The temple is known for two things: the adorable monkey-thieves that live at the Wat and the 1237 step stairway leading to the top of an overlook with a giant Buddha on top. This seemed like something up my alley.
During some research, I tried to determine how long it would take to get to the top. However, this was difficult to determine from online research. So, we started asking around. Most people said that it takes the average person an hour to get to the top and another hour to get down.
Of course, I figured I could do it much faster than "average" and set a goal of 30 minutes for myself.
The research also yielded the advice "do not go during the hottest point of the day, which is around noon."
And, of course, when I looked at my watch when I was about to start the climb, it was 11:57. Smart, right?
Harmony smartly decided that her post-knee surgery body would sit this one out, but she walked me to the base and wished me well on my journey. I started with a gallon of water, as well.
I am not going to lie. The walk up was incredibly physically and emotionally challenging. The steps were steep, the air was humid, the sun was hot and the climb was long. There was a point about 350 steps up that I had to give myself a little pep talk... "Dana, you can do this. Do you want to?" I responded "Yes." Then I respond "Okay, then shut up and walk."
There were posts painted with numbers that marked the journey along the way-- they told both good and bad news at the same time.
When I was at 1103 stairs some people coming down said "Almost there!" and I it made me feel less dizzy.
The view from the top was breathtakingly beautiful--probably, in part, because I earned it. I met some equally tired people on the top and we chatted briefly before I took off my shoes and slipped on my long skirt/sweater to enter the temple.
After about 20 minutes on top celebrating my victory over the stairs, I decided to head down.
The first few hundred stairs down were a bitt terrifying. They were very steep and very high-- most steps were the height of my knee. Therefore, although going down was easier, it was also WAY more terrifying.... then, after a few hundred stairs, the began to become a little easier to manage.
It took my 22 minutes to get down.
I drank the entire gallon of water. My leg was twitching madly.
I bought another water as a gift shop, were I looked for a shirt that would boast my accomplishment, but having no "I climbed 1237 steps on my vacation" shirt, I bought one that just said Wat Sua instead. If you see me wear it, you should give me a high five.
We then asked our taxi driver (who waited for us) to drive us to lunch. He did. I ate a crazy amount of delicious curry and tom yum kung, which was good considering we accidentally ordered enough food for at least four more people. A well-deserved meal!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment