Welcome to the Jungle...

We have officially arrived and are settling in at Sakaerat Environmental Research Station in Northeast Thailand. The trip here took about 4 hours from Bangkok, with all of us traveling in a mid-sized SUV fully loaded down with gear. Our crew consists of four volunteers along with Sheila (our boss) and Taksin, the station manager at Sakaerat… who drove us to the station. Taksin is a very nice guy, always smiling, and he speaks English quite well thankfully.

Taksin loading up the SUV

We met at the “Meeting Point” in the Bangkok airport, and then headed out to the car to squeeze in all of our bags (we all brought a LOT of stuff) and then piled in for the long car ride to the station. 

"The Meeting Point"

The car ride there we got to know each other a little better, and then spent a decent chunk of the ride silently reflecting while watching the countryside pass by. There’s something special about looking out the window while in a foreign country… watching the occasional roadside vendors selling random meats or tiny knick-knacks and military-style trucks whiz by. The four of us each represent a different state… Mike is from New Jersey, Francesca is from Wisconsin, and Sara is from Massachusetts. Each of us has at least some experience in a foreign country, so we should all be able to handle a little time in the jungle. 

Beer truck

In fact, the jungle could more accurately be described as a Dipterocarp forest.. which means it is dry part of the year, and then receives a bunch of precipitation at one time. That’s what we’re here for… the rain, and the frogs that use that rain to time their reproduction.

Our home for the next four months

When we arrived at the station, we drove the winding road through the forest and then arrived at our research station. As was described by a previous field tech… "it really is pretty posh!" Our room (Mike and mine) is downstairs, while Sheila has a room upstairs and so do the girls. One of the ponds we’ll be studying is right behind our house and the other one is just a bit up the road. 

Resident Gecko

That evening we went up to the dining area of the station and had dinner with Taksin and some other volunteers that have been here since February working on a project tracking King Cobras. They welcomed us to Sakaerat and told us some stuff about which snakes to watch out for while we were working in the ponds. In addition to trying lots of new foods… we drank out of recycled coke cans, which was pretty neat.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The Sakaerat Environmental Research Station has been in existence since 1967, and it is a government funded research station. Sakaerat is the only research station in Thailand that welcomes school groups to come and learn about their natural habitat. This is mostly due to Taksin and his attitude towards the importance of education, which is really commendable. That being said, there were tons of little kids running around while were eating. Their artwork decorates almost every empty space in the dining room, including the ceiling. 

"We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children"

After dinner, we headed home to bed… and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out! We were warned to make sure to check under our bed before we settled down.. for scorpions, centipedes, or any other lovely creepy crawly that might be hanging out. So we did that, saw nothing and promptly launched into dreamland.

Our room... it's much dirtier now

The next morning after breakfast we got a more thorough tour from Sheila of the station and learned a  bit more of its history, as well as the different species we were likely to encounter.

A few of the critters at Sakaerat

 We then spent the rest of the day shopping at what can be best described as an Asian costco, gathering up the food and supplies we’d need to be comfortable and well fed for the next month. We also rented a truck there for getting around, and each of us got to practice driving on the opposite side of the road for a bit. The steering wheel is on the right side of the car which is probably the hardest part to get used to… especially when you’re backing up and go to look over your right shoulder.

Buying in Bulk, Asian-style

We had lunch at a sushi place in The Mall (It’s literally called “The Mall”) in Khorat, which is the nearest big city… about an hour away. There is also a closer town called Pak Thong Chai, which is about 20 minutes away, where we can get most of the little things we need. That’s where we bought the meats and other things that would spoil on the long ride back from Khorat. In addition to the food and renting the truck, we picked up 10 aquariums for housing frogs as part of Sheila’s research. That meant we got to go to a Thai fish store, which meant lots of pictures... of course.

