• Hello everyone,

First of all, I must say that this is the first post I have ever written. If there are any mistakes or if the information is not good enough, I apologize in advance.

(1-2/07/2017, the first day of the opening of Phu Soi Dao National Park. On the day we traveled to Phu Soi Dao, there were a total of 3 groups, 21 people in total.)

For this trip, we traveled from Bang Na to Phu Soi Dao National Park. After gathering, we got 4 more companions, making us 5 people in total. I was the youngest in this trip, so I will call the other 4 people "brothers and sisters". Our gathering this time was very sudden because we read the reviews and started planning the trip within a few days.

We traveled from Bang Na by private car, leaving around 9 pm and arriving at Phu Soi Dao National Park around 7 am. It rained all the way while driving to Uttaradit province. Everyone started to worry if it would rain while we were hiking up the mountain. We had already prepared ourselves for the rain because it was the rainy season, so we had to be well-prepared. But luckily, it didn't rain at all while we were hiking up the mountain (smile). We encountered gentle sunshine and a cool breeze. We didn't prepare our bodies at all, so it made the hike up the mountain very difficult. Most people usually reach the pine forest in about 5-6 hours, but for us and our brothers and sisters, it took almost 7 hours. We also ran out of drinking water along the way, so we were very thirsty. I must say that we didn't hire porters to carry our belongings on this trip. We carried our own backpacks. I brought the least amount of stuff, about 5 kilograms, while the others carried 10-15 kilograms. We carried our backpacks and complained why we didn't decide to hire porters. But because we wanted to test and challenge ourselves, we tried carrying it up ourselves. And then, the fun, the camaraderie along the way, and the exhaustion began.

On June 30, 2017, we traveled from Bang Na to Uttaradit by private car. We drove along, and it rained along the way. But when we saw this view along the way, we were no longer sleepy from driving all night.

The winding road leading to the Phu Soi Dao National Park headquarters was dizzying. We, along with two other friends, sat in the back of a pickup truck, enjoying the scenic views. Upon arrival, we registered with the park officials and rented tents and sleeping gear. We hired porters to carry our food up the mountain, while we carried our own backpacks. The porter fees were 30 baht per kilogram, payable at the headquarters.

After we finished registering and all the equipment was ready, the staff took us to the cable car station in this type of car. The classic car was very uncomfortable to sit in. All 5 members of group 2 reported for duty.

And then we reach the starting point. Ready or not, we have to start now. Smile before we begin, because after that, we won't have much to smile about.

As you ascend the mountain, you will pass by the Phusoidao Waterfall trail. As you walk, you will hear the sound of the waterfall, but you may wonder why you are not getting anywhere. The trail seems to go on forever.

After walking almost 2 kilometers, I kept walking and walking. During that time, I looked up and wondered why it was so steep. As I read other people's reviews, most of them said that they would give up at the "Farewell Hill" and asked the porters if it was really steep. But then I arrived, and I couldn't even smile.

As we walked, we talked to the porter. He told us that he has been a porter at Phu Soi Dao for over 30 years. He used to carry loads for 10 baht per kilogram. I asked him if I could take his picture.

We continued walking, laughing along the way because the person I was with was very funny. They imitated the sounds of elephants, birds, and gibbons. We walked on and reached another hill, the "Hill of Defeat." My legs were starting to tire.

After hiking for nearly two and a half hours from the challenging slope of "Neung Prabsai," we started to feel hungry. We took out the food we had bought from the market in Chat Trakan earlier that morning. Eating it while we were hungry, I must say that even this simple food tasted delicious. Thanks to P'Pai for carrying it up for us! Haha.

After trekking for nearly four hours, we finally reached the most challenging slope, the "Death Hill." This steep incline was incredibly daunting, draining our energy and testing our leg strength. The higher we climbed, the steeper it became, and the summit seemed to recede further into the distance. We lagged behind the rest of our group because we had run out of water. Fortunately, our fellow trekkers heard our cries for help and generously left us a bottle of water at the top. That single bottle was a lifesaver, and we shared every precious drop. We are eternally grateful to our fellow hikers for their kindness.

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After lunch, we took breaks every 10 minutes to rest. This was likely due to a combination of factors, including lack of recent exercise and sleep deprivation from traveling overnight, resulting in noticeable fatigue.

After conquering the brutal Death Hill, we were completely exhausted and fell asleep right on the hill. We were so tired that we didn't even realize we were close to the Pine Forest campsite. Thankfully, our fellow hiker, Tei, who had reached the campsite earlier, came back with water and even carried our bags up the hill. With one final push, we finally arrived at the Three Pines campsite in Phu Soi Dao National Park.

Fortunately, on the opening day of the park this year, the Naak flowers greeted us with warmth. As we walked for a while, the evening mist came to greet us.

By the time we reached the campsite, it was already late evening. It was time to prepare dinner. Thanks to Tei for carrying the cooking equipment and making us a meal. It was the most delicious food I've ever had on a mountain, because every time I go, I only get to eat instant noodles. Haha!

The most delicious dinner on the Phu Soi Dao lawn.

As we were having dinner, it started to rain heavily. The sky was overcast that night, and we couldn't see any stars. Exhausted from the climb, we fell asleep in our tents listening to the sound of the rain from 8 pm onwards. It was a very comfortable night's sleep. Haha! When we woke up, it was already morning. We had breakfast of porridge cooked on a gas stove that Tei had brought, and we drank coffee and ate instant noodles before heading down.

The morning temperature on the lawn is 16 degrees Celsius.

After a satisfying breakfast, it was time to head down. We walked to the staff to ask about taking a picture with the two-land milestone. We walked around the back of the tent site for about 500 meters and arrived.

Walking along the way back, I encountered heavy fog that made it impossible to see the road. However, the feeling I had along the way was something I could never find in the city.

Finally, I would like to thank all the seniors in the group who took good care of me throughout the journey. Goodbye, Larn Son Sam Bai, Phu Soi Dao.

Trip Expenses Summary

This is a summary of the average expenses per person for a trip, calculated for a group of 5 people.

Expenses:

• Fuel (roundtrip): 1475 + 1350 = 2825 THB / 5 people = 565 THB per person
• Park entrance fee: 40 THB per person
• Camping equipment and porter: 2795 THB / 5 people = 559 THB per person
• Food: 150 THB per person

Total expenses per person: 565 + 40 + 559 + 150 = 1314 THB