BootsnAll Travel Network



Giving blood in Thailand

I have found three great travel companions for my time in Khao Sok. A British woman named Louise is an epidemiologist who has been working on AIDS/HIV research in Tanzania, and two Aussie boys from Sydney, both 26, have been wonderful additions to the scenery. We had a late night by jungle standards (10pm) playing cards, watching an impressive thunderstorm, and practicing counting in Thai. We agreed to meet this morning to explore the park.Due to the rainstorm last night, the leeches were out in force and we quickly realized that my river sandals were surprisingly effective at dissuading these blood-sucking parasites. Alex, the tall Aussie redhead ended the day with around seven bleeding wounds, no doubt a result of his low tops and short socks.

The initial disgust from the idea of having your blood sucked quickly changed to ambivalence. They’re there, they’re crafty survivors, and transmit no diseases; so why not let them have a drink? I’m quite fascinated with them really. Like cockroaches, they are one of evolution’s brightest achievers. They only need to feed every six months and can survive ages tucked under a leaf awaiting the rainy season where they thrive. The bites don’t even hurt! They are gracious enough to numb the area before digging in, the only problem being the anti-coagulant also injected to keep the blood flowing. After they’ve drunk their fill, the bleeding is a bit disconcerting but harmless if left clean and unscratched.

Leeches aside, the hike was amazing. The jungle is teeming with life and included several waterfalls along the way. The humidity was suffocating but made the meal and shower at the end of the day all the more rewarding.



Tags: ,

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *