The Freedom Diaries - Part 1 - Thailand

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As I sit here looking across the Mekong River in to Laos from my little slice of Thai tranquillity, I thought it was time to share the experiences and adventures that Thailand has provided us with. Tomorrow we continue our journey in to Laos, another country, another culture, another beer.

We have had 10 amazing days in Thailand which began what feels like a month ago in the chaos that is known as Bangkok. After a 22-hour journey with no sleep and plenty of emotions, we arrived in Bangkok. Walking in to the wall of heat that greeted us at the airport, we shed our layers of clothes and shook of the remnants of winter bracing ourselves for long two months ahead of us.

After 40 minutes of flying through Bangkok traffic, the taxi driver, in traditional Thai style, creating his own driving lane where necessary, we arrived at the infamous Khaosan Road. Slowly creeping through the burgeoning throngs of tourists we arrived at the Khaosan Palace. The term ‘palace’ is was obviously engaged in the loosest form of the word when they named the place but it offered a warm shower and a rooftop pool to escape the hustle and bustle of the streets below. Refusing to give in to sleep in a bid to adjust to local time as quick as possible, we found ourselves amongst the growing swell of tourists on the prowl for cheap beer and entertainment. In all of 5 minutes we were looking for our escape from the mass groups of British and Australian tourists that were challenging themselves to drink their bodyweight in beer. We sought serenity in the quiet Soi’s that the locals call home, wandering the dark alleyways wondering what was around the next corner and where we would end up. This meandering walk showed us to a little local restaurant where the kitchen was an open bench out the back and the karaoke singer was doing her best to belt out an English tune from the corner. After being reminded of the Thai’s love affair with chilli it was time to seek the perfect antidote, the Pina Colada. Finding our way back to the side streets of the Khaosan Rd we found the bar that would become the first entry in the ‘Pina Colada Diaries’ or as they were known in this bar – pinacorada. After playing ‘guess the nationality’ of the passing tourists (the German’s are by far the easiest to spot with their insistence on wearing Reef sandals) and 34 hours with no sleep it was time to call it a night. After somehow finding comfort (*read exhaustion) on a bed that was harder than the tiled floor is sat upon and somehow tuning out the nightclub music that flowed through our bathroom window we found sleep only to be awoken at 4.30am by the return of drunk Australians that found it essential to sing ‘let’s eat lasagne’ at the top of their lungs followed by some form of rap/tongue twister. Whilst some may admire their dedication as they took the 20 minutes required to perfect the song, I lay in bed planning the many merciless ways I could enact my revenge. Finally though, sleep took us away to the following early afternoon.

As the new day came so did our sense of ‘nothing to do and all day to do it in’. A 2pm breakfast, followed by a leisurely lounge by the pool, found the day gone before we knew it. The only thing left to do was to continue making entries in to the Pina Colada diary. In a mission to escape the Khaosan Rd as often as possible we walked to find the river only to discover a little oasis hidden behind the dirty streets of the city. Low tables and beanbags (or sit sacks as they are translated to from Dutch, though sound like something else when spoken with a Dutch accent), palm trees and garden lights through the trees created a mini paradise amongst the chaos of Bangkok. Whilst the Pina Colada’s continued to rank poorly in my marking, the setting was the relaxation we needed and the essential escapism we sought from the Khaosan Rd. Further meandering found us a €4 dinner at a small guesthouse before returning to the mission of seeking the ultimate Pina Colada*. We returned to the area of the Khaosan Rd to continue Operation Pina Colada only to find another shitty version ranking low on the scale. Before abandoning the mission for the evening we decided to return to the place that Mark and I began in a quiet Soi off the Khaosan Rd. Unfortunately the restaurants where we met had gone under renovation; the only thing we could recognise was the wall that Mark sat along 5 years ago. In place of the restaurant now sat a small ‘garden’ made with AstroTurf and a white picket fence. The newly painted white chairs covered in cling film to ensure they stayed in pristine condition whilst also ensuring that our bare flesh remained firmly attached to the furniture. We attempted to ask our waiter about when the renovations took place only to receive a laugh like Kim Jong Il in Team America as he clearly had no idea what we were talking about. Still, he understood enough to be able to bring us our Pina Colada and beer. At last things were looking up as I found a Pina Colada that I could rate above a 5 on my Pina Colada scale however this moment wasn’t too last and my optimism was shattered as a second order rendered only a 4/10.

