Two more weeks in Thailand

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We bumped into our friends, Paul and Wendy, and their two kids, Spencer (9) and Ryan (7), in the foyer of the D&D Inn in Bangkok. They had been fast-tracked through immigration and got into town a couple of hours before we expected them.

Last time we were in Bangkok we had scouted around the budget accommodation around Banglampu and decided that the D&D Inn was about the best. The rooms can be a bit austere, but they have a rooftop pool and an all-you-can-eat breakfast is included in the price.

The six of us did the tourist bit in Bangkok over the next few days.

It is possible to do a nice round trip through the city centre using public transport but avoiding the buses (keeping off the clogged roads is eminently sensible).

Firstly we walked away from Khaosan Road to the Chao Phraya River where we caught the River Express around the Eastern edge of the city centre. Riding on the River Express boat is always a highlight for me as there is so much to see, both in terms of riverside architecture and temples and daily activity and hubbub.

The Central Station of the River Express intersects with the terminus of the new(ish) Skytrain. This time you look down on the city as you pass. We alighted at Siam Square station, the location of several huge shopping malls.

At this point I got a bit disorientated and couldn't find the busy mall I had been around before. We had to make do with the Siam Centre, which is a bit of a sterile designer place, not too good for the kids. Still, a McDonalds was appreciated (not by me) and Ryan was excited when we found some chairs that looked like bottoms.

Once re-orientated it is a short walk from Siam Square to the stop for the Khlong taxi, which thunders along the canal backwaters to a terminus near the Golden Mount. This ride can also be quite exciting, depending on how squashed and/or how splashed you are. Anyway, the boat races along so fast that the journey only takes a couple of minutes (or that's how it seems).

There is a tricky set of roads near the Golden Mount, so we took the wrong one and in a sort of half-hearted way, gave up on finding it. That was a shame 'cos I later returned and it would have been worth the effort. But it was a long, hot day and the kids wanted to get back to the pool.

From The Golden Mount it is only a 300m walk back to Khaosan Road, and there are a couple of 7-elevens on the way should refreshment be required. (This is fortunate as I was later abandoned here by a tuk-tuk driver as I wouldn't go to any more shops).

On their second day in Bangkok we went to the Grand Palace, in my opinion the primary must-see location in town. This is within easy walking distance from Khaosan Road, although there are some monstrous roads to cross first.

The tuk-tuk drivers assemble where the view is of a six-lane highway with a constant stream of traffic. One devious fellow told us that the road was not crossable in that area and we should get into his vehicle. Of course we declined but still followed his directions of where the crossing was, which was a mistake as he sent us in the opposite direction adding 20 minutes unnecessary walking in the beating sun (what a surprise to find a proper crossing just up the road on our return).

The Grand Palace is a Buddhist temple and a dress code of covered legs and shoulders applies. This is clearly covered in all the guidebooks but Linda and Wendy decided that 3/4 Length trousers would suffice. Unfortunately, the guard at the entrance didn't agree and they both had to wear shawls around their waist to their ankles over their trousers on what was already a boiling hot day. I don't think the appearance of a couple of sweaty bag ladies added much to the reverence of the place

The next day we caught a backpacker minibus to Kanchanaburi, the location of the Bridge over the River Kwai.

The accommodation here is a particular point of interest as there are numerous choices of raft houses to stay in, floating in the shallows of the River Kwai Yai. These have all the facilities of rooms elsewhere with the addition of big logs or oil drums underneath.

The one we stayed in also had a decent restaurant on the shore above so we could sit and keep a eye on the boys as they chased around the rafts. Around Kanchanaburi touristic activities divide into those to do with the Second World War, and everything else.

During the Japanese occupation of much of SE Asia during WWII, one of their grand schemes was to build a train line for their supply routes through Thailand and Burma.

This was built using largely slave labour, mainly Asians but also the POWs who get all the publicity.

