We are now in Kanchanaburi (the river Kwai) having arrived last night and as soon as we sat foot in the place a storm started! We arrived at our hotel and it was right on the river, three hundred metres walk from the famous bridge. Not being put off by the weather we went for a swim until the lightening set in and then it was time for a shower, a walk to the bridge and some grub! We couldn't believe how close the bridge was to our room! Although it doesn't look like much, when you know the history behind it, it is amazing! It symbolises the death railway built by the P.O.W.'s in WWII, where 16000 men died building it because of starvation, the terrain, mistreatment etc. We were a little shocked by the floating karaoke disco that went past though! It kinda ruined the atmosphere a little!

Tea was our first proper Thai meal, we decided to go for the set menu and it was delicious! We did get a little concerned at one point though when David tried the tuna and his head nearly popped off! It was tuna with coconut milk mixed with green and red chillies and it was just a little hot! When we eventually cooled down, feeling returned to our mouths again - just in time to finish the biggest beer known to man!

This morning we decided to walk over the bridge on the river Kwai. It was already a good day as David had surprised me with beans on toast for breakfast, my first beans for two weeks!!! Oh I was indeed a happy bunny

The bridge was a little scary at first with the whole height issue! We were distracted by a couple of elephants milling around below so it wasn't so bad! It was basically an open railway that is still in use and there are passing points that you jump onto when a train comes! Luckily there weren't any cause there would have been no jumping on that rickety thing from Jen! We crossed the bridge and went to the JEATH war museum to learn a little about it. It was rebuilt in 1945 in steel because it had been destroyed in the war. All of the original parts of the bridge were used except for two which have been built in a different shape so that it is easy to see which is original and which isn't...very clever!! We decided to head back to the hotel for a swim and a cool down. My god was it hot!

After our swim it was time to check out. We were due to go and stay in the national park but changed our minds and decided just to stay a bit closer to the town and do a day trip to the park so we are now staying in the apple guesthouse at three quid a night...bargain! We decided to walk into town to post a few things home, it sounds easier than it is believe me!!! We wandered around looking for the post office, which turns out was actually a post box and the map was just out to trick us! We went to some government building to ask where the post office was and next thing we know there's finger wagging and some random Thai woman is driving us around, rambling away in Thai! Jen was in the back and the tears were nearly tripping her as the woman rambled on in Thai to David pointing at things and he sat there saying 'aha' and 'yeah'! We eventually got there! By the time we got out we were a little taken aback by the situation! Some poor random woman driving us around, David 'aha'-ing and me roaring in the back seat!

After some more finger pointing and random words we eventually got our packages sent home and headed off to the tourist information place who weren't really much help and were a little sour faced but made us sign the guest book so we had to lie a little and say they were very helpful and friendly!!

We decided to walk back to our guest house and right on cue, the exact same time as yesterday, about 4pm it started pissing it down, ensuring that we arrived back at the guest house looking like drowned rats!

Tomorrow we are riding elephants, trekking to a waterfall and swimming in its seven tiers, building a raft and going on a train ride along the death railway.