When I started my three month stint with NATR, I was a little worried I wouldn't want to leave. The crew appeared top-notch, the type of work extremely fulfilling, and the amount of backyard recreation truly blissful.

All of these perceptions proved true. Thus to my surprise, and overall contentment, I was ready to leave Kuraburi to fill a void that was growing in me due to Em's absence. While I will miss much about the Kuraburi area, I am stoked to stay connected with the crew by continuing to help virtually for the next few weeks.

NATR is in a transition of phasing itself out in the next few months. It is great to sit back and realize that there are current programs that will carry NATR's foundation into the future. Projects like the Kuraburi Information Center, continued vocational training and English speaking with local groups, various environmental education programs being led by our ACE Expert graduates, and the community-based tourism project I have been working on all will help develop the communities in a sustainable methodology benefiting local people.

Supporting our endeavors, the state of Phang Nga is focussed on developing ecotourism and beginning to put resources into the Kuraburi area. This is both for environmental sustainability and marketing differentiation. The states of Phuket and Krabi began on this "ecotourism" concept but due to high tourism volumes have stopped promoting the outdoor local Thai experience, which is also now harder to find.

It will be a test to see if the Kuraburi area can withstand the lure of big money as developers hope to build the next chain mega-resort destination up the Andaman coast. We believe the people in Kuraburi will resist as many locals have heard first-hand from other villagers in the Khao Lak or Phuket area how things have changed, and in their opinions, for the worse. These opinions are even coming from those who are now basking in tourist dollars, but conscious that their old livelihoods are dying out and their native forests are receding inland.

The other unique factor in NATR's success has been the lack of mafia intervention. Like most developing nations, Thailand has widespread corruption. Local mafia groups make sure to get involved where there is money. That has been our saving grace. We are not making any money and we are not getting involved in already established money-generating industries such as boat trips to the Surin Islands. So, we have been able to go about our business and support a community-driven process for creating tourism. It will also be interesting to see how the mafia reacts to programs such as homestays when the money does start coming in.

Either way, I feel lucky to have been there during such a transitional stage in little Kuraburi's history and to help push change towards the positive. I look forward to returning with Em and my parents and have a feeling I will be back beyond that.

My last weekend consisted of great jungle wilderness. Most of the crew went out to the Surin Islands, but due to the cost and knowing I will be there for a longer stay in a couple months, I chose to stay on the mainland. Jason and I found the seven pools, a beautiful playground just a few kilometers upriver from the dam we visit regularly. We ended up hiking too far upstream and had an adventurous river-walk/rock-slide back down to the pools.

Then Jeab took us to his uncle's property in Kapong. We went down for a big jungle hike his cousins had planned. With a late morning start, I was thinking it would just be a little stroll to some stream to watch them spearfish. But no, with lots of river walking, some fishing with bamboo poles made on-site, and many waterslides and waterfalls, it turned out to be a fantastic outing. The river walk is a true wilderness experience as you are not using any man-made trail and hence get to places that are literally off the "beaten path".

In addition to this great hike, we attended the funeral of one of Jeab's father's friends both nights we were in Kapong. A funeral in Thailand, and most of the east, is quite different from home. For instance, it lasts a week. They do conduct a more traditional ceremony the first night, but each consecutive evening has a party atmosphere with dinner, drinks, and card games. Again, a great experience. Thanks Jeab for your continued invitations to show me more of your country...I have enjoyed them all.

So, back to my transition here in Hat Yai. Stoked! My next month consists of virtual work helping grow Andaman Discoveries, some intense training for the return trip to the Himalayas, and starting to look for my next work project here after our two months of vacation! With Em's laptop and high-speed internet in our apartment, I am currently setting up the virtual office. Kind of nice to be able to rock out to new music (thanks NATR peeps) while working!

Labels: Kuraburi, sustainable tourism, Thailand