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 numerous journeys over the years, capturing memories through photographs like countless others. However, we have increasingly opted to travel with groups dedicated to environmental conservation, incorporating acts of kindness into our itineraries. These trips offer a unique blend of adventure and purpose, making them all the more enjoyable.

We believe we have found our path.

Volunteers just want people to get more out of their travels than just sightseeing.

The original text describes a trip that arose unexpectedly, just one month after the previous one. Due to the timing coinciding with a busy period, the original members were unavailable. This necessitated a backup plan, as the trip coincided with a significant event in Dan Sai district, attracting many travelers and making it difficult to secure travel arrangements.

Despite our initial plan, we were fortunate enough to have the final two members join us just in time, allowing us to proceed with our original plan until the final four days before our departure.

This trip was initiated by Mr. A from TAT, whom Oak, the organizer, knows. He invited us to join the "Cycling to Plant" activity. Just hearing the name, we were excited and thought it would be fun. So, we brainstormed and planned to add more activities in our "Volunteer Travel" style.

Having reached Dan Sai and completed the activities, it might feel a bit tiring to head back right away. It's better to find a relaxing place to rest, breathe in the fresh air, and recharge before returning. This is where Chiang Khan comes in, a district bordering the Mekong River with a pleasant atmosphere. During the rainy season, it's unlikely to be as crowded and chaotic as it can be during long weekends.

May is particularly excited about her upcoming trip to Chiang Khan. Although it has been a long time since her last visit, three times to be exact, she still vividly remembers her previous experiences. Despite hearing from many people that the town has changed, her excitement remains undiminished. She eagerly anticipates her return to Chiang Khan.

Ten members gathered at Big C Saphan Khwai around 9 pm and headed to Dan Sai district. We arrived at the district office around 4 am. Everyone slept on the bus until 6 am. We woke up, showered, changed clothes, and walked around the Dan Sai market for a while. Then we came back to eat rice porridge, soy milk, and deep-fried dough sticks that the team had prepared for us. We waited for the event to start.

The rain continued to fall steadily until 8 am, when the "Cycling to Plant" activity began. The atmosphere was cool and comfortable, with the sun and rain having completely stopped. The mountains were shrouded in mist, and many people commented that they wished they could take this atmosphere back to Bangkok with them.

The opening ceremony was held in a simple manner. Despite the rain that had been falling since morning, making the ground muddy, the attendees were still enthusiastic about participating in the activities. There were students, young people, military cadets, and people of all ages, from the very young to the very old. Everyone had smiles on their faces and enjoyed themselves at the square in front of the district office.

All 10 participants were determined to join the activity, even though some of them were not used to cycling such long distances. Everyone came with a genuine desire to participate. Although there were some minor hiccups along the way, we were still ready and excited. We chose bicycles from the selection provided and took them for a test ride around the area, adjusting the seats, inflating the tires, and switching bikes to find the best fit for each of us. This was important as we had to cycle approximately 8 kilometers. Once the ceremony was over, it was time to start cycling.

The Director of the TAT Loei office led the cycling procession, followed by everyone gradually cycling in a group. They turned onto a path lined with trees, enjoying a leisurely ride, whistling and chatting. At this point, they cycled past the Phra That Si Song Rak temple.

Initially, we were still in the group, following each other. Water splashed on our backs at intervals. We overtook some riders and were overtaken by others. However, after encountering the first hill, we were unable to climb it and had to dismount and push our bikes. We immediately became the last two riders.

After that, the uncle who was riding the motorbike behind us stopped and taught us how to shift gears on the bicycle to climb the hill comfortably without having to get off and push. By this time, we were quite a distance behind the group, but everyone was kind enough to help us cross the intersection by bike. Now it was just the two of us, overtaking each other and enjoying the gear changes on our bikes. Before we knew it, we had to stop at Wat Phon Chai, where the Phi Ta Khon Museum is located.

We spent some time taking photos here, capturing some fun moments. Then, we had to cycle through the community market, which was quite busy with cars, motorcycles, and people. Despite the traffic, many people stood by the roadside waving and cheering us on. Thankfully, no one honked at us to move along.

We cycled to Wat Si Mongkol, where a group of people were waiting to plant trees together. We parked our bikes and got ready to board the car. At the temple, there was a large rain tree, also known as a monkey pod or a Samanea saman, with its branches and leaves providing a cool shade. We felt like small beings amidst the vastness of nature. After everyone had arrived, we boarded the car and waited.

The e-tacks began to drive out one after another, and our car was one of them. The sound of conversation mixed with laughter rang out at intervals, teasing the students in the car behind who were following. The students could see the road ahead, while our car drove up the slope steadily, accompanied by screams. But we were still laughing, pretending to scream along with the students.