Stingrays for sale

Coming back, we unloaded all of our purchases… had dinner, and then headed up to the dining area of the main station to get on the internet for the first time since arriving. I tried to get this blog published then, but due to the slow speeds… which are also hindering me right now, I had to stop half-way through to head out into the field for the first time! I was pretty excited. 

Crikey! Got a wild one here

This was a really cool learning experience, and only the first of many trips to this little pond that we would soon become very familiar with. The trip down the trail was short, only about a minute or two… but we took our time, slowly scanning the trees for pit vipers that might be hanging out waiting for something warm to pass by. When we got down, Sheila spotted a tree frog right away… and grabbed it so that we could observe it closer. This particular frog was one of the larger treefrogs that we can expect to see commonly... but not the particular species that Sheila is focused on studying.

Polypedates leucomystax or "Polly"

The species that Sheila is studying is known as Chiromantis hansanae and it’s very small... about 2.5 cm. We didn’t see any that night, but we did hear a couple males calling. The pond is very low, so they are probably still wandering around throughout the forest… waiting for the rains to come so the time will be right to lay their eggs.

A millipede found by the pond

Sheila and I walked around through the pond and practiced searching the pond grasses for egg clutches, looking up, down, and under to make sure we covered every angle. Although we didn’t see many frogs, there were tons of big spiders around which was pretty neat to see. We even caught a glimpse of one spider eating another spider, wicked stuff!

These guys are everywhere!

 We completed our survey of the pond in about an hour and a half, which was a bit quick considering we didn’t really have many clutches to look for… we were just getting familiar with the territory. She pointed out a few juvenile katydids that would also be involved in the study, as the adults have been shown to prey on hansanae egg clutches. We also saw a Checkered Keelback snake along the banks slither into its hole, which was pretty neat. This is one of the many species that we will encounter frequently around the ponds.

Checkered Keelback - One of the numerous snakes around

After the survey I slept excellently again, all that tromping through the ponds wore me out! Today we spent the morning setting up the shed where Sheila will house some of the frogs for experiments, and learning more about the experiments themselves. A lot of time was spent cleaning out aquariums, which was something I got plenty of experience with at the zoo, so I felt right at home. 

Setting up the lab for frogs

We took a break for lunch and then rested for a little while and I seized this opportunity to set up my hammock and catch some extra Zzz’s since I knew I’d be up working on this blog later. All in the name of science!

Hammocks are good for the soul

 After our nap we took a trip up to the Upper Dam Pond, which is the other site that we will be surveying… to check on the water levels and generally familiarize ourselves with the area. The trip up there was a bit longer… it would take about 5 minutes by vehicle, but still pretty close. The water level here was also low, but there was at least some water.

By the end of the season... all the grass will be underwater

 We went down to the water’s edge and observed a few species of tadpoles. Sheila explained the different species, and how they have adapted different survival strategies. Then we headed back down to our house to practice riding around on the scooter a bit!

Learning about tadpoles

This was definitely a first for me… I have riden a bike many times, but never a motorized one. It came pretty quickly though, just had to get the hang of applying the gas at a steady rate and I was off! A bit jerky of a ride, and I still don’t quite have turning mastered… but I know a lot more than I did before, and the rest will come with practice. It’s really not too hard… but I will be very careful Mom, I promise!

Like riding a bike...

Speaking of Mom, I would like this opportunity to officially wish her a Happy Birthday! And to the rest of you, have a goodnight (or good morning)... be on the lookout for pictures to come soon. Peace Out!

Wat is happening...

Wat's up?! Today is our second full day in Bangkok and we've already done a bunch and seen some awesome Wats or temples. We're calling it an early night tonight thanks to a combo of exhaustion and waking up early tomorrow to head to Ayutthaya, the original capital of Thailand. This blog post is long over due... and I attempted to write one yesterday when we were taking a break to recharge our batteries (literally- camera battery died earlier because I was snapping pics like crazy) so I figured I'd post something about the day so far. I started the post then, and then ended up taking a much needed nap and never finished. So let me begin/resume by telling you all about our day yesterday! It began excellently, and early. We woke up around 7:30 and snagged our free complimentary breakfast from downstairs. It was awesome and hand prepared for us on the spot!

