Bangkok, Kanchanaburi and the inbetweens

We left New Zealand at 6am on Sunday 16 January 2011 and arrived in Sydney (by 'we' I mean my friend Carol who I’m travelling with; Carol and I lived together during our university years in Wellington and we’re reuniting for this trip) at around 7am. After boarding the airport bus to Circular Quay we walked around the harbour until Sydney woke up. We checked out the markets at The Rocks and had some breakfast there. After looking at some shops and a much needed beverage (beer) we went to the Annie Leibovitz exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). It was a stunning and very moving exhibition and with over 190 of her works from 1900 to 2005, much larger than I was expecting. Many of the photos brought tears to my eyes, particularly the ones of her long-time friend Susan Sontag. She manages to capture so much of her subject in the one shot. They were candid, detailed and at times overwhelming photographs. 

Not long after this we boarded our flight to Bangkok. The 9 hour flight was totally doable due to a great selection of easy-to-watch films thanks to British Airways! I watched Life as we know it and Going the distance (a second time for good measure), as well as some of the Inbetweeners. Arriving at Bangkok airport after almost 24 hours of conscious travelling was hard and after sorting our visa on arrival found out we needn’t have bothered – New Zealanders don’t need one. We got to HQ Hostel in Silom via taxi after midnight and went straight to bed. It was more expensive than we’d planned to spend, but was a nice way to ease into the whole backpacking thing. Oh yeah and my backpack is very heavy. More than I’d like. BUT I am coping. Quite good resistance training because I’m not at the gym!

I found our first day in Bangkok a bit much. I think the concept of being away from New Zealand really hit me. We went out for breakfast; Carol braved some semi-street food and I had a raisin waffle from a wee street stand. After a wander through Silom I spent the rest of the day sleeping at the hostel. We had Phat Thai for dinner at a charming restaurant that was effortlessy cool, unfortunately I didn’t have my camera.

The next day we mooched around the hostel in the morning planning our next couple of days and then we got a taxi to Thonburi Station to board our train to Kanchanaburi. This was our first rural train experience and it was kind of what I expected – wooden benches, no air-conditioning and pretty cramped.  It wasn’t too hot though, so totally manageable with the help of ceiling fans. The 3 hour trip went quickly with so much to look at out the window and in the cabin! Interesting to see a separate area for monks and the disabled, something we could adopt on transport in New Zealand, well maybe just for the disabled.  Got our first tuk tuk from the Kanchanaburi Station to Blue Star Guest House and pulled over by a member of the traffic police who was friends with the driver and having him on reminding us that ‘safety is first’. Now it was time to chill out, but not before hitting the night markets!

Carol going to check out the produce markets at Thonburi Station

A friendly chap selling delicious nuts

For our first touristy adventure day we hired bikes and rode around the historic sites, museums and markets of Kanchanaburi … and got a tad lost. Nothing we couldn’t get out of! There were times when we almost found ourselves on major roads, so we’d get off and push our bikes and ourselves to safety. First stop was The Bridge over the River Kwai. Walking along this knowing how it came to be there was quite surreal. To get a little more background we headed to the museum but ended up going to the wrong one – there are two! One closer to the Station and one called The World War II Museum near the bridge. I’ve posted some photos so you can see the standard of the one not to go to, unless of course to see the funny side. The interpretation consisted of newspaper and magazine articles from the time and later posted on the walls and the displays were badly kept. I still felt sick afterwards though so still very evocative and it wasn’t the strawberry iced shake! It didn’t take us long to realise that the Thai people don’t ever miss an opportunity to sell you something. At every attraction or tour bus destination/stop there’s a market, so you end up seeing the same stuff over and over again, but sometimes in a different pattern or colour if you’re lucky.

The Bridge over the River Kwai

World War II Museum

World War II Museum

The Kanchanaburi War Cemetery is the most well-kept cemetery I’ve been to. There looked to be a full time person working on new projects and two others sweeping tombstones and watering the grounds. A Thai man approached me at the cemetery and asked to take his photo. After more talking I found out he was a reverend at a Christian School further north and said if I’m ever back to go there to work at his school, he has lots of volunteers from New Zealand. He had a business card and I’ve checked out his website, so it’s legit. Opposite the cemetary is where we found the museum we should have visited, but think I’ll save that for another day. 

Kanchanaburi War Cemetery

We thought we’d head down to see what else was in Kanchanaburi because it seems where we’re staying is the new part and more for tourists than locals. Well, we didn’t see another white person for about an hour. We stopped at what must have been the local food market selling all sorts of things in bags and bottles I couldn’t identify as well as things I could; an array of fruits and seafood and meats on ice.

Local market

Local market

After much contemplation we decided to do the tour that encompassed everything. Ewaran National Park, Elephant trekking and bathing, the Death Railway and The Bridge over the River Kwai. The National Park boats a spectacular 7 tier waterfall. We walked to the 5^th waterfall and then headed back down otherwise they’d be no time for a swim. We’d been warned about the fish that nibble on your feet at the waterfalls and I was dying for a swim so thought I’d be able to handle it. Clearly not! I jumped in and then jumped back out. I thought they’d be small, but some were larger than trout and I didn’t want to tempt them! 

Carol at the Erawan Waterfalls

The elephant trekking and bathing wasn’t what we expected and our elephant ‘driver’ didn’t speak English so it was hard to get an understanding of how the elephants live and are treated at the camp. After bathing with her in the river we went for a trek around an area that had been well used. Part way through the trip our ‘driver’ started singing to her and she’d reply with a growly sort of purr. That gave us reassurance that they’re happy. She was just beautiful and so gentle.

Elephant trekking

Hanging with the elephant

Bathing the elephant, or maybe the elephant's bathing us!

We arrived at part of the Death Railway and what do you know another market. We walked along part of the railway that built by Prisoners of War and also entered a cave that was used as a small hospital during the period of construction. On the drive back we saw the result of a car accident and it didn’t surprise me after being witness to the way our minibus driver handled the roads! In some parts we’d be on the wrong side of the road for hundreds of metres, just because. Traffic on the other side of the road doesn’t stop them from passing and the on coming traffic just moves right over. Strangely I felt very safe. 

We had a beer when we got back and did some planning for the next leg – Cambodia. At dinner I was eager to try the spicy papaya salad I’d heard to much about. We went to a place the Lonely Planet recommended as the best vegetarian menu in Kanchanaburi. I asked for medium and it was manageable, but hotter than I am used to. When it arrived I also realised it was a cold salad (it came with noodles and vegetable so I assumed it would be cooked first). So it was everything I should avoid; a salad because they wash the ingredients in local water and chilli which doesn’t always agree with me. Watch this space!