However, after driving for a while, the car suddenly stopped. This time, we screamed in unison. Many people, however, still seemed to be enjoying themselves, taking pictures and talking. We got out of the car and walked ahead because the car couldn't handle the incline.

We waited again at the flat concrete area to catch a ride. After getting on, the car slowly drove down a very steep path, making our hearts race. Thankfully, it was a paved road. However, once we passed that section, the road turned into muddy red clay. Imagine if the descent had been on muddy terrain, it could have been much worse. But the car managed to get through it successfully and dropped us off at the point where we would begin our forest restoration work.

Once everyone had gathered, a short ceremony was held to ordain the forest. Afterwards, everyone began to collect seedlings and cloth for the ordination. People walked, each holding one or two seedlings, to plant them, helping each other, one plant at a time, until all the prepared seedlings were gone.

We then walked uphill to find a tree for the forest ordination ceremony. We walked quite a distance and everyone found an empty tree. We tied the cloth around the trees and discussed whether to continue to the viewpoint at Phu Tao Pong. Although we were tempted, we decided against it as we didn't want to leave anyone behind who couldn't make the climb.

After finishing the activity, we stopped for lunch and visited the Phra That Si Song Rak temple, which we had only cycled past earlier. We then headed to our accommodation in Chiang Khan for the night. We were close to the accommodation, but we couldn't turn into the street because shops had already set up their stalls on the road. The walking street in Chiang Khan was already full of vendors, which caused some frustration. We ended up having to turn around and drive a long way to park at Wat Tha Kok on Soi 21, then walk back to our accommodation, which was quite a distance.

We took turns showering, but some were excited by the evening light standing behind the accommodation. The last light was about to disappear, but the sky was beautiful. The sun and clouds cooperated, and we got some heartwarming pictures. After showering, we went for a walk on the walking street, looking at shops here and there. But May tried to find the old shops she had seen before. It's unbelievable, those shops are gone. Now I just feel a sense of loss. Even though there are other shops to replace them, I feel like something is missing. The charm of this place (this is May's own thought). We walked to the end and then walked back, but we still couldn't find a restaurant that suited us.

Despite inquiries, no one responded until a friend suggested purchasing items at 7-Eleven. (I wondered why it had to be 7-Eleven.) As we approached the diagonally opposite side, a 7-Eleven and a restaurant with a dipping sauce were visible. Someone proposed the restaurant, and the others readily agreed.

We ate until we were full and walked back to our accommodation. The shops were starting to close, almost all of them. We sat around, laughing and talking until late, then went our separate ways. We woke up just in time to offer food to the monks at 6 am.

After finishing our sticky rice offering to the monks, we headed straight to the morning market in search of breakfast. We only remembered it was on the upper road, but couldn't recall the exact intersection. We asked an aunt next door, who directed us to walk straight into Soi 10, cross the intersection, and pass the 7-Eleven. Upon arriving at the market, it seemed unusually quiet. We weren't sure if we were late or if this was the usual atmosphere. We walked around once, and many people had already secured their breakfast: grilled pork, soy milk, and deep-fried dough sticks. However, the stall selling stuffed deep-fried dough sticks was closed.

Some people walked back to their accommodation, while others stopped to eat khao pun nam jaew at a small shop in the market that was always crowded. We walked back with the first group and looked for a place to eat khai khatha, as many people were craving it. We then had khao phek sen and kuay tiao neua soi 14 on Thanon Bon. We just realized that there is also a khao pun nam jaew shop in this alley, but it was too late as we were already full.

We spent our time relaxing while waiting for the van to pick us up at 11 am. Some of us made the most of our time by getting a massage before leaving. We left our accommodation and stopped by Kaeng Kut Ku, where we bought souvenirs before returning to Bangkok. From what we saw, the place has changed a lot, but we'll just keep some things in our memories.

Not just the destination

This event was filled with unexpected friendships, smiles, and laughter shared between strangers. The organizers paid meticulous attention to every detail, even providing charmingly wrapped food in banana leaves. The local cuisine was both visually appealing and delicious. Participation was free, bicycles were available for loan, and prizes were even awarded to participants.

The highlight of this trip was reconnecting with friends I haven't seen in a long time. We had the chance to catch up and share our experiences face-to-face.

Every journey brings us closer together, making it easier to connect. In just a few days, we've forged new friendships and nurtured old ones. We want our laughter to be the loudest sound, and we hope everyone feels the same way when we're together.

Discover new activities at the Volunteer Travel website.

You can find pictures of our past activities at www.rsatieow.com.