It was time again to abandon the mission for the evening and commence my next challenge for the night – sleep. Armed with earplugs the challenge began and for a moment I thought I would succeed however after removing them at 5am when the party outside the window finally ended to relieve my ears of the pressure, I was faced with the cleaners ensuring that every garbage bag they used was rustled well open and every door was firmly slammed closed after them. Add to that the comfort and noise of sleeping on plastic bedding (I won’t even open my mind to what they are trying to protect the mattress against in a place such as this), the bed harder than a concrete slap and a pillow as high as Uluru, I resolved to myself that sleep was something that I wouldn’t be reunited with until we escape the chaotic walls of the city. We booked our transport soon after breakfast to take ourselves out of the city as soon as possible the next morning. In the meantime we sought sanctity on the rooftop pool 6 floors above the chaos and accepted that we couldn’t beat the Khaosan Rd so we may as well join it.



It became apparent the next morning that our search for the cheapest minibus to Kanchanaburi came with an unexpected price. Believing we would be in a minibus full of tourists making the same journey we were a little surprised when the minibus pulled up filled with locals with all their packages and parcels destined for their home town. Climbing over the numerous boxes and bags that filled the aisles we found our place and made a few more stops to ensure the bus was completely filled. The overloaded bus and lack of English speakers ensured that my fear of small confined spaces was in overdrive and I was left wondering how my little heart beating 100 times a minute would survive the next two hours, let alone the two months of minibus journeys that were ahead of us. Many deep breaths, an emergency toilet stop and a few tears later we came closer to our destination and slowly started to drop the passengers off at their random town and villages they called home. Finally with space to breath I could relax and enjoy a little of the journey. We arrived in the little town of Kanchanaburi made famous by its unfortunate history as the location for a Japanese-operated prisoner-of-war camp and the home of the bridge over the River Kwai. After searching around for the right priced guesthouse we decided to splurge on the budget and pay the extra 50baht (€1) for a place with a pool. Located on the river, it offered the silence we needed after Bangkok. The afternoon was spent on hired bikes taking in the WWII history and the many moving tributes to the Australian, Dutch, British and American soldiers that lost their life in the area building the ‘Death Railway’. With the scorching sun bearing down on us we returned to our guesthouse to make the most of our extra euro spent and took a swim and nap by the pool. Evening came and after watching a beautiful sunset over the limestone peaks we went in search of carbs to take away the remains of our hangover still looming in the background after our Khaosan Rd send off. We found them in the form of a big cheesy pizza, a surprisingly welcome relief even after only a short time on the Asian diet. With our jetlag finally catching up to us and the bars in the area filled with old Western men we enjoyed a late evening pedicure (for me) and massage (for Mark).

Our second day in Kanchanaburi saw us booked on an early morning tour (apparently to beat the busloads of Russian tourists in the area). Loaded on to a minibus with fellow tourists in place of locals we made our way out to Erawan Falls. Beautiful is too weak a word to use to describe this place. We seven magnificent waterfalls to discover we made our way up taking in the breathtaking views and scenery along the way. Finally it was time for a swim in the beautiful clear waters however after dipping a toe in the water the hundreds of fish in the pool decided to come over to see if dinner was being served. Whilst many people have taken to paying good money to have fish such at your legs and feet, this is not something that I am inclined to experience. Regardless, I took the plunge in to the water and engaged the words of Dory ‘just keep swimming’. The fish took to following me though and hungrily sucking at my feet and legs at every possible moment. Realising that no relaxation would be found in this water we resorted to heading back down to the first few falls where we hoped the mass of Russian tourists that were sure to have arrived by now would have scared the fish away allowing for some peaceful swimming. Our arrival at Waterfall 2 only found more fish though some more than 4 times as big as the fish in the previous waterfalls. Whilst the Russians just bomb dived in to the heart of the school of fish, my refreshment came from sitting in the fast flowing water of the waterfall where no fish could swim. Erawan Falls, stunning to the eye and fabulous for swimming only if you have a tolerance for things in the water.

