serious about the activities we do. We are fully committed to what we set out to do, even if the results may seem awkward or playful at times. We just want to make it fun, because if we enjoy it, we will do it well.

Notes:

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When we gather together, we immediately start talking. We can do it as soon as the photographer tells us to. One thing is for sure, we always have laughter together. We even started to think, do we really not know each other? We brought crazy people together. Especially the three of us (May, Jade, Aon), we are crazy enough, we are crazy enough. We still walk close to each other. No one stops anyone. We just follow each other.

This trip was full of surprises, especially with Tum. After two previous trips where she seemed more reserved, this time she was completely different - a total goofball! Is this her true self?

Jea Po, who had maintained a serious demeanor throughout, surprised everyone with her silly jokes about two baht and the van seat covers.

Yook, the petite girl with a tough exterior, proved to be incredibly resilient. Eve, on her first camping trip, was well-equipped thanks to her older sibling. Many others contributed to the overall enjoyment of the trip.

Let's go together again.

Thank you for the additional images.

Worapot Juntaranil

Turtle Goh, the disciplined protector of the forest

Pinky Yuri

Cakeio Cake

This phrase appears to be a brand name or product name. Without further context, it is difficult to provide a more specific translation.

Here are some possible interpretations:

• Cakeio Cake: This could be the name of a specific type of cake, such as a "Cakeio" brand cake.
• Cakeio's Cake: This could be the name of a cake made by a company called "Cakeio."
• Cakeio Cake Company: This could be the name of a company that makes cakes.

Without additional information, it is impossible to say for sure what the intended meaning of this phrase is.

You are welcome.

Nichaphat Pakanan

Translation:

Aon Aon

Wirot A Chanrit