Hello everyone in the ReadMe community.

Today, I will take you on a tour of the Som Sak Mine, also known as Baan Pa Glen.

I have heard of Baan Pa Klem for a long time. I talked to my friends about going there, but we never made it. This time, I decided to go alone, so I called to inquire about the cost and book accommodation. However, the response I received was that the small rooms were all fully booked.

The situation seemed hopeless, but fate intervened. The large house was still available, eliminating any concerns. As the sole administrator of the group, the individual had already been using Facebook to plan trips. They decided to post in the group to find additional members to fill the large house. Within a day of posting, they had secured enough members and booked both the house and a van.

Everyone is ready, so what are we waiting for? Let's go on a trip!

*** Disclaimer: All images in this review have been processed in Photoshop. ***

This trip's journey... calculated if going by public transportation, the time of only 2 days and 1 night would not be enough, so we rented a van to go together.

The journey takes approximately 5-6 hours.

On the way up to E-tong's house, the van took us to a scenic viewpoint overlooking the Pilok mine.

Around noon, we arrived at E-Tong's house. We asked the van to wait for us at the police station because we were going to sleep at Aunt Glen's house. To get down to the mine, we had to take a four-wheel drive vehicle.

For the accommodation fee of 1600 baht per person, we received one night's accommodation, three meals, a four-wheel drive pick-up and drop-off service, and a tour. Upon arrival, the accommodation's four-wheel drive was already waiting for us.

We arrived at the destination around noon, and the tour guide took us to Krua Sud Saen for lunch. This is a regular restaurant where Aunt Glen often brings customers to eat.

This meal, prepared by the restaurant, consisted of five dishes and a pot of rice, served in two sets for ten people. This was the first meal, and we did not have to pay for it, unless we ordered anything additional to what was provided.

At that point, I was incredibly hungry. As soon as the food arrived, I devoured it without even taking a single picture.

After a satisfying lunch, we took a leisurely stroll through the Baan Itong market.

After lunch, we continued our journey to the Friendship Channel.

A group photo was taken. It was the first trip for these strangers to travel together, so they were not very familiar with each other. In the beginning, they were a little shy and awkward, so they stood far apart, looking a bit worried.

The weather was not ideal for photography on the day we went, with a cold mist swirling around us constantly.

The atmosphere feels like we're in the game SILENT HILL. Everywhere we look, there's fog.

Following the Friendship Highway, the car took us to admire the view at Khao Chang Suk.

The Neung Chang Suk viewpoint, located on the peak of the Tenasserim Hills, serves as an operational center for the Border Patrol Police (BPP). It offers panoramic views of both Thailand and Myanmar. However, during my visit, the area was shrouded in dense fog, obscuring the surrounding landscape. The only visible elements were the faces of my companions and the BPP officers stationed there.

Our final stop before reaching Aunt Glen's house was the Jork Kadin Waterfall.

Jod Ka Din Waterfall is stunning, but unfortunately, I didn't bring a change of clothes to swim in.

We have finally reached our destination for this trip: Somsak Mining (Forest Glen), a small house nestled within a vast forest.

The resort's lobby, converted from an old parcel depot, is a wooden building with a high, corrugated iron roof, over 50 years old. The structure remains remarkably sturdy.

Many people have probably heard that if you come to Pilok Mine, you must try Aunt Glen's cake. Finally, I had the opportunity to taste the famous cake.

The bakery boasts an impressive selection of delectable cakes, including a decadent chocolate cake with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth topping, a moist and flavorful carrot cake, a refreshing sorbet cake, and a rich coffee cake. The owner, a skilled baker, creates new and enticing cakes daily, ensuring a delightful variety for customers to enjoy. These delectable treats are available throughout the day, perfectly complementing a cup of tea, coffee, or Ovaltine.

The cake photos might be few, as I ate it before taking any. I only took photos in the morning, so this is all that's left.

The surrounding atmosphere of the accommodation.

Our accommodation for tonight is a 4-bedroom house on a hill that can accommodate 10 people.

Due to the high occupancy rate on the night of our arrival, the common room was unable to accommodate all guests. Therefore, Aunt Glen kindly arranged for the children to serve us dinner in front of the guesthouse.

The dinner was delicious, the barbecue was also delicious... but there are no pictures to show you. It was too dark to take pictures at night.

This is the true definition of a slow life.

No electricity, the mine generates its own power, which is only available from 5:00 PM to 9:30 PM. No phone signal, no internet signal, only nature surrounds. Escaping from the society of低头族 to focus on the people around you. Even though it was only a short time, one night, it created friendships with 10 different people in terms of age, occupation, and outlook on life. But one thing that brought these 10 people together was their shared love of travel.

This concludes my review. Stay tuned for my next adventure, the destination and date of which will be announced soon.

For those who love to travel, you can share information on the "Talontour with Tapae" page. https://www.facebook.com/TalontourPaikubtapae

For those who are traveling alone, feel free to join the "Traveling Solo" group to connect with other like-minded individuals who share your passion for exploration.

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