Sunday at Erawan Falls

If the Mon Village wasn’t enough of an emotional day, Sakai decided we needed to go to Erawan National Park to see the Erawan Waterfalls, about an hour drive from Soi Yak. Really? Can’t we just lie here in the sun and swim in the river? Nope. I asked Sakai what I would need to bring for this hike. (Remember our last one???) He said I didn’t need anything, and that I was fine in flip flops. This wasn’t going to be a “hike” As usual the scenery was beautiful. Being Sunday, the park was very crowded. Being Sakai, we had to eat as soon as we got there because it had already been about 36 minutes since his last feeding. We had some amazing local food from a food stall and then we set off on our journey. 

There are 7 levels of waterfalls. The furthest one being 2000 meters. Straight up. We were looking for a spot at the third level. One that he had seen, but had never been to. At least I thought that’s what we were doing….As we began our ascent, I couldn’t help but think Holy Crap WTF with stairs in Thailand. They are EVERYWHERE and up in each direction! And they aren’t uniform. Each step is a different height. Anyway, I digress. We get to level 3, and Sakai says we are going to keep going a bit. Ok I think. It’s not that bad. After a bit the stairs are gone, the dirt path is gone, and we are climbing rocks. SERIOUSLY SAKAI!!!!! WTF! Then it starts getting slippery from the people who are heading back down from the other falls. So far I’ve seen four people wipe out. We keep climbing. He’s like a mountain goat, jumping over rocks. Keep in mind I’m in flip flops and he is in closed toe shoes. Thanks for that one! At one point, I stopped and told him I was DONE. I wasn’t playing his game anymore. He told me no. I was going. So on I went. After all, what are a few hundred more bruises and scratches on my body. Oh, and did I mention we weren’t allowed water? They don’t let you bring it in. WTF?! Finally we made it to the “end of the trail”. The 7th Waterfall. It was beautiful. And so refreshing to get in the water. We could sit up here and relax and let the fish eat the dead skin off our feet. It tickled once you got used to it. We were there about 15 minutes when Sakai said we had to go. That we had a time limit to get down as the park was closing. WHAT??? Go back down? Not happening. Not possible. Toooooo slippery. They better send a helicopter to get me. 

We begin our descent. I couldn’t wear my flip flops because now they are wet and making it way to slippery. I’m going to die. Why is he making me do this? It was supposed to be an easy walk to swim in some waterfalls. Fuck. I take off my shoes and go barefoot. Each rock is worse than the one before. People are wiping out everywhere. And Sakai is way ahead of me. At one point I completely wipe out. Now I’m bruised and covered in wet mud. So not happy. And he is no where to help me. Thankful for some nice Thai people who helped me up. I keep going. Climbing down wet slippery rocks. I’m covered in mud. Head to toe. And everything is wet. My bag is covered in mud too. So not happy. Finally, I see Sakai. He is waiting for me. He is laughing. I am so not laughing. My bare feet are hurting so badly from the jagged rocks and other crap. I fall again. This time, Sakai asks if I’m ok. I tell him to go away. He laughs. I tell him I serious. Go away. So he leaves. He goes away. Isn’t that what I told him to do? But I didn’t really want him to leave. I wanted help. But I was stubborn and wouldn’t ask or allow him to help. Finally we get down to the bottom. We stop at the last waterfall so I can wash off. We aren’t speaking. He is pissed at me. WTF? Why are you angry at me? I am the one who kept falling. Who was barefoot. We walk into the water and I fall again. This one cuts my shin. Shit it hurt. I yelled at him that I was fucking done. He looks at me and says, “This was all part of this day. You said goodbye and started a new beginning. And what do you do? YOU GO RIGHT BACK TO YOUR OLD WAYS!” 
Ouch. That hurt more than any of the falls. He was so right. I should have asked and/or allowed him to help me. But it is my knee jerk reaction to just do it alone. I have disappointed the one person who has done so much for me. Has shown me what I am able to do. That it’s ok to allow people to help me. That I don’t have to do it alone. I suck. Somehow, someway, I have to take all that I have learned here on this journey and actually apply it to my life as I move forward. I’m sure I will make mistakes. I will fail at times. But I promise I will try.