The Mecca of Southeastern Asian Climbing. Ton Sai. (and broken toe torture)

I start my Thailand adventure with a 4 hour wait in the Bangkok airport. As per usual, my taste buds invite me to try some authentic Thai airport food and I opt for the Mushroom Tom Yum soup. The intensity of the spice steals my breath as I inhale the pungent lemongrass and hot-headed chili. I cough under my breath as tears burst out my eyes and run furiously down my face. On lookers gaze and issue a solemn "I've been there" sympathy glance. The lethal flavour teases me and I, with delicate effort, try to enjoy this war on my throat. At least this is the only war I have to personally deal with. Don't we wish it was the same with the rest of the world. In Korea, it is impolite to blow your nose at the table. I wonder if it is the same here?

While sitting in the airport shuttle on the way to Ton Sai peer, I had overheard a woman and her mother discussing the place of interest. Since I assumed they were headed in the same direction as me, seizing the opportunity to satisfy my curiosity, I shared my mutual interest in this mysterious place. Yori, her mother and her small baby boy, Kian, joined forces on the road to climbing paradise.

I sit on the beach because climbing has stuttered to a halt. Why? It seems unfortunate that the young lass has indeed broken her toe while preforming high wire slack line shenanigans. Sober and all, her wild balance, bereft of any fault, had oh-so dangerously snagged a toe on the way down. Yes, I fell off the freeking slack line. Now with not a single pitch climbed, I rest, ice, compress and elevate my foot as the back and blue purple swirls that call themselves bruises change and morph daily. In this climbing paradise, the walls of limestone grandeur taunt me. Their black streaks bleeding down over colossal caves and huecos perfect for a few fingers hurt my heart. Fortunately the crew that manifests itself here on the beach has sympathy, albeit with friendly teasing hand in hand.

I have been forced to hobble along slowly. This allows me to examine a side of nature once lost in rapid foot work. I am seeing the small details within dense jungle foliage and sun bleached white sand beaches. This makes me smile.