The seven levels of waterfall
We set out in our bus to the first day in our tour not to include any cycling. Our guide had told us to pack our swimmers and prepare for a hike. After a short bus ride, we arrive in the car park for this national park, lined with food shops, as well as the entrance, where we begin our walk, alongside a statue of an elephant.
Deciding to swim after we hike, we continue on, past a wire elephant used to collect plastic bottles for recycling
We pass a sign that lists the distance to each different level of the waterfall, with the highest one, level 7, being 2k away. No elevation is mentioned. We continue to the muster point, where our guide buys our tickets, and hires the life jackets we were required to wear if we wanted to swim. This is level 1. We walk on to level two, where there are bathrooms to change into swimmers. We're told this is the best part to swim in. We believe it.
Deciding to swim after we hike, we continue on, past a wire elephant used to collect plastic bottles for recycling We continue on, past a fork in the road, one side leading to level 4, the other towards the other, higher levels. Here we find our first set of steep, long steps. We make it up this first challenge with ease, and find ourselves at a wooden bridge on concrete pillars, without any railings.
Up and up we go, along well maintained paths, surrounded by the remains of what previously served as the path up, mostly destroyed. There is scarce anyone around. A person from our tour group takes our picture on a separate bridge, higher up.
Up and up we go, along well maintained paths, surrounded by the remains of what previously served as the path up, mostly destroyed. There is scarce anyone around. A person from our tour group takes our picture on a separate bridge, higher up.Level 5 was conquered, which is where I split off from my family, in order to rush for the finish. I pass the first family I've seen.
I run up flights and flights of stairs, as fast as I can manage for such steep incline. I pass level 6, reaching an incredible set of stairs, the longest and steepest yet. I've slowed to a jog, the sheer number of stairs getting to me. I continue on. I see the final set of stairs, up to the highest pool. I run all the way up. A Thai local takes a picture of me in front of the apt sign, marking the top.
