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Published: December 10th 2006
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My Feet
Chillin' on the hammock. Gosh I love hammocks. Our trip started out with heavy rain on the way to the southern bus terminal. I’ve never seen such downpour. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this but the best driving I’ve ever seen in my life has been the taxi drivers here in Thailand. Boy, don’t even get me started. Just ask me when you see me if you want details.
Leaving to Kanchanaburi is quite convenient from Bangkok. It was about a 2-hour bus drive but a 6-hour drive coming back. Why?!? 5 of the ladies from my building went on this trip, Katie, Megan, Jen, Danna and Logan.
We arrived in Kanchanaburi to the usual flogging of guesthouse offers and the cleanest bus terminal bathroom ever!! No joke. I shit you not. I just read in the Bangkok post about a “cleanest toilet contest” and if this bathroom had been submitted, I’m sure it would’ve won, hands down. So you’re probably wondering, “why is Daeng so impressed with a clean toilet? What is the big deal?!?” You will not understand until you see squat toilets and Thailand public restrooms.
Kanchanaburi is a nice quiet town. Best known for “a terrible history in which thousands of prisoners
Our Room
Our room is the first door on the left in Kanchanaburi. of war and local laborers died at the hands of the Japanese during WWII in the attempt to build a railway line through impossible terrain” (according to my Thailand Footprint book-which sucks by the way, get a Lonely Planet). Finding that the guesthouse we had agreed on was close to the bus terminal we decided to walk and get to know the town a little. I don’t know how I ended up as the navigator but as the navigator, if our goal was to get insanely lost, I am a GREAT navigator. We ended up at the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. Oh lord, I cringe at cemeteries…and this is where I give myself a pat on the back and a slap to the side of the head.
We eventually wander a little more after the tour of the cemetery and we run into our 2nd option for guesthouse, the Jolly Frog. This place is really cool. Its right on the river, clean, and quiet. Being on budget and being hardcore travelers Logan, Danna, and I ask for the cheapest accommodations and find that the cheapest rooms are the best of the lot. It’s a room floating on the river. SCORE!!
Seating Area
The ladies did some evening reading here. Gorgeous. Supposedly there are floating discos and they’re really loud. Either we lucked out and they weren’t out that night we were there or I am a really heavy sleeper. Could be both.
After checking in, the ladies decided to go on a walk to the infamous River Kwai. I opt to stay back and hang out on the hammock (hammocks are cool). Also because I was thinking to myself, “This River Kwai probably consists of a river, a metal bridge and a plaque. Have I seen a river? Check. Have I seen a metal bridge? Check. Have I seen a plaque? Ok, its settled, I’m going to be a lazy bum and enjoy this cool breeze and take a nap.” Still happy with my decision as I sit to write this blog.
The next morning we woke up bright and early to catch the bus to Erawan National Park where we would find one of the biggest waterfalls in Thailand. The ride was about 1.5 hours and absolutely gorgeous with the mountain bordering Thailand and Burma in the background. I should also mention what else also put me in such a good mood, the weather. The topography allows
Danna in Hammock
I think Danna also likes hammocks. the area to be much cooler than the rest of Thailand with the exception of Chiang-Mai. Boy I am spoiled. It was like free AC. You can’t get that anywhere except at the 7/11.
We pulled into the park to be charged 400 baht (foreigners rate) before being allowed in. Locals (Thai’s) only pay 20 Baht. I look Thai so they asked me if I was even though I was with farang people. I was SO tempted to say “yes”. I mean, I WAS born in Thailand and I WAS a Thai citizen until 5 years ago when I gave it up. Instead I reluctantly said “no”….idiot (Napoleon Dynamite style)!!
We go into the park to find that lodging is ridiculously expensive unless you have your own tent (damn, where is that tent when you need one). So I give the guy my biggest smile and ask him (in broken Thai of course) “Are you SURE there isn’t anything cheaper?” He finally gives in and tells us of…(drum roll please) another room on the river, SWEET! At only 500 Baht a night (not bad compared to 1-2000 baht). I guess you have to make reservations months in advance
Logan
Very content. and it’s where the locals stay but there was a room available. The only thing about our new rooms were that its had 3 sets of rickety very questionable stairs that you had to go up to get to the main road. at our new accommodation we meet guys that are on vacation so 1) They drink all day 2) Smoke all day 3) Think they’re expert fisherman 4) Fish from 5 in the morning till 3 the next morning without catching anything 5) Row out in boats that have holes in them so that there’s one guy specifically designated to scoop water out of the boat with something smaller than a Dixie cup. Why not a bigger cup? Who knows, they’re drunk 6) Best of all: Hilarious to watch.
The hike to the waterfalls the next day was amazing. In the first 15 minutes of our hike we passed two fellows sitting on a tree stump with a guitar. As soon as we got near I heard one of them say,
“Mai thong lin, tah behp dew (Don’t play yet, wait just a moment)”. In the attempt to impress and serenade the farang girls, Danna and Logan, the
Hammock View
The view I got from laying in my hammock. boys wanted to wait till we got closer. As we got closer I hear the other guy egging the guitarist to play and the guitarist sheepishly replying that he was too nervous to play now that the girls were here. I was trying hard not to laugh as all of this was going on so that I wouldn’t embarrass the guys by letting on that I understood them. But as soon as we were far enough I laughed till I cried (guess you had to be there). There have been many moments like this since I’ve been here where the Thai men do and say silly things to the farang girls and I’m the only one to understand. Oh well, more laughs for me.
The hike to the final waterfall is 7 levels total and absolutely magnifico. Along the way we passed a great view of the mountains where I pretended that I didn’t see clear cutting and of course to make it complete, monkeys snacking on Lays potato chips. Nice huh? No really guys, it was awesome. We also swam and frolicked all day. They only creepy thing is the fish that live in these waters are huge
View of River
Down to the left was our raft house. and they nip at you trying to eat your dead skin so it feels really weird.
All in all, I highly recommend this as a 2-3 day escape from the city.
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J man
non-member comment
That looks amazing! I hope we get to see some ice waterfalls, and i especially hope that some thai guys serenade me...