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Sawdee ka!
Hello, just a quick entry to keep you all up-to-speed. We are currently in Ayutthaya, the 13th century capital city of Thailand (Or Siam as it used to be known) We left Kanchanaburi earlier today and got a songthew (Two seated open back car taxi), a public bus to Supanburi (we think) then another bus to here. There has been such bad flooding that 5 people died yesterday and 14 the other day. Luckily it's not raining now but the devastation is very apparant. Fields looks like rivers and people are driving their mopeds despite being knee deep in rain! Thais are crazy! We are getting an over night train to Chang Mai shortly (13 hour journey) but unfortunately we couldn't get a sleeper cabin as they only had 2nd class seats so we will be attempting to sleep sitting upright! All the travelling from Kanchanaburi:
A taxi to the station, 4.5hrs on two buses, another taxi to the train station and a 13 hour 2nd class train seat has cost us about ten pound each. Not bad eh! Especially when it costs about 4 quid to get to central london on the sodding underground! Also, we've been told that the trains are an experience in themselves with people bringing round food etc. A girl we met got a Thai green curry which was served in a banana leaf for about 13p or something ridiculous! she said it was a roy mak mak too (very delicious).
Two days ago we hired a moped and explored Kanchanaburi. The bridge over the river kwai was just up the road so we went there and went into a very dodgy very Thai 'World war ll and Jeath museum'. It had a caveman expedition where it showed evolution... hmm... cavemen murials touching eachother up. Very freaky. There were a couple of bomb shells and 'automotives used by Japan' such as a (I kid you not) TRIUMN motorbike. They had painted TRIUMN on it and spelt it wrong. very funny. We walked over the bridge for a bit until I looked down and got petrified of the heights, then drove around to the other side of the bridge where they have a 'monkey school' where they teach monkeys how to pick coconuts etc. Again, it was tacky but not nearly as cruel as the Tigers we saw yesterday (Keep reading) and quite fun. The monkeys looked well looked after and roam around free at night. I got called up to participate as Caz and I were the only 'farangs' (foreigners) and all the other people were Thai holiday makers. The monkey 'Charlie' threw three balls into a basketball hoop and got everyshot. A thai guy had to do it and he missed all 3. Then it was my turn and I got my last shot in winning myself 4 bananas which the monkeys proceeded to stare at for the rest of the show which scared me! They also took my waterproof watch and threw it into the pool where a monkey dived in and recovered it. After the show the MC spoke to Caz and I, her English was really good and that made the trip worthwhile as she gave us more of an insight and we could see what happens inbetween shows, she was cuddling a gibbon! One of the monkeys also gave me some 'monkey balm' for my mosquito bites (I have LOADS Caz has none) Very sweet!
Yesterday in Kanchanaburi we went to see a chinese temple, not amazingly exciting but free which is good for us poor travellers! Then we went to Erawan waterfalls which is a 7 tiered waterfall where you can swim (if you can brave the fish that suck you! - I cannot!) So I paddled. I only went up to the 4th tier as there were LOADS of really steep stairs and I was knackered but Caz and our new friend Helen went up to the top which took them another hour and a half!! Nutters!! They were both red and sweating when they got back but loved it and said it was worth it! Caz is really aching today tho! lol. Then we went to the 'Tiger Temple' which is apparantly where monks took in orphan tigers and reared them so gently that they can be handled by humans. Basically it's a con, they drug the tigers so much that they're too tired to do anything and they drag you in by the arm, plonk you next to one that's not growling too much then hurry you off. I didn't enjoy that although when will I ever get a picture with me and a tiger again I wonder.. Free roaming boars, peacocks, cockerels and buffallo (I think) were cool tho!
We got friendly with an English girl from our resort and a couple of English guys, one of which lives in Krabi and has his own long tail boat so said he would take us out on that when we get down south! Sounds fun.
Got to go now as train is coming soon and need to stock up on Oreos and water for the journey but will let you know how Chang Mai goes and hopefully put up some pics soon!
Hope you're all well
Love and kisses
Jules xXx
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