"How was your trip? Fun?"

It's a common question that usually gets a scripted answer like "It was fun." But this time, it was different.

I was speechless and could only smile, confusing my friend who asked. If I were to answer honestly, it wasn't that much fun.

It just felt good to have made it through, and it was a journey I'll never forget.

A few days ago, Amorn and I were busy packing our belongings in preparation for our hike up Phu Langka.

At the Wat Phra That Phu Langka Ranger Station, on the border of Bueng Kan and Nakhon Phanom provinces.

Our destination was the Khao Khon Rice Stupa, located on the mountaintop.

We planned to camp there and wait to capture the image of the sunrise hitting the golden stupa.

It was a breathtakingly beautiful image that I saw on the internet and sent to Amorn, which led to this trip.

It only took 2-3 hours to walk up the Naga stairs behind the ranger station.

It didn't seem like it would be too difficult, but it turned out to be the most worrisome journey I've ever taken.

Because I'm used to opening the back of my truck and setting up a tent, or if I have to carry things up a mountain, I hire porters.

But there were no porters here. There were no amenities on top except for a bathroom and a rainwater tank for use.

So all our belongings, tents, sleeping bags, camera equipment, tripods, drinking water, and food supplies,

We had to carry it all on our backs!

Anyone who saw us now would think they were watching a slow-motion image of us slowly lifting our feet and stepping up the stairs one step at a time.

It was as if Goku was training in the gravity room, and I had never felt the word "heavy" so much before.

Because just walking up the hill empty-handed was bad enough, now I had to carry a weight on my back that I thought must be at least 10-15 kilos!

Looking at myself, if I had to keep walking like this for another 2-3 hours, I would definitely be in trouble!

I don't know how far my body's limits will take me, but I can't back down now.

Life has to move forward! Right, Moonito?

"Yeah, go ahead and walk up, don't wait for me," Moonito said in a tone and with an expression that I had never seen him so tired before in my life.

It felt like he wasn't ready to face this, like he had been tricked by a friend!

The concrete stairs continued to stretch upwards, seemingly endlessly.

The sound of my panting competed with the song 'What am I doing here?' by Bird Thongchai echoing in my head at intervals.

It made me have to pull my mind back to focus on the present step. It was a trick to overcome fatigue that really worked.

Five small golden pagodas made me smile as soon as I saw them, even though they were not the Chedi Khao Suea Bon Nao.

But it was the "Five Kings Pagoda", a symbol that I had reached the halfway point!

I put my backpack down on the ground to rest and wait for Amornito. Just then, my phone rang.

It was Amornito calling! What happened!?

"I forgot to pick up the lunch box," Amornito said.

Oh no!! What are we going to eat tonight!? It's impossible to walk back down to get it.

Luckily, Amornito had grabbed a bag of snacks and milk for breakfast, so at least we had something to eat to keep us going.

After nearly two hours, I finally reached the top of the concrete stairs. I was so happy I could have cried.

Even though I still had to walk a long way on a dirt path and climb over some sandstone rocks to reach the campsite, I was relieved that I wouldn't have to use the stairs again!

Note: As there is no text provided in the original language (th), I am unable to translate it to English. Please provide the text you would like translated, and I will be happy to assist you.

The sun was setting over the Mekong River below.

It was a beautiful sight that made me forget my fatigue for a moment.

As I rested on a rock at the edge of the cliff, I looked down at the path I had taken.

I saw Amunito staggering out of the trees, before throwing his backpack down and collapsing to the ground, exhausted.

"Come on, let's go!" I shouted encouragingly. We continued walking for a short distance before arriving at the campsite.

The total walking time from the bottom to the top was approximately 2.5 hours.

From this point, we could see the Khao Khitchakut Pagoda standing prominently on the mountaintop ahead.

However, as it was nearing dusk, we decided to set up our tents first. We would climb up to the pagoda the following morning.

Darkness descends rapidly amidst the silence. The entire mountain is ours.

