Trudge over the river Kwai

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For our final night in Bangkok, we headed downtown to the Skybar at the Sirocco, an open-air restaurant 64 floors above street level- a world record. From here, you can lean over the railing while you sip your Cosmopolitan and drop cocktail olives on those less fortunate below you. Linda got chatted up by a drunken Finn; to reassert my authority I led her to the dance floor and we shuffled about to the strains of "On the Street Where You Live"- the singer complimented us on our efforts (we were the only ones dancing!)- those of you who came to our wedding will be aware that this comment was directed at Linda, not me.

We left Bangkok then next day, bound for Kanchanaburi. This is a small town about 100km west of the capital, whose claim to fame is the river Kwai and the celebrated bridge crossing it. The bridge is smaller than you might expect (and none of the wartime original remains), but the railway built by the POWs and captured locals, under duress from the Japanese, is still running. We visited a war cemetery downriver, containing the graves of 1750 soldiers- largely British and Dutch, with many unidentified.

On a lighter note, we went for a trek up to the Erawan falls. This is a series of seven waterfalls in a rainforest setting, with vividly blue water at ideal swimming temperature. Nearby, we rode the elephants at the TaiCheeWee sanctuary, and rewarded them with a basket of bananas afterwards. They have a couple of baby elephants who efficiently relieve the tourists of any remaining baht by doing tricks. The younger of the duo plays harmonica while the older dances about- the effect is quite eerie. A few more baht and you get an elephant kiss- sloppy but mercifully brief.

River transport around here can be fast or slow. We had a sedate little paddle on a bamboo raft, and a white-knuckle ride on a longtail boat- sleek, narrow speedboats powered by a truck engine with a 15-foot propeller shaft swivelling in the water. Great fun, although Linda misjudged her embarkation and landed on her arse, cutting her knee in the process. Add one more injury to her impressive resume.

We're now back in Bangkok en route to Ko Samui.

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Photos

Jumbo smacker
Steve cops off with a younger woman. Elephant wrangler (and pimp) on left of photo.

Skybar, Bangkok
Des O'Connor could make a grand entrance down those stairs

Bamboo rafting
Drifting downriver, with our chum Marcel, the Swiss noise abatement officer.

Erawan falls
Why do I feel like a Bounty bar all of a sudden?

Longtail boat on the river Kwai
Sod your pedalos- this is the way to travel!

Comments

[Bela Gor]

Cabbages and Condoms
You're making me very envious. If you're in Bangkok again I recommend the above restaurant - it's a lot better than it sounds See you soon ho, ho, ho Bela