37. Traveling by Sleeper Van (Part 13), The Ancient Tree

The next afternoon, I traveled to a village to see another thousand-year-old tree. The location of this tree was different from the previous one. The path leading to it was slightly away from the village, with a small road covered by trees leading in. There was a simple wooden signpost indicating the way.

Finally, I parked in front of the community forest area here. The front area is a paved space that can accommodate about four or five cars. There is a sign explaining that this is the site of a community forest where various types of trees have been planted for conservation purposes. Within this forest, there is a tree that is over 2,000 years old.

I didn't waste any time and quickly grabbed a bottle of water, then started walking in to explore. Inside, there was a well-maintained path. I feel excited and delighted every time I get the chance to walk alone in the forest like this. There were various local birds to see. One caught my eye; it looked like a heron but with legs about half the length. I saw it running on two legs. At first, I thought it was a kiwi, but its feathers were bluish-purple, unlike the brown feathers of a kiwi.

At first, I thought I had encountered a rare bird, but I had to change my mind because I later saw several more of them playing around. However, their calls sounded somewhat like dinosaurs in movies. Plus, since they kept running, it made them look even more like dinosaurs. It seems I've digressed from the topic of birds for too long, so let me get back to the topic of the tree.

The path leads to the heart of the forest, bringing me to the giant tree that stands majestically in the center of this jungle. The atmosphere feels very enchanting. This tree has a shape similar to the one I encountered earlier, with its branches spreading widely. However, being situated in the heart of the forest gives it a very different feeling.

The information on the board states that this ancient giant tree, which is thousands of years old, was once used as a place to store the bones and skulls of the dead. They were placed in the hollow of the giant tree, a tradition that has been passed down through generations. However, the bones that were once in the hollow of this tree have been removed. I was fascinated by the history and performed a water offering to dedicate merit to the various spirits (according to personal belief). Then, I walked around to return to the car.

After assessing the situation, I think it would be possible to stay overnight here due to the peaceful atmosphere and the nearby restroom that meets my needs. The living creatures I could observe there are birds and cows (grazing on the villagers' land adjacent to the forest). They might be surprised to see someone around here. The cows in this country are large and fluffy, but they make loud noises similar to the cows back in Thailand.

Even though the surroundings were so dark that I could hardly see anything, it made the stars in the sky look bright and clear. I felt that this would be another night of peaceful sleep, perhaps because of the tranquility and being amidst nature. And then I fell asleep just like every night.

In the morning, I got up to brew my usual cup of coffee and was surprised to see a van pull in so early. Upon observing the various equipment in the vehicle, I realized it belonged to a restroom cleaner. I couldn't help but be impressed that he started his workday so early, and I thought to myself that he must have other places to go as well. Although his job involved cleaning restrooms and maintaining facilities, it might not be too boring since he drives to different locations. I invited him for coffee, but he declined, thanking me for the offer. After finishing my personal tasks, I drove away from there.