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Post wedding tour with family and friends
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Quote:"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." Albert Einstein
Hi. Everyone slept at our house on the 7th and on the 8th, Kanchana, Vava, Alif, my Mum, Craig, Egan, Mark, Nick, Laura, Rachel, Boun Savat, Boun Thavee (the bad monks) and I took two mini vans to Kanchanaburi via the floating markets. Incidently each van and driver cost 1500 Baht per day(plus petrol and accom). It was good to get out of the city and the floating markets were good. We got through them just in time though, because as we were leaving many tourist boats seemed to be going in. It must have got crowded. It is definately worth going early.
We didn't go into Kanchanaburi town on the first night but instead stayed at Pung Waan resort which is near Nam Tok. It is a little expensive but very nice. We stayed in the raft houses, which seemed to be a good idea as the river seemed to be continuously rising while we were there. The next day (going from my dodgy memory) we drive via Hell Fire Pass to 3 Pagoda Pass and then to Slangklaburi. I was interested to see that everyone was interested in Hell Fire Pass (the kids were particularly worried about Mum who they thought seemed quite sad). # Pagoda pass was interesting and although a few of us went into Burma there, it was not possible to get stamped in or out of Thailand and Burma. It was a "relaxed crossing point". Slangklaburi was interesting too although it seemed to be a slightly disfunctional town perhaps with some drug problems.
Slept at Slangklaburi at a place I wouldn't recommend but can't remember the name and then next day was back to Kanchanaburi and a visit to the Bridge over the river Kwai. From there to the Tiger "temple" which I think is crap. This was the 2nd time I have been and in the year and a half since my first visit the tigers seemed to have received no benefits at all from the enormous sums of money the "monk" is collecting. The young ones should be given to someone who can rehabilitate them back into the wild, before wild tigers become extinct in S.E.Asia (in my opinion). We slept a little out of town in a really nice place beside the river.
Off to Erawan waterfall the next day. It is very beautiful and I wish we could have stayed longer. Then back to Bangkok for a night. Kanchana had to work and the kids back to school, and the bad boys ex monks decided to go to Chiang Mai while the rest of us the next day went to Ko Chang - via Cambodia so I could get my visa renewed as I didn't get that done in Burma as planned and was now illegally in Thailand. Ko Chang was really nice. The weather wasn't exactly great for the beach, but still it was good. It is a nice place and cheap and not too touristy. Mum rode a motorbike and seemed to be feeling more relaxed in Thailand and everyone seemed to have fun. But we couldn't stay long until it was time to get back to Bangkok.
Mum and brothers left for Australia and the rest of us got the train to Chiang Mai. My plan was to visit Jaree in Pangmapa and I will talk about that trip next time. See ya Oh. Sorry during the wedding and these trips I don't think I was a good tour guide. I was extremely tired most of the time and just didn't have much energy to give to the group. I suppose the Antips work (which was great fun) and the wedding and Kanchana's family and moving house and the worrying about money problems and lack of sleep etc etc were taking their toll. I hope everyone has fun and a good experience anyway. Paul More thumbnails ...
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