Wednesday 7 May

Tong's tours were recommend to us, we booked with them before leaving the UK to take us to the floating market, the train market, Bridge over the river Kwai and the elephant bathing at a cost 6800 baht (approx £130)! For ten hours. I paid a deposit up front via PayPal of £20 prior to coming and it was agreed we paid the balance on the day. As promised we received a telephone call the evening before from Nina who was our tour guide for the day arranging to meet us in reception at 7am.

Nina was there waiting for us, then our driver pulled up in a shogun (Mr Tum) he opened the doors for us and reclined the chairs for us to relax. Nina made us feel very comfortable, chatting along the way.

Mr Tum stopped on the way to show us some sea salt fields where they were drying it, bagging it and selling it. Nina pointed to some sort of herb which they use in cooking at the side and told us to try it, yes it tasted of salt. We drove for 1 hour before we reached the floating market where we got on a boat with a man who was doing the rowing, Nina also got on the boat and pointed out the things we ought to try, (coconut drinks, mango with sweet rice and coconut milk - yummy! also chicken satay and a desert which was egg whites whisked and put on a sort of cone). Back in the car we were greeted with cold flannels and water by Mr Tum.

Another drive for about 1 hour before we arrived at the train market, maeklong station, this is where a market is set up along a train track, when the train whistles to let the stall holders know it's coming, the stall holders whisk their produce in, the train goes passed and they put it out again, this happens 8 times per day. Now Back in the car and more cold water.

Off now to Bridge Over The River Kwai, another 1 hour drive, Nina pointed to the Japanese POW cemetery and the museum, although we didn't stop. The bridge over the River Kwai is actually a train track on the bridge and is called the death railway, due to the soldiers dying when they were building the bridge, death would have been from malnutrition, cholera and malaria and of course the heat (and there was some heat! We could feel it through our shoes when we were walking across the metal tracks on the bridge). It is situated 3.5 hour from the Burma border. There is also a few market stalls, and a floating restaurant, nice views down and up the river. Nina also pointed out that they must have had heavy rain the night before as the river was brown - this is the river we will be going in later with the elephants.

Next stop is 30/45 minutes away - the elephant bathing, before this we stopped to buy a bag of bananas and a bag of corn for "Full Moon", She is approx 40 yrs old and will be the elephant we will be bathing, playing water fights with and riding bare back!

We arrived, quickly put our swim gear on in the shower/toilet, we were introduced to Full Moon and gave her the bananas, she was very gentle and took them out of our hands with her trunk, a bunch at a time. Elephants eat between 50 and 80 kgs of bananas and corn a day. The elephant was prickly, skin was rough. At this stage I was very wary and didn't know if Mike was going to be by himself on this one! Another elephant started to wander over for some bananas - (people sat on baskets on this elephant). Nina told us to give him some and he then went away. We walked down to the river, with full moon following with Mr Chocolot riding her (the mahout). We followed Full Moon into the river, very stoney bare footed, Mr Chocolot held a pole out for me to get hold of and helped us to climb on full moon, so really I didn't get the chance to change my mind. He gave us a scrubbing brush each and we had to scrub her whilst Mr Chocolot shouted "bassoo"!!,

Full Moon responded by spraying us with water with her trunk, I think Mr Chocolot had a good time too, he kept shouting bassoo! Other tourists on elephants in the river where sat on baskets taking our photo's and laughing. Then full moon played rodeo with us, her head went from side to side and we fell off. We then sat on her trunk for more photos and then had a water fight with her. Nina was laughing in the back ground taking lots of photos and videos. We then rode full moon bare back to the sanctuary whilst Mr Chocolot gave me some corn to give her, she new what she needed to do, her trunk came towards me and I handed it to her whilst we were on her back. We then went for a shower and headed back to the car. It was a great day and a great experience. Worth every penny.

Next stop our Thai dinner (not included in the price), Nina asked us what we liked and ordered ahead, 10 minutes up the road. We were seated and our food and drinks were brought over, it was a banquet. (Nina and Mr Tum didn't join us), Nina popped over a couple of times and kept us in the right direction. We thoroughly enjoyed the meal, all for 800 baht for two (approx £15).

We are now on our 3.5 hr journey heading back to Bangkok, the heavens have opened, the sky black and it's thundering. Roads are like rivers -

(Ps - we got back to the hotel at 6pm)

Thats all for now folks!!