The year 2016 was marked by an impromptu trip to Phu Kradueng National Park, prompted by a friend's desire to photograph the changing leaves. Enticed by the promise of vibrant red maple leaves and the allure of an "easy" hike, I readily agreed to embark on this adventure.

With only two weeks to prepare and no consistent exercise routine for years, the best course of action is to gather more information about Phu Kradueng and stock up on massage balms, pain relievers, and muscle relaxants. (At least there's some medicinal support.)

On the evening of December 23rd, my friends and I planned to meet at Mo Chit Station, Platform 9 3/4 (just kidding, it was actually Platform 83) at 9 pm. Our train was scheduled to depart at 9:30 pm. After waiting for a while, we started to wonder why the platform was so empty. We checked our tickets again and realized we had made a mistake! We were supposed to be at Platform 97. We had to run to the correct platform, which gave us a good leg workout even before we boarded the train.

Waking up intermittently, we arrived at Pha Nok Khao around 5 am, greeted by the cool breeze. Hooray! We then took a shared taxi in front of "Jekim's shop" to enter Phu Kradueng National Park for a fixed price of 300 baht for 10 people. Alternatively, you can wait for the car to be full, which costs 30 baht per person. Most people choose the latter option because there are already many people going up the mountain, so the car will be full in no time. After a short ride, we arrived at the park office. That day, there were quite a lot of people. There were four queues: one for buying park entrance tickets, one for renting park space (for everyone who sleeps in tents, 30 baht per person), one for renting tents/houses, and one for people who booked accommodation online. Since there were only two of us, we decided to split up and join different queues. My friend joined the queue to rent a tent, while I bought park entrance tickets. The queue was very long, and as I was nearing my turn, I realized... I had joined the wrong queue! I was so absent-minded early in the morning. 😭😭😭😭 I looked back to join the new queue, but it was also very longgggggg.

Let's change the plan. Let's hire a porter to carry our backpacks first. Walk around to the back and you will find 4 luggage drop-off points. Purchase a ticket to hang your bag, 1 ticket per bag, 5 baht per ticket. After filling out the details, queue up to have your bag weighed by the staff. Don't forget to collect your baggage claim stub to use when you pick up your bag. Oh! The porter's fee is 30 baht per kilometer. For 5 kilometers, it's 150 baht, which is a great deal!

Free from our burdens, we walked lightly, finally returning to the queue to buy tickets to the park. The entrance fee was 40 baht per person. We weren't able to book a tent downstairs in advance, but we rented a space and planned to find a tent to rent upstairs instead. We ate, took care of personal matters, and prepared ourselves before setting off on our hike.

The trail to conquer Phu Kradueng, standing at 1,288 meters above sea level, stretches 5,500 meters and takes approximately 3-5 hours to complete. After reading the sign, I felt a sense of trepidation, realizing the distance was over 5 kilometers. I gave myself 6 hours to complete the hike, factoring in my lack of fitness. Starting around 8:30 AM, let's see how long it takes to reach the summit of Phu Kradueng.

However, the signs indicated that before reaching the flat terrain, we had to climb a mountain for 5.5 kilometers! We decided to hurry up and reserve a tent as soon as possible. Given our physical condition, my friends started looking for sticks to use as walking sticks from the first 10 meters. Haha! Along the way, we constantly saw porters carrying luggage for those who wanted to enjoy the mountain without the burden.

This is a resting point for porters to hang their carrying poles, preventing their loads from being placed on the ground and protecting them from damage. During this section, we still had the energy to take photos with our phones. From the starting point to Pang Gka Ka, there are 800 meters of stairs to climb, including both stone and dirt stairs. We stopped to rest several times, while our friend walked briskly ahead, prompting us to let them go on and meet them at the next rest stop. From Pang Gka Ka to Sam Haek, although the sign says 200 meters, it is a brutal distance. We sang the song "How much further is it?" hundreds of times before we finally arrived. The view was beautiful, but we had to rest first. We were exhausted.

The view from Sam Haek is breathtaking. It's so beautiful that I told my friends we could just pitch our tents here and not bother going any further. They liked Sam Haek too, but there were no maple trees, so we had to keep going. After passing two checkpoints, we lowered our goal from reaching the resting point to reaching the next checkpoint instead, just to keep ourselves motivated.

