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Dear All,
Sorry for not sending you updated blog entries but read on and you'll discover why. We flew back from Chiang Mai to Bangkok and the taxi driver sent us to the wrong bus terminal for Kanchanburi. Assuring us that everything was OK the lady selling us the ticket also said "It's Ok, all OK" and directed us to bus stand 13. we knew the drive was about 3 hours, so we settled back and relaxed. Got to our supposed destination, to discover that we were 200 miles off course. we found ourselves in Chantaburi, near the Cambodian border when we should have been near the Burmese border. Paul went ape then realised that it's not good form to show anger in Thailand so he settled for "b******s" instead. 5am next morning it's back to Bangkok and another bus to Kanchanburi.
Booked ourselves the VIP in a guest house suite right next to the River Kwai. A few doors up from the Jolly Frog. A great room for just 1000 baht (15 pounds).
Next morning we went and toured the various cemetarys in the area and visited 3 museums dedicated to all those people who lost their lives and suffered at the hands of the Japanese. Over 100,000 Asian people and 7,000 Brits, 4,000 Australians and many Dutch soldiers died whilst building the Death railway. We walked over the Kwai bridge and took many pictures. It was a very emotional moment to know that many of their relatives had probably never seen their graves.
We saw a 4 feet long water monitor swim right by our room. We then made our way 60 klms north to a place called Sai Lok and waited for a long tail boat to collect us and take us to the River Kwai Jungle Rafts, 45 minutes upriver. The resort has no electricity, no hot water, no TV, no internet, no NOTHING. We loved it. It was so peaceful, quiet and right in the middle of the jungle. Next morning after breakfast, Paul fed the elephant melon and pineapple from the bamboo bridge which linked the resort from the Mon village.
We took several tours from here and we've never seen so many elephants, water buffalo and tigers. After breakfast one morning Marion heard a thud behind me and a long green snake fell out of the thatched type roof. After shouting for a medic and defribulator to be on stand by, Paul recovered himself. It wasn't poisonous but to Paul every one of the b*****s is poisonous.
We went to many waterfalls, caves but the highlight without a doubt was the visit to the Tiger temple. After entering the compound, we walked past water buffalo, wild boar, wild pigs and deer. There were no fences, no barriers, nothing between us and them. Then we saw the tiger cubs and we allowed to stroke them and take as many pictures as we liked. Then the Mums and Dads came out and they were huge by comparison. We walked down to the canyon with the tigers and the monks and as long as we stayed behind the tiger, it was fine. We were amazed that we were not scared as those animals considering they are wild.
In the canyon, we were asked if we wanted to lay down with the tigers. Marion and I both had our pictures taken with the tiger's head on our lap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we have some amazing pics and video of this. we were absolutely thrilled about our experiences with the tigers and it made our day for sure. We will post pics soon and you'll see for yourselves.
We left the river village and made our way to Hua Hin. That took several hours as the train broke down and we had to wait for another engine. We met some Swedish backpackers on route and we had a laugh. Paul appeared from nowhere with a bucket of ice, bottle of rum and two cans of coke. It was surreal. The train was at least 50 years old and people just got off and went to the bars and did some shopping while waiting for the engine to arrive. We should have arrived in Hua Hin at 7pm but didn't get in till 10.30pm. Nobody complained, nobody got angry. can you imagine that happening in the UK? The Thai people never seem to get angry at anything. I read one quote from Buddha "Life is too serious to be taken seriously"
We're now in the Gulf of Thailand and went to the beach this afternoon. It's still blisteringly hot but now we have a sea breeze and a HOT shower.
Thanks for all your messages. We'll be in touch soon.
Love,
Paul & Marion
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