Someone once said that

"The journey is more than the destination."

This sentence could mark the beginning of a journey that extends far beyond purchasing a bus ticket or driving to reach a destination.

What is that... should I wave for a taxi...?

Upon conceiving the idea of a trip, the next step was to choose a destination. Ultimately, "Phu Thap Boek" in Phetchabun province was selected.

The next step was to find a travel companion. I asked my friends who had traveled with me before, but when I mentioned hitchhiking, there was an awkward silence. I decided to go alone, but then "Jack," the admin of the "my journey by นักเดินทางตัวน้อย" page, whom I had met on a previous trip, saw my Facebook post and said he wanted to hitchhike too. It was a perfect match, and I had a travel companion.

We embarked on our journey on Friday night, with a plan for a 2-day, 1-night trip to Phu Thap Boek. After work, we returned home to pack our bags and headed to the Mo Chit Bus Terminal.

Due to our late arrival, we asked Jack to purchase bus tickets for us in advance. We obtained tickets from Phetprasert Tour, departing at 10:45 PM.

A minor hiccup occurred when I realized my ATM card was missing and I had no cash on hand. However, I managed to find a solution by transferring money through an application to Jack's account and withdrawing cash. Problem solved, and I was ready to embark on my journey.

After a pleasant six-hour drive, we found ourselves at the Lom Sak Market, having overshot our intended destination. We were forced to hitch a ride on the 5:30 AM bus back to Bangkok, finally arriving at the Lom Sak Bus Terminal.

This is just the beginning…

We then walked out of the bus station to hitch a ride on a Hmong vegetable truck to get to Phu Thap Boek. It was here that we met two more fellow travelers, Coke and her mother, who were also waiting to hitch a ride.

This story is a mixed bag of good and bad luck.

Fortunately, we were able to quickly secure a ride to Phu Thap Boek by negotiating with a Hmong villager who was waiting to unload his cabbages. He offered to drive us directly to our destination and even help us find accommodation. While we waited for him to finish unloading, we relaxed and ordered coffee.

As the sky begins to lighten and the first rays of dawn appear, we continue to wait patiently.

Unfortunately, our luck ran out. We were left waiting in vain. The coffee shop owner we were sitting with asked around, and it turned out that the Hmong man we were waiting for had already left us.

So what's next? Wave again, huh...

After a long and tiring search for a kind soul heading in the same direction, I finally found someone willing to give me a lift. Although they couldn't take me all the way to my destination, they were kind enough to drop me off at a nearby intersection. I am incredibly grateful for their assistance.

From the Seven-Eleven intersection (let's call it that because I don't know the actual name), we waited a short while for a car to take us up to Phu Thap Boek. The winding road offered exhilarating turns.

Our journey ends here for now, as we have reached our destination... Hello, Phu Thap Boek. First things first, let's find a place to rest our heads. For those who didn't bring a tent or haven't booked accommodation, you can rent tents and bedding sets here at the Phu Thap Boek Tourism Community Enterprise Group.

However, he told us to come back after noon. In the meantime, let's take a walk and enjoy the beauty of this place.

It was never mentioned that Jack was a teacher...and with her natural teaching instincts, she immediately gravitated towards the children.

We have arrived at the peak of Phu Thap Boek.

Phu Thap Boek is located in Wang Ban Subdistrict, Phetchabun Province, at an altitude of approximately 1,768 meters, making it the highest point in Phetchabun Province.

The path we took up here is incredibly winding, like a snake coiling around itself.

Although we arrived a little late and missed the sea of mist, the sun was already starting to shine brightly. However, the sun only warmed us, as the air was still very cool.

Strolling and enjoying the view, I think we might end up sleeping around here.

Upon arriving with our guide, Coke's mother discovered a lodging option that truly impressed us. Unlike some cramped and tent-like accommodations, this one offered a spacious and comfortable environment. The owner's sister provided exceptional service, speaking politely and pleasantly. Moreover, the price was incredibly reasonable. For those visiting Phu Thap Boek and seeking accommodation, I highly recommend contacting รสดี รีสอร์ท.