Amidst the arduous journey, moments of respite emerged, offering opportunities to quench thirst, gaze upon the azure sky, and admire the verdant trees. These tranquil interludes provided solace for weary travelers. Along the path, friendly exchanges with fellow trekkers ensued, punctuated by laughter and shared stories. Despite the occasional shortness of breath, camaraderie prevailed, fostering a sense of shared purpose. Encouragement from passing porters further bolstered spirits. When a weary hiker inquired, "How much farther, brother?" the porter's jovial reply, "Oh, if you haven't embraced the rock yet, then you still have a long way to go, sister," elicited smiles and renewed determination.

The trail we encountered during the Sam Krae to Pa Hin Ngam section was a relentless climb, hugging every rock along the way. We consider this section to be the most challenging of the entire trek. The 1,280-meter ascent was incredibly steep, with numerous large rocks and countless, steep stairs. While we don't fear heights, we wouldn't say we particularly enjoy them either.

And finally, we arrived at the back of the temple. I felt like shouting, "We're here!" and running around, but all I could do was whisper to myself, "I'm here."

After a short break to enjoy the cool breeze and the view, we continued walking for another 3.5 km. This time, the path was flat, which was perfect for us. The trail was mostly sandy rather than dirt, giving us a real sense of adventure, like a Boy Scout camp hike. The path meandered through a mix of tall trees and grassy fields, making for a pleasant walk.

After a 7-hour journey, we arrived at the park headquarters at 3:30 PM. We rented a small tent for two people at 150 baht per night and a sleeping pad. We brought our own sleeping bags. After a short rest, we set off for our next destination, Pha Mak Duk, to watch the sunset. My friend actually invited me to go to Pha Lom Sak, which requires a 9 km hike. I politely declined.

The trek to Pha Mak Duk, spanning approximately 2 kilometers, offers breathtaking views along the way. After a leisurely walk of nearly an hour, we arrived at the viewpoint just as the sun was beginning to set. Despite the intense heat, we eagerly secured a spot to witness the spectacular sunset. Our anticipation was rewarded with a truly magnificent display, making the journey well worth the effort.

The sky was already dark and the wind was very cold on the way back. You won't have to worry about being lonely on the way back because there are plenty of fellow travelers. When you arrive at the park office, you'll need to refuel. There's plenty of food available, with rice and curry dishes costing around 50 baht. Don't worry about going hungry, just bring plenty of money. As for the bathrooms, you'll need to allow some time to queue.

The next morning, around 4:00 AM, the people around me started to wake up to prepare for watching the sunrise at Pha Nok Aen. The officers had arranged for the tourists to be ready at 5:00 AM to take them to the destination. I told my friends that I wouldn't go, I couldn't handle it. Hahaha. As for my friends, the sunrise wasn't their goal, so we all decided to skip the sunrise. Hehe.

Waking up at 7 am, we prepared our belongings and packed them into our backpacks to be carried down by the porters. At 8 am, we set off on our mission to find red maple leaves. Our first stop was Wang Kwang Waterfall, not far from our campsite. However, we were disappointed to find that the leaves had not yet changed color. We then continued on to Penพบใหม่ Waterfall, which was about 2 km away. This time, we were not disappointed.

After enjoying the changing leaves for a while, we walked back to our tent, stopping to pay respects to the Buddha statue for good luck on our journey home.

A quick stop to capture the changing colors of the maple trees behind the cottage.

Departing from the campsite at noon, we set off with light packs and our trusty walking sticks, while our athletic friend shouldered their backpack as usual.

The flat terrain was a breeze, but my legs were starting to feel heavy. It was still comfortable, but once we passed the back of the waterfall, the descent was much more brutal than the ascent. My legs, knees, and feet were working overtime. I had thought that the descent would be a relaxing jog, but instead, I had to walk and brake the whole way down. I started to feel bad for my friend, as I must have been a burden. Haha!

The descent was a gradual one, with many friends walking down slowly due to sore feet and legs. As we progressed, the pace slowed even further, with some resorting to shuffling down the slope. By the time we reached the final stretch, our legs were trembling, and our knees were weak. Fortunately, a kind porter named Naa helped us navigate the easier paths and supported us as we descended. We are incredibly grateful for Naa's assistance, especially as it was approaching six in the evening and the sky was starting to darken. This experience serves as a reminder of the kindness we encounter on our journeys.

I arrived at Auntie Kim's shop around 6:00 PM. After showering and eating, I waited for the bus to Bangkok. The trip concluded with a lasting impression of the scenic views, nature, and fellow travelers. I also took my first steps again.

...Ascend the mountain, I am the conqueror,
Descend to the ground, I am the survivor...