After a quick lunch, the tour took us out to Hellfire Pass, a section of the Death Railway carved out of a 25 meter mountain. It was a sombre place that again made you question the point of war. Over 100,000 men lost their lives building this railway only for it to be hardly used as the Allied forces launched their counter-attack on the Japanese forces in Burma. From there we were taken to the part of the Death Railway that was still in use. A rickety old train that made the Russian railway look like the Eurostar (the train was actually bought second-hand from India) pulled up where we were loaded aboard to cross the bamboo made bridge that sat many meters above the water below. The tourists aboard all rushing to one side of the train searching for the perfect photo whilst I remained on the other side of the train hoping that my weight would be enough to hold the train balanced. Slowly we made our way back to Kanchanaburi for one more look at the famous bridge. A quiet night followed where we discovered how to bbq Thai style. A clay caulderon of hot coals was placed on our table covered in a metal dome. We were then left to identify the many meats on the buffet to take to our coals on cook ourselves (just like a gourmet for the Dutchies). We tried as many different things as we could semi-identify whilst at the same time worrying if we will be paying for it tomorrow. Luckily we were fine.



The following day it was time to move on again. Our destination - Ayuthaya. The old capital of Siam before the Burmese successful overrun the city is filled with old ruins and temples of days gone by. Another destination that is out of the reach of the tourists only searching for parties and cheap drinks we were able to again embrace the slow paced life. We found ourselves the cheapest room we could find at 250baht (€6). We may have had to skirt around the piles of besser bricks and steel rods to get to the room but for the price, who were we to complain. In my view, any money saved on room rent meant more money for the Pina Colada fund. Back on the mission for the ultimate Pina Colada that night I was pleased to discover my first 7/10 rated drink. I was getting closer to the perfect drink but realised that I definitely wasn’t there yet.

The next day saw us being reacquainted with our Dutchness as we hired bikes yet again. Weaving through the seemingly rule free traffic of the town centre we made our way to the many temples and ruins the town is famous for. After tiring of the ruins we decided to ride outside of the town to explore what was listed on the map as the ‘Dutch Settlement’ however after missing a turnoff we found ourselves riding along the 3 lane road that was quickly turning in to the highway to Bangkok. We found a final turnoff before the highway began and tried to discover an alternative way back in to the city that was completely encircled by rivers. After many wrong turns down dead end streets we had no choice but to go back to the way we came. Fortunately we were able to take an alternative turnoff on our way back in to town which led us to the riverside and to a small ‘ferry’ that shipped us across the river. Returning the bikes, it was time to make our way to the train station for the next leg of our journey – Pak Chong.

The reliability of Thai Rail ensured that our train was delayed. After an hour wait not knowing what to expect of the train it finally arrived. Whilst far from ‘European standard’ it offered all, if not more than one could ask for. At each station food sellers would board the train, wandering the aisles selling their wares like an oversized sushi train. My eyes were fastened to the aisle wondering what the next seller may have to offer, trying the many unidentifiable items. With our ears deafened by the noise of the train on its narrow rails and our ears and nose blackened by the diesel soot flying in the open windows, we finally arrived in the dark night in Pak Chong. Not knowing what was in the town nor equipped with any map or information with the exception that it was the best starting base for Khao Yai National Park we were greeted by a sweet small Thai lady offering us a room for the night and a tour for the next day. We were joined by one-eyed Peter who also arrived on our train, a fascinating British man who had travelled the world, spoke many languages and was still backpacking around at 71 years of age. After dropping our bags at the family run guesthouse, we were shuttled down the road on the back of the family ute to a nearby restaurant where we had the most amazing soft-shelled crabs whilst listening to the fascinating stories that ol’ Pete had to share.