Our sincere gratitude to Coke's mother for providing us with such excellent accommodations.

The view from the accommodation is like this, it's so open and refreshing.

We continued to prioritize cost-effectiveness and a fantastic atmosphere, just like before. We rented a tent from Rot Dee Resort, intending to stay there, but we ended up falling asleep without realizing it. When we woke up, it was already late afternoon.

The moment of exploration has arrived. I haven't mentioned that this is my first time in Phu Thap Boek, even though countless others have visited before. It's precisely because it's my first time that I'm so excited about everything I encounter here.

A scenic view from the Rai Rim Pha viewpoint.

"Walking around" for us truly embodies that meaning.

Besides the beautiful mountain views, another thing I really like is this cabbage farm. If you look closely, it's clearly a floating cabbage farm.

We meandered around until we found ourselves back at this scenic viewpoint. The evening light is always breathtaking, and being here in this moment, gazing at the beautiful landscape, is incredibly heartwarming.

We have been here for a long time, a very long time indeed, waiting for the sky to change color, where we will witness a different kind of beauty.

The sky is getting dark.

Do you remember the path we climbed? The snake road that was said to be tough, try the glowing snake road, it's beautiful, isn't it?

As darkness fell, we were rewarded with a celestial bonus: a glimpse of the Milky Way. It was the perfect image to send us off to sleep tonight.

A peaceful night's sleep in the tent, with the cool air enveloping us, was interrupted by the alarm clock's insistent ringing at four in the morning.

This morning, I secretly hoped to see a sea of fog, but it was very quiet at dawn. I arrived at the viewpoint a little after five in the morning, thinking that there would be photographers reserving their spots. To my surprise, only Jack and I were there.

The twilight hours, where night and day overlap, reveal a captivating sight. The horizon becomes a canvas, separating the celestial stars above from the earthly lights below.

The sun is about to rise over the horizon.

The sun emerged at the opportune moment, casting a warm glow over the morning landscape. This familiar sight never fails to evoke a sense of contentment.

The morning has fully arrived, and people are starting to come out and enjoy its beauty with us.

The view before us was breathtaking, even though we didn't get to see the sea of mist on Phu Thap Boek.

Our time is limited, and it's almost time for us to leave. Let's take one more stroll in the cool air. As I mentioned before, we don't have a place like this in our backyard, so let's make the most of it.

Although there was no sea of mist, we were not too disappointed, as we had not come with any expectations.

The sight of the thin mist is enough to satisfy me.

While walking back to collect my belongings and wait for a ride, I casually browsed through souvenirs. Just browsing, mind you, as I was short on funds.

Before leaving, as is customary, a group photo is taken when there is a travel group. This is our travel group on this trip.

It was time to return, so we negotiated for a ride as before. The car took us down from Phu Thap Boek and dropped us off at the same 7-Eleven. We then hitched another ride, although there was a slight problem: the car we hitched to get to the bus terminal was going in a different direction than us. So we had to walk and wait to hitch a new ride. But we eventually made it to the bus terminal and returned to Bangkok safely.

This trip, although there were some good and bad luck, the important thing is that we were able to achieve what we set out to do.

While the sea of mist might not have materialized as expected, the journey itself, particularly the method of ascent, served as the primary objective of this expedition.

Thank you to everyone who traveled with us, to every vehicle that carried us, to those who helped us in various ways, and to everyone who has read to this line.

We sincerely hope that this chronicle will inspire others to embark on their own journeys and seek out new experiences, whether within Thailand or beyond its borders.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We have a page Journey Gallery: https://web.facebook.com/journeygallery/

Feel free to join our conversation or browse photos from our journey.

If we have any interesting travel stories, we will come back and share them with you.

Have a wonderful time everyone!