The First few lazy days out of Bangkok!!

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Hi All,

After a quick flight into Bangkok we flew the coop rather quickly trying to avoid the filth of the town!!..sorry thats a bit harsh but when you are flying in and see the smog..you kinda get my drift!!
We were pretty lucky, finding a place to get my Vietnam Visa first - 1550 Baht. We purchased a ticket to Kanchanaburi. Two and a half hours on a packed, sweaty badly air-con. van! Again the bus had to wait for me as I was having trouble establishing some form of arrangement with the toileting facilities..yes a little beneath me..well actually alot. Lets just say i am going to have mighty strong legs when i have finished this trip. Will have to send a pic your way..i am sure you will be enlightened as much as i was!!
The bus took us to a small place where we took up 3 nights accomodation. We had a little hut on the Kwai river!..awesome spot. Mattresses were nothing to rave about but when you have enough Chang beer in you it doesnt really matter. No i haven't turned into an alcoholic yet, it only took 2 glasses and i was touched!
Each day we say river boats coming and going, playing kareoke, taking tourists.
All kinds of boats that would moor at our hut site.
On the 3rd we took a trip to see the Sai Yok Noi Waterfalls..absolutely beautiful, but a hard trek. Silly me..didn't take my bathers either. There were water holes to swim in along the way. Have a few clips of them. Will try and download.
Afterwards we went to a little cave, with a shrine in it followed by the Death Railway!
Quite an eye opener. Open windows sitting high above ground levels, rivers etc.. bouncing along on old and apparantly unfinished rail!..beautiful sites along the way. Met two young school kids mucking around. Lyndon joined in on the fun.
Because we missed out on the Tiger Temple, lyndon and I decided to make our own way there the next day. So we hired a scooter. I rode which was quite the experience!!
After nearly losing Lyndon off the back of the bike only once, we crossed two main highways, dodged the traffic and flat sticked it the Tiger temple - 45 minutes away. We pulled into a local servo. for directions entertaining the local crew there with my brilliant riding skills. No it wasnt me, it was the sticking throttle!!..anyhow, the only English word they threw at me was Fool!!..go figure!!
The Tiger Temple was awesome. Hundreds of animals running around, with monks as they live there.
We missed the initial show but was able to pat them going back into their cages. The young cubs were led but the bigger ones had nothing only directed by the older monks.
Lyndon and I hung there for a while with the animals and at the tiger cages being the last to go. The trip home certainly didn't take as long.

On Saturday 6th Aug. we came back to bangkok. Definately a spot you have to visit for the experience but all the same, not my cup of tea.
Alot of Thai people are lovely but most only want your money so they will try and rip you off as much as possible.
Already we have had words with a few of the locals trying to rort their system but they unfortunately stick together on that one. Went to see Thai KickBoxing but they want 2000 Bht t see it (locals pay 200 bht). We went around the side and sat on a wall for a while. Saw enough!
Night life as you could imagine is very busy. Alot of Europeans around at the moment as it is their holiday time.
As our time is up in Bangkok, we are heading to Chang mai which is a 12 hour drive north from here.
It has rained nearly every day so far. It is very pleasant tho.
Hope you are all well..please email me..love to hear from you all!

Miss you all,

Mitchxxx

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Photos

One of the huts on the river at Kanchanaburi
The next lot of photos were based around where we stayed.

Comments

[Kit]

sweet as!
Damn, sounds/looks/reads like fun... lucky ba**ards! I've got one request, tell me how fine some of that street market style, home-made, super-hot, village Thai curry is! =P Hope you're doing fine, have got no parasites to speak of and are going to keep on posting your adventures for us! take care xx

[Grant]

YOu had the opportunity of seeing Muai Thai up close and personal and u sat at the side. hmpff.... not impressed at all! Now get back there and see some of my sports finest at work. Hope your having fun darl and enjoy the thai food. mwah