A travel of hope: Finding myself again in U Thong historical site
Life has a funny way of reminding us what truly matters.
Just days after my second PEG tube operation, I found myself curled up in my hotel room, scrolling mindlessly through Instagram—until a posting mesmerized me. A towering Buddha, carved into a cliff, serene and majestic, glowing under the golden sun. My heart raced. Where is this? A quick search revealed it was in Suphan Buri, a little over two hours from Bangkok.
Call it impulse, call it passion—but I knew I had to go.
Before I became a "PEG tuber," I was a traveler, a seeker of sacred spaces. Temples, stupas, meditation retreats—they were my refuge. Now, with a body that sometimes feels like it’s working against me, I could have easily talked myself out of it. "Too far. Too tiring. Too complicated." But then I thought: What if I don’t have forever to wait?
So, I stocked up on my milk, booked a private driver from Indrive app (a reasonable 1,100 baht one-way), and set off the next morning.
Discovering U Thong: Where History Breathes
Suphan Buri is home to U Thong, an ancient city steeped in the Dvaravati culture, one of Thailand’s earliest Buddhist civilizations. My first stop? The U Thong National Museum, where history unfolded before me in artifacts and stories.
But here’s the glitch — no Grab, no taxis in this rural town. The receptionist, seeing my desperation, smiled and handed me the keys to her manual motorcycle. Thank goodness for my Thai motorcycle license and my superb memories on handling a manual bike!
Inside the museum, I was mesmerized:
- Prehistoric tools from 3,000 years ago.
- Roman coins, Persian merchant seals—proof of U Thong’s role as a bustling trade hub.
- Theravada Buddhism’s earliest traces in Thailand, carved into earthen plates and golden beads.
- Rare Buddha votive tablets —some of the oldest in Thailand, their intricate designs whispering stories of devotion from over a thousand years ago.
The Dvaravati artifacts —stone dharma wheels, bronze Buddhas, and those sacred votive tablets—told a story of a civilization that thrived on faith and artistry.
The Cliffside Buddha That Stole My Heart
Then came the moment I’d been waiting for: Wat Khao Tham Thiam, home to Luang Pho U Thong, an 84-meter-tall Buddha carved into the mountain.
This wasn’t just a statue—it was a vision. The abbot here had transformed an abandoned quarry into a pilgrimage site, a place where history and devotion met. The Buddha’s teaching/explaining/discussing mudra (Vitarka) that looks like an ok hand signal felt like a silent sermon, a reminder of the dharma’s timelessness.
Behind the statue, a tunnel lined with smaller Buddha images led to a golden pagoda housing relics. I stood there, breathless, feeling the weight of centuries—and the lightness of being exactly where I was meant to be. I even bought myself a Buddha amulet as a souvenir.
Sickness Didn’t Stop Me—And It Shouldn’t Stop You
People assume illness means the end of adventure. That happiness becomes something you *used* to have. But this trip proved the opposite.
Yes, my body is different now. Yes, I have to plan around feedings, fatigue, and limitations. **But my energy? My light?** Still burning. Still curious. Still in love with the world.
If anything, this journey taught me:
You don’t need to be "healthy" to be happy. The dharma—and the world—is still yours to explore. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is chase what ignites your inner strength.
So here’s to more adventures, more sacred sites, more moments that remind me: Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain—PEG tube and all.
Next stop? Who knows. But I’ll be there.
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