Pong Nam Ron River Rafting Trip

Pong Nam Ron River Rafting Trip

September 1st and 2nd

Wow, what a great trip we just had. Holy cow, I'm tired as I type this...but I have a busy week ahead, so I doubt I'll have much time unless I get it done now.

One of my coworkers, Khun Gade, organized a trip for us ISE teachers to go to Pong Nam Ron for a river rafting trip. It's over three hours from Pattaya to get there, heading mostly east, then north. (And I got to find out the score to the Husky game. Woohoo! 42-12 UW over Syracuse! Go Huskies!) It's pretty close to the Cambodian border, actually. So we headed out Saturday morning, stopped for lunch along the way, then got to the resort where we hung around for a bit before going rafting. Then back home for showers and dinner followed by Karaoke. (No, you won't have to suffer through video of me singing...I kept the camera in my pockets so Devin couldn't video while I...attempted...to sing an Eagles song.) Sunday morning we had a nice breakfast, then headed to a border market near Cambodia, followed by a stop on Chantaburi at a gem market, then home. Check out the pictures below. It was a lot of fun. I've got some video of the rafting trip, and will post it when I get it edited a bit.

Click on the images to make them larger.


The crew in the van Saturday morning.	David riding in style.	A tour bus passing us in the freeway. They all have colorful graphics.	Khun Gade, our guide for the weekend, and the driver of our van, Khun Nu.


A bus in Chantaburi.	The food line for lunch at a market in Chantaburi.	David lounging on a chair at the lunch stop.	A colorful sign telling us gents where to pee.


David crossing the suspension bridge over the river at our resort, Phakayukumpuch Resort.	All of us getting a briefing before the river rafting.	Devin and David all ready to go!	A large hornet/bee nest above the river. They were huge! (The nest and the insects.)


One of the dams we had to portage. The guides actually ran this drop without us. I have it on video...	David taking a turn with the oar.	A house along the river.	I loved this tree. Devin things I'm weird for my "nature" photographs...

One of the other rafts.	The other portage over a dam. This one was too narrow to run. The third dam we all ran...I've got video...	One of the other boats.	The luxury ride home. (Water on the lens...so it's a bit fuzzy.)


The front lawn in front of our rooms at the resort.	David after dinner.	The big group picture before leaving.	One of the border crossings. Technically, I don't think we ever left Thailand, but we had to stop a few times. On the way back through at one stop, the army guards actually opened the van door and said hello to all of us.


The border market.	David checking out the toys at the market.	A huge pile of peppers. I should have gotten closer for a better picture.	It's gotta be the shoes. (Well, except they didn't have any in my size...)


Devin and David in front of me in one of the tents. I had to duck each time I walked under a line of clothes.	The "drainage" ditch around the tent, to keep water out.	Kids playing video games in the back of one of the shops...it looked like a vintage game...maybe 15 years old...or more...	A John Deere store with some very nice looking new tractors. I should have asked the price...


One of the border crossings...they were carrying big guns and knives...but they were nice.	The lunch line on the ride home...I had green curry...a bit spicy, but good.	Some "puffer fish" lamps to hang from the ceiling.	Cutting some gemstones. (I took this picture for you mom!)


Another colorful sign telling us gents where we could pee.	David sitting on the swinging bench.	And David crashed out on the drive home.