Starting the day deliciously!

After breakfast we got a map of the nearby area from the hostel employees and practiced saying "Thank you" in Thai. Then we started gearing up to head out and explore Bangkok! The plan was to hit up Grand Palace and Wat Pho, as well as possibly more depending on how the day played out. We wore zip off pants so that we could be comfortable in shorts while walking around, and then easily zip into pants before entering the temples... as this is a mandatory sign of respect.

Ready to go exploring!

But before we made it any of those cool places, we had to navigate our little neighborhood! The streets near us are small and windy, and you never know what you'll see around the corner... maybe a bike, a scooter, a car, a stray dog, or a food vendor... all can be found in the streets. The smells are a sensory overload as well... varying from very foul canal water filled with trash, to the overpowering scents of the various different types of meats and spices being cooked by the street vendors. Who nose what you'll smell next?

Who's up for a swim?

I let Mike take the map and lead the way, because I was constantly reaching for my camera and stopping to take pictures making me practically useless as a navigator. I probably could have snagged pictures of those little streets and alley ways for hours... it was all very different from anywhere else I've ever been.

Mike leads the way

After passing a series of different parked scooters, stray dogs, and walking across a small canal... we chanced upon a small park by the river that held an old fort and a small temple. Lots more pictures were taken!

Never a dull moment on the street

 We later discovered on our walk back home that the fort was built as a request from one of the many Ramas or kings of Thailand. Can't recall at this point whether it was ever actually used.

Fort near our hostel

Then we discovered the river! We knew it was nearby when we booked the hostel, but this was our first actual glimpse of it. It was pretty dirty too, but thanks to the fact that there was a lot more water and it was moving... it wasn't as trashy as that little canal. Kind of frightening that people just throw their trash into the rivers here.

Water, water, everywhere... 

Our first temple which was also in this same little area was small, but definitely still stunning. Something this magnificent in any other place would have visitors from all over... but in Thailand it is just one of many, and so it sits quietly alone watching the river flow by.

Wat by the river

We chose to walk along the river for a while, since that would lead us to the temples we wanted to explore, and it gave us a scenic view of one of the many ways to get around in Bangkok. The old longboats are used mostly for tours, and they also ferry people to certain hot spots such as markets and temples.

Colorful longboats

We took a short cut through one of the Universities near by, and then ended up in the heart of the Amulet Market... where many small tokens are sold, mostly to taxi cab drivers, monks, and people in dangerous professions. There was a huge variety of different little trinkets, with lots of different food vendors and tiny convenience stores wedged in at all angles. The walking space was narrow and there was tons to look at all at once. We walked through rather quickly, and I snagged as many pictures as I could.

Crocodile skulls at the Amulet market

I am posting the full album of pictures from this day and other days to Facebook, so you see even more pictures if you're interested. I'll also work on setting up a Flickr account once I get into the field.

Siamese Cats

On our way to the Grand Palace and after surfacing from the Amulet Market, we stopped at a museum and decided to take off our shoes and walk around since it was free and had AC... which is always welcome! It appeared to be a sort of history of Thailand museum, showcasing exhibits about different wars, leaders, etc. It was all in Thai of course so we couldn't quite say for sure what was going on... but it was elegantly done and quite large.

Door to the museum

After the museum we walked past a few more smaller temples that were very near to the Grand Palace. At this point we were beginning to encounter overly "helpful" Thai people who knew a bit of English and began to tell us places to go or things to see that may or may not have actually existed.

Wat that we entered

I read in the guidebook I have that a common scam is for Thai people to tell you that something is very special only for today, or that something is closed until a certain time... and then they'll try to redirect you to somewhere else where hopefully you'll spend some money and then they get a cut. That happened to us today more than yesterday, but we definitely had a lot of people coming up to us trying to point us places on the map because we clearly looked like clueless tourists.

