We took the train back to Bangkok and stayed at Top Garden again. Victor reintroduced himself to us and reasked us about all our plans. After hanging out for the day (eating at Cathouse and Nice Kitchen one last time) we were taking a bus to Sop Pong (northern Thailand, right next to the Burma border).
When we got to the bus station we learned the bus we wanted to take was sold out. So we took a bus to Pi and were told we'd be able to catch another bus in Pi. Of course there were no buses out of Pi so we had to spend some money to get a guy to drive us to Cave Lodge.
Cave Lodge was built in the 70s by an awesome traveler named John. He's well known in the area, our driver kept referring to him as Mr. John. John is an Australian who loves caving. He fell in love and married a Thai woman and built all these bamboo huts in the jungle for people to come, hang out and go caving in. Unfortunately I didn't get to meet Mr. John. He was on holiday in Australia. But his daughter and her husband were really great and friendly.
Cave Lodge was really cool. We were just set in the jungle, living in a bamboo hut and chillen hard. Conor and I aren't the huge "caving type" so we opted out of a big cave tour. We kept ourselves busy in the big common area- reading, lounging, playing UNO with the staff kids.
Our first day there we went with a group of people to a smaller cave, one that requires little physical activity. You pay a guide to take you on a raft into the cave and then you walk around throughout the cave. After an hour of this we knew that was enough caving for us. It was cool and beautiful, but it was enough for me. Our favorite cave lodge activity was probably the herbal sauna. They chop up wood for you and put all these herbs inside to make the sauna smell amazing! We did it twice, but I wish we had done it more. So relaxing, hot and smelled great.
At the lodge they have stray dogs that come and end up pretty much living there. Enter, Sammy, my new dog. If you have ever met my dog Billy you will understand this more. Sammy was what Billy is not: friendly to people, loyal, kind and super defending of me. Billy is antisocial and only loves my parents. Sammy loved Conor and me, and we loved him back. One day we went for a walk down the river. Sammy was there and he crossed the river to come hang out with us. He led us back to cave lodge too and never left our side. Another male dog showed up that night. If the dog came near me Sammy fought it. Sammy slept on our porch that night. He walked me to the bathroom in the middle of the night. This is how dogs should be. I miss you Sammy and I hope you still think of me. Billy, if your reading this, I'm sorry.
Cave lodge has a good paying system. They just talley all the food and drinks you get and you just pay at the end. Needless to say Conor and I had an embarrassing amount of food on our bill. It ended up being a joke between us and the staff, because if you didn't joke about it, it was just awkward.
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