Senior WINGS Leader Gavin Bieber writes:

The most exciting journeys begin when one strikes off into an entirely new corner of the world, with only limited planning–and even more limited backup. Those first few precious days, when every smell and sound are foreign, when one is half awake listening to a dawn chorus where none of the singers have names….

I’m lucky to have a career that takes me to new lands, in pursuit of new birds, new landscapes and a deeper understanding of the ecological and cultural connections that exist on this world. Traveling professionally, though, can sometimes make the pace somewhat frenetic: devising routes, finding hotels, obtaining recordings, studying to prepare myself for a future tour. And so this summer I vowed to take a vacation to a truly unknown land, with no clear goal or desire other than the experience itself.

The shrine at the summit of Doi Inthanon. Photo: Jon Dunn.

I’ve long been fascinated by the ancient cultures and wildlife of Asia, and when I found myself with almost a month to spare, I decided that the time was ripe. I’ve had a few weeks to prepare, leafing briefly through birding trip reports, travel guides, maps and travel blogs, and talking with friends who have traveled in the area before. I’ve enlisted a good friend as a companion, and my stalwart co-traveler and I have decided on a rough route through Thailand, with a week in the far northern highlands along the Burmese border, several days around Bangkok and the nearby lowlands, about a week in neighboring Cambodia, and if time permits a couple of days on the peninsula’s southern beaches. We’ve intentionally avoided more detailed planning aside, preferring to strike out and see where we end up.

White-crested Laughingthrush, resident in Thailand's Khao Yai National Park. Photo: Jon Dunn.

This will be my first Asian trip, and I’m very much looking forward to a completely new avifauna, colorful temples and markets, and the chance to really explore. We’ll be traveling in the low season, when we’ll likely encounter more rain, more mud, more mosquitoes, and more leeches than winter trips typically do. Can’t wait!

I’ll have my trusty camera along to record the proceedings. Look for updates on my travels here at The Wingbeat!

- Gavin