We visited the very instructive Thailand-Burma Railway Museum in the town centre which fully explains why the project became known as the Death Railway.

The Allied War Cemetery just across the road brings home the reality of the stories told in the museum. Its' pristine condition shows how relevant these events remain to people today.

A too long walk southwards through local markets and an apparent monks convention brought us out at the JEATH War Museum, an ageing collection of pictures and newspaper clippings, characterful nonetheless.

By that point we were all knackered, and were able to justify a pricey boat trip back to our accommodation after a U-turn under the famous bridge. This was a cross between a speedboat and a longboat. We had narrow seats on the floor, the driver goaded his engine to full throttle and we hung on to our hats as we flashed up the river at a bank-eroding velocity.

To complete the railway theme, the next day we went to Hellfire Pass, a cutting that was dug out of solid rock by POWs working night and day as the Japs were getting desperate to finish their project.

Numerous coach tours were turning up to see the exhibition but when we walked the couple of hundred metres into the pass itself we were the only ones there. We also took a short ride in a third class train carriage along the death railway and then went for a walk along the bridge itself. The precariousness of this was a little worrying and makes you realise the difference between health and safety considerations here and at home.

In that area we visited the Erewan waterfalls inside a National Park.Here there are seven tiers of waterfalls spread over about 4km. Some of the waterfalls have swimming holes below, although the boys weren't so keen once the fish started nipping.

On level 4 there is a big smooth rock which makes a decent slide into the pool below. As I was climbing the rock I slipped and bashed my shoulder into a boulder. I appear to have fractured a bone in it.

The visit to Kanchanaburi was rounded off with an elephant ride.

A few years ago there was a problem as work dried up for working elephants and their future became uncertain. The solution - as with most things in these parts - Tourism. Hooray. Now you can take a ride on an elephant, join it for a river bath, and feel good about it. It's fun too.

The next day we made an early start to get to Ayutthaya as we could only risk staying one night there if we were not to get caught in a forthcoming national holiday.

We arrived around lunchtime and found a really nice guesthouse which arranged a tuk-tuk tour for us around a load of the ancient temples.

I expected this to be a hit with everybody as there are some fabulous temples filled with atmosphere set in large compounds ideal for running around in. Perhaps it was the incessant heat, but the boys and Linda were soon bored to tears and didn't want to be bothered.Still, we managed to see 5 or 6 interesting sites in 3 hours and a few more on the walk back from the central area.

The next day we headed for the beach at Hua Hin.

This required a full days travelling as we had to get one bus into Bangkok and another straight out again. Fortunately, I knew the route and where I wanted to stay and we checked into the small hotel with just enough time to have a drink on the seafront before dusk.

Ryan immediately cut his foot on the sharp rocks in the water, and we all followed suit in the next few days. That was nothing compared to the major sunburn case he presented a couple of days later (ouch).

We had arrived in time for Songkram, the Buddhist new year holiday.

At this time the whole country goes insane, taking part in the traditional celebrations which mainly involve assaulting each other with cold water and wiping flour/water mixtures over friends and strangers alike. The streets were heaving as people drove around in pick-ups loaded with barrels of water which they threw over the crowds. Kids old and young sported water pistols of varying degrees of sophistication and hoses were running on every street to maintain reloading.

There was no hope of venturing out of doors without being both drenched with water and pasted with flour.

We enjoyed the experience for the first few hours but some of the Thais kept it up for the whole 3 days. Keeping a smile on our face became harder with time although after the first day we were not especially targeted. The atmosphere remained light and celebrational throughout. I'm sure it would have descended into anarchy in many parts of the world.

Finally, it was back on the bus to Bangkok and a midnight flight home for the family of four after a very hectic 2 weeks of holidaymaking.

Linda, on the other hand, had her nails professionally painted and I slipped back into planning mode for our next destination.

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Photos

Bangkok
Chao Phraya River

Bangkok
Chao Phraya River

Bangkok
Chao Phraya River