Bangkok & Nam Pha Pa Yai

Bangkok

When it was Bri's time to leave and the end of my visa was near, it was time to move on to Thailand.  I flew from Da Nang to Bangkok on Nov, 16 and spent a couple days exploring the city before moving on to Nam Pha Yai Climbing Camp to meet up with Jojo and friends (who seems to know every climber in Thailand). I had a great opportunity to see the sites that make the city famous and get myself familiarized with the city.  I know it is a place I will be returning to for years.

A teacher during program had told me about ghost tower, an abandoned high rise apartment complex that was free to explore. Unfortunately, that was not so. The government cracked down on security after a tourist was found dead in recent years. Pretty creepy stuff.

Thai boxing.  I'm not sure what is more amusing: the fight or the wild betting locals. 

Wat Pho Buddhist Temple.

TV repair shop.  On the way to the temple, I passed a series of people working on old electronics on the street.  They would be working on anything from an old hairdryer to an ancient CRT TV(seen here).  They would do everything from wrapping the coils on electric motors to soldering entirely new circuit boards.  If a part brakes on these old models, there is no replacement part and a new one must be created.  Super impressive and talented work, but I do not understand where the goods are sold to or if it is just a hobby of sorts.

 Nam Pha Pa Yai Climbing Camp

This amazing place is just north of Bangkok near the town of Saraburi.  This was the beginning of my Thailand climbing experience and also the place where I was introduced to all of the people who I would be climbing with in Tonsai.  Amazing experience.

The tent bungalow that I had for the week.  They were very clean, spacious and comfortable.  Actually, they are better than most of the housing I had been offered recently.  I can't wait to return someday.

This zipline is the only way to access the crag.  Multiple times a day you go back and forth between meals and breaks.  For any climber its very fun and convenient, especially when you consider the alternatives.

Yashin and Howard( the Doctor) on the last day of camp doing a nice long multi-pitch traverse, right before Howard got himself stuck on a hanging rappel.

Final pitch of the traverse.

Lunch at camp! Everyday the climbers would retreat to have lunch, hide from the sun and regenerate before hitting the crag again in the evening.   

Jojo was nice enough to let us stay at her place for a couple days while Yashin and I waited to catch a bus to Tonsai.  She also has an owl sanctuary!  Here is Jojo and one of her pet owls.

Owl selfie.

Shakespeare!