Khao Sok National Park - Homestay with Tawee and Family at Mountain View Resort

Staying with Tawee and his family was the best experience I have had in Thailand so far. Tawee and his wife run what is essentially a home stay with 8 guest houses allowing them to host up to 8 guests at a time. I met Tawee getting off the bus from Phuket town, and he was different from the regular touts in that he simply gave me his stack of guest books (like a hut book) filled with glowing comments from previous tourists from all over the world dating back into the 1990s. Instantly sold, along with two English tourists, I got in his 4 wheel drive, and headed off with him to his home. When we got there, he showed us the huts (all of which were rustic but beautiful) we selected on each and then after dumping my bags I headed back to the open air lounge to decide what to do while I was there. Tawee's children were busy doing their homework on one of the tables and they asked me what my plans were. I had none, so they suggested I go to the river, which was apparently about a kilometer away, and they suggested that the dog take me so I wouldn't get lost. A little incredulous that the dog could show me all the way to the river (I'd never met the dog before) I accepted, and after a few words in Thai from Tawee's wife to the dog in Thai, the dog set off down the road, and looked back at me, as if to say, "stop standing about, I'm meant to be taking you to the river!". Fortunately I wasn't too slow on the uptake, so I began to follow the dog the 1km down the road to the river. Every time I stopped, the dog stopped, and looked back at me, as if to say "hurry up, what the blazes are you doing now?". If I kept walking the dog would trot along just in front of me. Once we got to the river, the dog accompanied me along the river bank, wherever I went, before walking back with me the 1km to the bungalows. The funny thing was, I think I really needed the dog to show me the river. There were some quite threatening dogs on the way to the river, and the dog I was with (which could be quite large and ferocious if it wanted to be) kept them all at bay. At the river there was an elderly Thai couple, searching for grubs in the ground which they explained (through mime) that they were collecting for eating.

Thailand is a very interesting place.