Approaching the Grand Palace

Nonetheless, we managed to avoid throwing our Baht away to any of these people and finally made it to the Grand Palace. Grand is no understatement, this place is HUGE. There are tons of different temples within the boundaries, and it reminded me almost of a holy amusement park because there were so many tourists from all over the world coming to see it.

Greetings from the Grand Palace!

The entrance consisted of a few guards making sure that no one walked in with shorts or sleeveless shirts, and they were happy to direct you to the building adjacent to get a free sari or whatever necessary clothing you were lacking so that you could still enter.

Approaching the main entrance

We were thankful we brought our zip off pants so we didn't have to put on sweaty clothes worn by who knows how many different people. We bought our tickets at the window and then headed towards the main entrance. Thankfully it was very clear which line we were to be in.

That's us!

Once we got inside, I couldn't turn my camera off... there were just too many things to try to capture. Except when we actually went inside the temples, you weren't allowed to take pictures in there and guards were standing by to make sure you didn't try to pull a fast one.

OHM my goodness

We walked around inside for at least a half an hour... admission was 500 baht, or about $17... so we wanted to make sure we got our money's worth, not to mention there was a ton to see!

Always watching....

The most famous temple within the Grand Palace is the one containing the Emerald Buddha, which has quite an interesting story.

Can you see why they call it Grand?

The Emerald Buddha is very small, and it was originally covered in plaster when it was located in the Chang Rai providence in Northern Thailand. One day it was dropped by accident, and the plaster broke to reveal its gem interior. Covering Buddhas with plaster was a common occurrence back then to protect them from being stolen.

Hands off the Buddha, Brudda!

It's "coming out" happened back in the 15th century, and then in the 16th century... it was stolen by a Laotian army that invaded Northern Thailand. The Emerald Buddha remained in Laos for over 200 years until 1778 when King Taksin waged war against Laos and retrieved the image.

Very tall Wat

Originally the Buddha was taken back to Northern Thailand, but when the capital was moved to Bangkok, it moved also and became a resident of one of the largest Wat's within the Grand Palace. We took off our shoes and walked inside to check it out, and it was astonishing. The walls were entirely covered with murals telling stories of the history of Thailand... depicting wars, and scenes of villages and forests. Even the roof of the temple was completely covered in extremely detailed art.

Outside of the Emerald Buddha temple

 We walked around some more... took a lot more pictures, and then eventually attempted to exit.

Wat's up doc? 

I say attempted because there were many twists and turns, and it was easy to get turned around among all the different Wats that each looked different but also very similar.

Another awesome Wat

We did finally find our way out, and I of course continued to snap a bazillion pictures the entire time we were exiting. I even made Mike and some random German guy take a few pictures for me.

Gold Wat

On our way out we passed by a few armed guards, looking very official making sure that tourists didn't enter into certain parts of the Palace that they weren't allowed. No body seemed too concerned with trying to get past the guard, instead they would all rather just have their picture taken with him.

Peace.... 

Eventually we ventured out of the Palace, and wandered on to another Wat... Wat Pho. This is the home of the famous reclining Buddha. I will have to tell you about this adventure another day, because like the Reclining Buddha... it is time for me to lay down. Lots of more stories to come, and I promise to try not to get too far behind!

-Brewkeeper, Over and Out!

The Journey to Bangkok

I have officially arrived in Thailand! I am currently writing this from the balcony of our quaint little room in Sivarin Guesthouse located in the Banglamphu district of Bangkok, by the river. We haven't explored the city yet obviously because it is 2:30 in the morning... but I can't wait to check out the sights tomorrow. I should be tired right now, but the excitement of being in a new place is keeping me awake so I figured why not write a tiny entry about my journey so far!

I've come a long way from home!

The day started out early, I woke up about 20 times between 4 and 5 am in Charlottesville and then finally rolled out of bed at 5:20 to make last minute preparations. Had an omelete cooked by dad (last American home-cooked meal for a while) and then we hit the road at 6:30 am. It was raining pretty steadily which I deemed appropriate considering we'd be seeing a lot of rain in Thailand.

