Advertisement
Published: August 20th 2007
Edit Blog Post
Hey hey we're the monkees! How are you all doing? Thanks for your messages and comments - we're having a fab time but it's really cool to hear from home! So, thanks! Right, I'm keeping a handwritten diary so you can catch up with that when I'm back but I'll try to put the finer details on here (basically, I ramble like a trooper!).
Hoping to get some pics up on this one - or possibly as a separate blog - dave's just on another computer at the mo, so we'll sort in a tick.
Well, we went to the Grand Palace in Bangkok and I was really impressed. We got a little lost walking to it but we eventually found it. It was a gorgeous day and the gold and mosaic glittered in the glorious sunshine - still no rain! Awesome! Also took a, umm, rather scenic walk back to the guest house too but its all fun. The Thais seem to sleep a lot! Ooh, btw, gave the bugs a miss!
The next day we caught a metered cab to Thonburi station to see about getting tickets for our train journey the next day. Turns out
we didn't need to do this and were to but them on the day but least we found out the (only) 2 train times, which was good. We then took a cab to hualampong bus station and took the subway (amazing - clean, smooth, quiet, air-con'd, spacious!!) to Chatuchak where they hold a weekend market. It has over 15000 stalls and is absolutely mahoussive! We wandered up and down the plentiful aisles, I got another pair of flipflops and a little bag to save us lugging one between us - lighten the load! We got some fresh fruit smoothies, Dave had some rice sushi (yes I did try it mum!!) and I had some kinda battered prawnage. Yummy too. We could have bought so much and shipped it home but decided to save our money - got a long way to go yet! THe heat was taking its toll so we caught the subway to Siam Square and then the skytrain (cool!) to the closest stop to 'home'. We sought out the Tesco's that was there - made us laugh and it was air con'd so easy choice eh?! Buckled to the western flavour and had a little pizza each
for our tea! Got a tuk-tuk back to guest house which was great but but a bit smelly! He was a fast driver so that was cool! Started to rain as we walked to the other end of the Khao San rd and absolutely poured once we got inside - how lucky we were! It bucketed all night and was amazing the next day!
Packed up our stuff and went to Thonburi again to get train. It was cool - an old train with upright wooden seats, we rode with the windows down the whole way taking in the Thai landscape. Some really poor places around and some more ornate wats along the way. Arrived in Kanchanaburi about 2 and a half hours later and decide to walk down to the where most of the guest houses were - along the River Kwai!! A bicycle tuk-tuk driver thought we were mad as it was 'too far' and rode with us laughing and singing to himself and us! It was only about a km and eventually the jovial old soul gave up! Headed for the Blue Star Guest House which was one of the suggestions in the Lonely Planet guide.
So impressed. Really lovely service, great english and gorgeous air con'd jungle huts along the River Kwai. It's really amazing. Coconut and banana trees growing all around, lobster claw plants, massive lily leaves and loads of other plants that we have no idea of the name of! Had a really nice pad siew each last night (big wide noodle dish) and then we amused ourselves by playing name that tune with some old 90s dance hits on the ipod speakers. We had a right old groove and then moved on to Steps, Abba and Phil Collins - amazing how good they sound after a long time )I hasten to add, not my MP3 player!!) Haha, only joking, it was great!
Today we went to book two tours one for this afternoon and one full day for tomorrow. Guys, we went and stroked tigers today!! Omigod! It was so amazing. We went with a really nice American couple from New York. Went down to tiger canyon and one by one a guide takes you to 4 of the tigers while another takes a load of snaps on your camera - hope the shots come out well - it was awesome.
I got whipped on the shoulder by one but it didn't hurt so was cool! We then follwed the tigers back and it was feeding time for all the animals - masses and masses of wild boar, horses, water buffalo, chickens...etc etc. Was really cool to be part of. And the baby cub was out then for people to cuddle and stroke - gorgeous. We were really happy with the day and glad we chose to go - this is once we read about it not being cruel and that they're looking after the tigers well. Wandered into downtown Kanchan. tonight past a food market , through the town, into another random food market and then to the night market near the train station. We had some fresh watermelon and also bought some fruits that we had tried when in Tesco.
Tomorrow, we have the following tour booked (can't remember the order!): elephant trekking and bathing, bamboo rafting on the Kwai, swimming in the Erawan national park - 7 beautiful waterfalls - trip on the 'death railway', visiting a Buddha in a cave and then going up to the 'Bridge ove the River Kwai'. Not a bad day we
think!! Can't wait. We leave here on Wednesday, NE to Lopburi, via Suphanburi - the journey is about 1.5 hours then about 5 plus any waiting time in between. From there we plan to go north to Phitsanulok, day trip to Sukothai, then up to Chiang Mai. This may change - think I put that in last blog but anyhoo...!
Right, well, that was my 'abridged' version so apologies to those of you who don't know me. I hope you've had fun reading it anyway! Right, better sort out these pics....
Much love to you all, thanks again for the messages.
Lau and Dave :o) xXx
Advertisement
Tot: 0.079s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 8; qc: 51; dbt: 0.0502s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb
Sarah Bry Tom
non-member comment
WoW
Laura, It all sounds wonderful so far and i'm dead jealous that you are doin the rafting and the bridge over the river kwai -- i sooo wanted to do that in Thailand. Keep enjoying yourselves xx