Mae Moei National Park, northwest Thailand. Only 11 km separate this place at the end of a steep and winding road from the rest of the world. Eleven kilometer of asphalt aged in the rain forest where there's no sounds of the city and the everyday human life, where the sunlight can not filter if not scattered in patches, where incredible animals may have peace, away from hunting and ruthless poaching.

Here we are with our little bundle of pro vviste to which we added dried bananas fried cakes and biscuits, water, a sweater, the indispensable camera, tripod and a good dose of feel like walking. I believe that for now the bike will not ...

The trail starts to climb by opening an overview on the magical jungle that surrounds us: tall trees towering to the sky, while other plants such as many species of ferns or a dwarf palm species are content intrusiveness humidity and occasional hints of light filtering through the foliage above. we always continue keeping us on the left (turning right and crossing the stream, we would go to the waterfalls Maesalid us, but this time of year just after the rainy season, the bridge is half collapsed and the water level is quite high) and we are surprised to note the small tunnels that end in a spider cave spun to perfection by the landlord. Of these small works of art, the forest is full at every corner, so do not envy the many tiny insects and their daily struggle for survival against predators, because who knows how many small inhabitants of the jungle, lured by visions of wires shiny, they will end their lives in this fake cave of wonders. Proceed slowly: every sound will attract your attention, makes us jump with excitement every movement, every smell makes us curious ... confuzione is the meaning of this place so charming. We pass a stream of water with the aid of a bridge built with five bamboo poles, a bit 'wobbly but stable. The trail climbs steeply from here and the high humidity makes us crawl and sweat twice.
Some yellow birds fly from tree to tree chirping lively, tried to follow with his eyes, but they seem intimidated by our presence and take refuge among the highest branches lightning. E 'winter, even if the temperature and the landscape of the season have little to which we are accustomed to, the only distinguishing marks are the leaves of some deciduous trees in this time of year are colored red and yellow, as if it were our autumn with the small difference that here the thermometer indicates 25 to 30 ° C. We climb above the sea level of several hundred meters (however, we started from 500 m) and a small flat, we are fortunate to find the curious birds blue walking horizontally on a pair of trunks of trees. At the same time tapping into the forest echoes a very familiar: strong, certainly caused by a strong beak on the bark, have to be a woodpecker! Leo sees him only in passing, because a branch trampled ruin his cover alerting the bird that gives a quick getaway, that luck! And with the woodpeckers, fly away even the hope of one day Leo can do the private investigator ...
Have already spent two hours, but we move slowly. Here's what he does for us: a beautiful bamboo bench overlooking the waterfall that plunges 150 meters into the void disturbs the quiet of the jungle. The Namtok Maesalid We (Namtok in Thai means waterfall) was born in the middle of this forest nurturing life on their feet and increasing the humidity in the area. Let's continue our journey and as the height increases, the vegetation becomes more sparse, the soil is barren and cunning prey hovering not far from us, looking for some prey distracted.
In three hours we reach 1177 meters, the viewpoint of the hills and the surrounding area, late in the morning, it is quite disappointing given that the sky is quite creamy and visibility is limited (if you have the opportunity and time, Portet behind tent and stop at the viewpoint for the night, the view at sunset and at dawn they say it's wonderful!)
To return to the starting point there is another viewpoint from the path that runs along the hill and then into the jungle on the opposite side, but unfortunately we did not find, making our choice: return to base for the same route the first leg. Just below the lookout point we hear a loud crash, maybe a rally among birds? We decide to put into practice the teachings of the Pygmies of Central Africa (thanks Anna for your incredible stories.) From bush to bush, camouflaging pay maximum attention at every step to produce less noise as possible thus avoiding the rowdy guests notice our presence in the tree. A branch traitor seems to cancel our strategy camera, luckily the birds are in the heart of the matter and do not realize it. We crouched down and sit in listening: blacks and blues of funny birds with a long train of feathers to fly up after dancing from left to right and then fell to near vertical shaft. A customer from noble dark green plumage on its back and yellow on the head erect and waiting for some important event and its perfect vantage point to check with enviable calm throughout the area underneath. A long-billed woodpecker and gleefully pointed back the trunk of his favorite tree every three hops hiding behind the thick bark. Each animal is intent and focused on his goal, only and exclusively on that, I met. A moment later came the blunt denial, the spell is broken, perhaps a sudden movement, the tree suddenly becomes quiet and remain alone.

We start over again and promised not to stop any more because the chirping is still a long descent. We pass a grassy stretch and then travel back through the thick forest., Turn right behind a tree then left onto hard ground and my heart jumps in my throat, a huge black buffalo horns fitted with sharp stares at us surprised rhythmically chewing large tufts' grass. A second and third come out of the undergrowth encroaching on the path, marching slowly as models on the catwalk. And now what? Walk a few steps toward them, at least 300 pounds and beasts with our supreme astonishment run away more scared than ever! At this time of the afternoon, the humidity is felt with her and also our exhaustion. Each step is harder than its predecessor and almost trembling legs are far from stable. The last 500m is a pleasant relief marked by two special meetings: the first with a small bird with dark blue plumage, which rests on a horizontal trunk a few feet away, a quick taste of his tuneful and then via a free and lightning in the sky. The second with a reptile, a species of lizard with a crested head and not at all afraid of our insistent curiosity. The little body off the ground aims to achieve some random sunbeam to warm up, while the tail stretched out and still seems to want to relax after a crazy day up and down the jungle. As our new knowledge, we also we need to rest after this first exciting excursion into the rainforest Thai: seven hundred meters uphill seven shirts and sweaty, but no trace of the hornbill many other unexpected surprises that make us love more and more of this unusual land.