Most tourists visit during the winter, so it's no wonder we're sweating through our sleep, thinking it would be cooler up here!

Exhausted from the day's activities, I fell asleep around 9:30 PM.

I woke up feeling like something was biting me. I swatted at it with my hand, but it kept coming back. Finally, I got up and turned on the light.

To my horror, the tent was full of ants! They were everywhere, crawling on the floor, the walls, and even the ceiling.

And they were fire ants!

I think we must have attracted them earlier in the evening when we were sitting outside the tent eating snacks.

My only weapon was a can of mosquito repellent, which I sprayed liberally until it was empty. It took me half the night to fight off the ants before I could finally go back to sleep.

The morning sun gradually emerged from the horizon, casting its golden rays upon the golden pagoda, resembling a haystack in its shape.

Amunito and I stood admiring the beauty of the morning nature beside the Khao Sri Bun Rueang Pagoda on the highest peak of Phu Langka.

According to historical records, Venerable Phra Achan Somachat Punyamanoh, the abbot of Wat Pa Sawang Boon in Saraburi Province, came to practice meditation at Phu Langka. While meditating, he was visited by a deva who requested him to build a stupa on the mountaintop.

With the support of local villagers, Venerable Phra Achan Somachat constructed the stupa in 1999. Inside the stupa, relics of the Buddha and Arahants were enshrined, which were brought from Nepal.

Yesterday's experiences seem to linger in my mind more than the beautiful scenery before me.

It feels like I've completed a self-improvement course and received a certificate elevating my travel experience to a new level.

It was a journey full of flavors: challenging, tiring, hungry, hot, sleepless, and even bitten by ants!

This is what they say about traveling: it's about seeing the world, meeting people, learning new things, and discovering something for your life.

And this time, it made me realize one thing:

This is not for me! No more! Enough!

A Journey to the Chedi Khon Khao Si Bun Neua Temple

If you're coming from Bangkok, I recommend staying in Sakon Nakhon or Nakhon Phanom for a night to avoid exhaustion.

The next morning, you can visit other attractions first, such as Tad Kham Waterfall and Tad Photh Waterfall at the foot of Phu Langka (water only available during the rainy season).

Then, you can start your hike up Phu Sa around 3 pm, arriving before it gets too dark.

If you don't plan to stay overnight, make sure to time your ascent and descent accordingly.

There are two routes to reach the Khao Sri Bun Neua Pagoda on Phu Langka.

The first route starts at the Phu Langka National Park office (Tad Photi Waterfall) in Ban Phaeng District, Nakhon Phanom Province.

This route takes approximately 5 hours and requires a guide.

The second route involves driving around the back of the mountain and starting at the Phu Langka Temple National Park Unit.

in Bueng Khong Long District, Bueng Kan Province. This route is steeper but has concrete steps leading to the summit.

It takes approximately 2-3 hours and can be completed without a guide.

To get to the waterfall from Nakhon Phanom city, take Highway 212 towards Ban Phaeng District, a distance of approximately 97 kilometers. At the Ban Phaeng District intersection, continue straight on the main road for about 6 kilometers. You will find the entrance to Tad Photh Waterfall on your left-hand side. (If you want to visit the waterfall, turn left and drive for about 4 kilometers.)

However, I chose to ascend Phu Langka via the second route. Continue driving straight for another 5 kilometers until you reach a traffic light intersection called Dong Bang Intersection. Turn left onto Highway 2026 and proceed for approximately 8.5 kilometers until you reach Ban Dong Chomphu. Look for the sign for Wat Phra That Phu Langka.

Turn left onto the side road following the signs for approximately 1 kilometer. Then turn left again following the signs for Phra That Phu Langka Temple.

Continue straight on the dirt road for approximately 2 kilometers. You will pass Phra That Phu Langka Temple.

Continue straight until you reach the end of the road at the Phra That Phu Langka Temple Park Ranger Unit.

You can find more of Ifind's work at http://bloggang.com/mainblog.php?id=ifind