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This is turning out to be a very difficult TR to write. How to summarize two weeks in an absolutely fabulous place, with amazing climbing, fantastic food, wonderful people, and giant bugs? Well, at least the pictures are up... For the past several years, as we've been huddling around the camp fire in J-Tree during the new year's holiday pilgrimage, freezing our asses off, we kept on saying "why don't we go somewhere warm next year?" Well, this year it finally happened. Daniel and Tina were on an extended road trip, and had flown to Thailand in late November, Dan and Lynsey left around Christmas, and Jeremy planned on showing up for his yearly get away in mid January. I chose to fly out at five minutes past midnight on Thursday Jan 5, with an arrival time in Tonsai of sunset on Friday the 6th. The various flights (SFO - Taipei - Bangkok - Krabi) were reasonably pleasant, if long, and the final stages of taxi to Ao Nang and longtail boat to Tonsai were most refreshing - the taxi due to the adrenaline rush inspired by the Thai driving style, and the longtail due to the sea air and water splashed in my face. I was met by a very wan looking Dan and Lynsey on the beach - they were only just recovering from some nasty gastro-intestinal problem which had apparently swept the area. Daniel and Tina were also down for the count. Never the less, after I checked into my bungalow in Dream Valley, we had a pleasant dinner there, after which I wandered back down to the beach to try to take it all in. It was so beautiful - white sand beaches, towering limestone cliffs, cute little ramshackle bars and restaurants, and colourful longtails floating in the water. The weather was warm and somewhat humid, but not unpleasantly so, and there was a delightful breeze coming off the sea. Definitely shorts and no shirt weather. The next morning, on Daniel's recommendation, I had breakfast at Chai's, ordering the chocolate pancakes stuffed with bananas, and smothered in chocolate sauce. Yum. What a way to start the day. Daniel, Tina, Dan and Lynsey joined me shortly thereafter, and the daily cycle of eating and climbing began. It was so easy to get lost in the slow paced rhythm of Tonsai, that soon I lost track of the days. The only real points of reference, were days when someone would come or leave, or when one had to try to organise some group activity for a rest day. The biggest change was when Daniel and Tina left, and Jeremy arrived. Jeremy has been going to Tonsai and Railey for many years, and knows all the regulars. When Daniel and Tina left, and Jeremy arrived, I suddenly was thrust into a whole new circle of people, and the evenings became much more social. We would end the climbing day at the Suadit bar (the climber's haven) at sunset, with something cold and wet to sooth a parched throat, then after much discussion pick a venue for dinner, only to return to the Suadit after eating for some more socialising and further thirst quenching beverages. I suddenly found myself getting significantly less sleep, but it was worth it. There's no real point detailing the activities day by day. My normal schedule was two days on, one day off, except at the end when I tried, with mixed success, to do 3 and a half days on before rushing to get to the plane on time. I managed to hit most of the main climbing areas, ticking a large number of the classics. A few that really stood out were Humanality (6b+): a very pleasant 4 pitch climb (5 if you count the tree), right over the beach at Tonsai, which involves some cool moves off a stalactite. Cross Eyed (7b): amazing, long, and pumpy, full of interesting moves. Wish I'd gotten on it while fresh and sent it. Tidal Wave (7b+): short, powerful, way overhanging and gymnastic. The only climb I "projected", if you call getting on it thrice projecting. Was starting to figure it out when I had to leave. Love for Travelling (7a+): very overhanging, full of cool moves around stalactites. Amazing. Dozer Days (6c): long and mellow, with some slippery hugging of tuffas and stalactites. Pearl Jam (7b): a 100' zig-zagging overhanging hand crack! Would only be 11b in the valley, but high heat and constant sweating bumps it up a few notches. Equatorial (6c): 115' of jugs, crimps, fingerlocks, roofs, stalactites, tuffas, dagger rock, and everything else you could want in a climb. On rest days, I gorged myself on chocolate pancakes at Chai's for breakfast, wandered around the beaches, investigated the local markets, went swimming and snorkelling, had some bespoke shirts and pants made in Ao Nang, and even checked out the local hot springs. You wouldn't expect that to be an interesting destination, considering it was already hot and humid, but in fact the 40 degree water cascading down through a series of bathtub like pools felt absolutely amazing. I also carefully scheduled my sick day (mmmm, projectile vomiting!) to coincide with a rest day. Good planning, eh? I had had high intentions of learning how to scuba dive while I was there, but despite being in Tonsai for over two weeks, there just wasn't enough time to do so. Hard to figure that one out. I think next year, I'll stay longer and try again.

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The hot springs

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Exploring the cave between Escher Wall and Thaiwand

The local wildlife was pretty damn impressive. Huge spiders, incredibly colourful insects, which for the most part were also pretty large, aggressive monkeys, strange birds (I did eventually hear the "more beer" bird, but never actually saw it), lizards, more insects, the bat that lived in my bungalow's porch roof, free range chickens, beautiful fish, and lots and lots of voracious mosquitoes, which seemed immune to mosquito coils and DEET.

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Cute bugs

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Cute bat, sporting a pair of big ones
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Cute spiders. The one on the left was in my bathroom for a few days, and was considerably larger than my hand

The area is very given to panorama shots. I couldn't stop myself from taking a bunch. Warning: some of these are very large.

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Tonsai from Thaiwand Wall
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Tonsai and Railey from Thaiwand Wall
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Tonsai from Cat Wall
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The beach in front of the Suadit bar at sunset
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Tonsai from the ladder platform
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Looking down at the boats from Humanality

No TR would be complete without some climbing pics. There are so many to choose from, that I just picked a select few.

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Dan on Fire Starter and Tina on Monkey Love
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Daniel and Micha on Babo Does Thailand
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Charles on Tidal Wave, and Achim on Viking in Heat
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Achim on P0 of Humanality (a tree), and Vin on Reminiscence
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Vin on Stalagasaurus, and Jeremy on Viking in Heat

Part of what made Tonsai so special was meeting all sorts of interesting people from all over the world. Through Jeremy, who has been going back for many years, I was able to get to know a wide selection of folks, all of whom were extremely nice. It really added to the sense of community to have people there who have made it their home away from home, and gather there on a yearly basis. I really envy you guys! Maybe though, I'll be able to become one of the regulars too. And finally, some random pictures of people and places.

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Waiting out the rain at Fire Wall: Chis, Steph, Torsten, Dan, Daniel and Emily
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Longtails in the water on Tonsai Beach, with Tonsai Wall and Dum's Kitchen in the background.

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Daniel and Tina in the Defile cave

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My bungalow (Dream Valley #207)
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Happy Islands off Pra Nang beach. You can walk to them at low tide
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Morning madness on Tonsai Wall
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Jugglers on the beach in front of the Suadit bar at sunset
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The late afternoon bar scene at the Suadit
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Last supper at Dream Valley Nina, Charles, Theresa, Achim, Francois, Chantal, Jeremy, Vin, Stephan

I don't think that I've ever had this much fun on a climbing trip. The people, the rock, the food, and the society were all spectacular. I was sorely tempted to delay my return for, oh a few years... The place is changing fast, with more and more tourists showing up every year, and increasing development. The regulars who have been going there for years have started to mutter that it's gotten to be too much - I really wish that I had listened to my friends and gone before. But still, I have no complaints, and without a doubt, I shall return next year, hopefully for longer, and with the intention of exploring more of the surroundings and other bits of Thailand like Chang Mai, and Bangkok.