On the road to Dulles

Arrived in Dulles around 9:30, and was thankful we left earlier than originally planned due to hitting traffic on Rt 66 (of course) as we approached the Washington Area. It was still raining when we got there, and Mom and Dad walked me to the ticketing office and were there with me while I checked my bag. Love em!

Smiling in the rain :)

Soon it was time to say good bye. I snagged a few pictures, gave some big hugs... and I was off to battle my way through security. My flight left at 12:25 pm so I had plenty of time to chill, and relax before undertaking the longest flight of my life. It was 12 hours and 45 minutes to Tokyo... then after a 3 hour lay over, it was 6 more hours to Bangkok. Grand total of 23 hours of traveling!

Love you Mom and Dad!

The rest of it went pretty smoothly, boarded on time... sat between two business professional younger men (one was a coach of some sort and the other was a hair stylist... craziness) and sat back and enjoyed the ride. Watched a few in-flight movies, read some, slept a lot, and then we were there! Got off in Tokyo at approximately 2 pm their time (the flight was an hour early) on the 4th.. Yay 'Merica! Went through security again there, and made it to my terminal for the last leg of the flight and took a nap until it was time to board. Lots of sleeping!

Moving right along!

Got woken up by a kind person who wanted to make sure I didn't miss my flight by being passed out on the floor of the terminal (Thank you!) and boarded the plane for Bangkok around 5:30 pm Japan time. The 6 hour flight to Bangkok was a cinch, slept some more... watched some Parks and Rec, ate and then we were there! This flight was also an hour early... so we arrived about 10:15 pm.

Inside Bangkok airport

I made it through the airport, checked in through immigration, grabbed my baggage and met my fellow frog researcher Michael at the "Meeting Point." He was relieved to see me, and I him! We were lucky in that our flights aligned in times by only an hour difference just by chance. He booked the room at the guesthouse earlier and I had told him I'd stay there with him to help cut the cost and so that I would have a traveling buddy. It's working out great so far! I exchanged some money (feeling super rich here!) and then we caught a Taxi into the city.

$1 is equal to 30 Baht

The Taxi ride was fairly long, since the airport is pretty far out... about 20 minutes, so Mike and I had a chance to catch up about our backgrounds and expectations for the trip. Pumped to be spending some time with this guy! He's done research in the past on Great White Sharks in South Africa which is totally cool and is an avid diver, so I'm looking forward to exploring some of the islands and beaches with him once the field season is done. The taxi ride only cost about $10... we found the place successfully (thank God) and since we had already made a reservation we were able to check in late.

We have arrived!

After a moment of confusion while not finding anyone around, we eventually realized we needed to ring the bell... and then we were slowly greeted by the employee we woke up. He scanned our passports and showed us to the room... which is totally awesome. So far haven't had to know any Thai but I plan to try to learn a few useful phrases tomorrow while we're exploring. Thankfully people seem to know English enough to tolerate our ignorance.

Our new digs

It even came complete with a gecko on the wall!

Hey dude!

We explored, talked some more, and unpacked a bit. The weather here is warm and very humid. Feels like you're constantly sticky, but thankfully we have fans and windows that can be opened so it actually feels really nice with a slight breeze. I marveled at how many books Mike brought for a bit... enough for months.. and then we chilled on the balcony for a while and talked about our plans for tomorrow. 

This dude brought the whole library!

I took a shower, and relaxed... e-mailed the folks and now as soon as I wrap this up I'm heading to bed. Hopefully I won't be too dead tomorrow to make a full day out of sight seeing. There will be plenty of time to sleep while we're in the jungle! Besides, I need to work on getting on the nocturnal schedule anyhow considering the nature of our work will have us active at this time. Well, blee-blee-blee... That's all Folks!

My view right now

Peace out!