Railay Number 4 - Princess Lagoon

As the morning sun starts to bake
the red earth of these hills,
we set out.

Clasping rock and rope,
we embed our digits into this land

as the mud embeds beneath our finger-nails.

I am shoeless and bare chested,

to let the clay paint my skin

with the story of this journey.

This climb is not about a summit,

but an isolated depth, an interior sea-level 

inside this peninsula's ribcage.

So we re-descend the steep trachea walls,

and listen to the breathing path

whistle and giggle in playful respiration.

If you are fascinated with the echo

of this palaeolithic chamber,

that vocal selfie-stick,

the waters of the lagoon will

freeze in interrupted stillness,

shy of the volume of trespassing tourists.

But, if you listen in silence,

long enough for your feet

to sink beneath the surface

the heart beneath the water begins to beat,

and the lagoon will rouse unto its pious dance,

with darting fish, red-breasted birds and unseen monkeys,

whilst a gargantuan web soundly glistens

as the sun pierces through

from the world of the exterior.

We, starting as spectators, are beckoned 

by the mysterious green tinted waters,

to inhale this permeating essence,

and become, 

ourselves, 

part of the mystery.

While Silje and I were visiting Thailand, we stayed on the isolated peninsula of Railay in the province of Krabi. This beautiful peninsula is home to some amazing wildlife, breathtaking beaches (great bars) and awe-inspiring landscape, including the hidden Princess Lagoon.

I wrote this poem after we hiked to the lagoon. I also made this video using footage and photos we took while we were there.