It was another early start the next morning as our tour guide Jay loaded us back on to the back of the truck and drove us out to Khao Yai National Park. Khao Yai NP is the oldest national park in Thailand and was stunning in every sense of the word. After a 2.5 hour walk through the forest in search of wildlife but coming up with nothing but mushrooms and trees it was time to head off for lunch. Whilst driving along the road Jay suddenly stops the truck. Above our heads was a family of gibbons playing and eating in the trees. They were a remarkable sight. Further on Jay found the Great Hornbill, a huge bird that grows to 120cm. It appears the way to see the animals is not to go searching for them in the forest but to simply drive along the road. After lunch we were shuttled off to Haew Suwat Waterfall, the waterfall that was used in the film ‘The Beach’. After viewing the national park from the stunning lookout 1100 meters above sea-level it was time to search for wild elephants. Jay’s acute sense of hearing heard the rustling of an elephant in the forest by the road even whilst driving along in his 4x4 truck with a hole in the exhaust. We pulled over to see the male elephant slowly munching his way through the 200kg of food that they eat per day. We got a quick glimpse before he went deeper in to the forest and all the other trucks full of tourists pulled up to have a look. The last of Jay’s spotting for the day was a lone porcupine coming out at the break of dusk to begin its evening search for food.

After returning to the guesthouse for a quick shower, it was time to head in to Pak Chong to take our overnight train to Nong Khai, a small township in the north-east that borders Laos. First was a stop at the local night market to find random selections of street food where no dish cost more than €1 allowing us to try an assortment of interesting dishes, some identifiable, some not. Finally it was time to bid farewell to ol’ Pete as we made our way to the station. The appropriate (by Thai standards) train delay of 1h20m was what we were coming to expect from train travel. However we were shown to the VIP room of the station (we assume for being western) to await our train. The VIP room was a small box room with curtains that allowed our legs a break from the many mosquitos that are always on the hunt. Finally at 11.30pm the train finally rolled in to the station. We found out 2^nd class seats (the budget doesn’t allow for 1^st class sleeper) where we settled in for the night. We were surprisingly provided with blankets which was a huge comfort to encourage sleep. Tuning out the various screeches of train rails, the noise of the brakes as we pulled in to various stations and the ladies walking the aisles selling whatever they could, we tried our best to get a few hours of sleep. By 6 am, and precisely the same time that I chose to finally brave the train toilet, we pulled in to our destination of Nong Khai. Thankfully it was the last station as I rushed back to our seats to collect he bags and Mark was awoken by the train lady yanking his blanket off him. Too early to find a guesthouse we took a moment to wake up at the roadside ‘restaurant’ where the coffee is shit but the service is friendly. Exhausted by the train journey and a busy week since our arrival we had resolved to spend a few days in Nong Khai doing the very thing we often forget to do whilst on holidays – nothing. We took a tuk tuk in to town and found a little slice of heaven guesthouse along the river. Lashing out and spending €13.50 per night we have ensured that we have the perfect location to do nothing in. Our time here so far has consisted of reading a book, playing a game of Jenga, eating and sleeping. We know we have so much more ahead of us but for now it can all just wait. Just how long we will stay in this tranquil paradise is to be determined as Laos lies ahead of us calling our name, offering us more adventures and Pina Colada’s. For now though, it is time to get back to the view and enjoy our last few moments in Thailand.



Until we meet again though, it is laa kawn from Thailand.



* the ultimate Pina Colada – right balance of Malibu and white Rum. Creamy with fresh coconut milk and slightly tangy from the freshly squeezed pineapple juice. All perfectly shaken over ice and served in a hollowed out pineapple with maraschino cherries serves as a garnish with a fresh slice of pineapple

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