Kanchanaburi

We were taking the 1:55 train from Bangkok west to Kanchanaburi.  When we arrived at the train station,

we were under the impression that we would have the choice between 3 classes, and with first class priced at only 100 baht (around $3) we had an easy decision to make.  Well, there was only 1 class going to Kanchanaburi, and needless to say it wasn't first. Even still, we had to pay 100 baht, because the normal going rate of only 25 baht is only forThai residents. 

  

Hmph.  Anyways, we boarded the steamy train around 1:45 and proceeded to wait for about 1 hour and

15 minutes for an engine. We were definitely warned that transportation in SE Asia is not what it is in Europe, so we ate some snacks (salad in a bag for me) and chatted until it was time to head out (around 3:15). 

I wouldn't say that I was upset about this situation, but it was slightly frustrating.  Didn't these people know that I had places to be?  That this is my vacation and I didn't want to waste an entire afternoon on a train? That it's really hot on this thing?

It seems that just when I start to feel entitled or that I deserve (or even need) something "better," our amazing God humbles me so quickly I feel like the air is knocked out of me.  Pulling out of Bangkok, we were surrounded by some of the most poverty-stricken areas I've ever seen (and I've seen some poverty in my day).  People living in makeshift homes, built solely of 2X4s, metal sheeting, even advertisement signs.  Some people were even residing in abandoned boxcars.  The homes were all built together, like apartments, and were so close to the tracks that we couldn't put our fingers out the open train windows.

When we finally made it to Kanchanaburi after many stops, we headed out to find a guest house and came across the quaintest little guesthouse on the River Kwai.  The rooms we would be staying in were actually floating on the river with a spectacular view and the light, calming movement of the water to drift us off to sleep.  Jon and I were lucky enough to get a corner room with 2 windows and a small balcony on the water. 

View from our balcony in the morning

The guesthouse had a great open-air restaurant overlooking the river where we would spend quite a bit of time over the next couple of days. 

That night, we walked to grab some dinner, had a couple drinks, and then it was off to bed for a busy day of sightseeing the next day.  We only had one incident regarding sleeping on the water; Jon dreamt that we were floating away at one point in the night!

The next day, we rented motorbikes to drive out to Erawan Falls, supposedly the most popular waterfalls in Thailand.

The ride was great and we were able to see some beautiful scenery on our way out.  The falls reside in a national park, which was quite busy as it was a weekend and filled with tourists and residents alike. 

The falls have 7 steps, so we got climbing right away.  Jon was able to snap some great photos, we got a great workout, and were able to swim in some cool and refreshing pools beneath the falls (with complimentary fish that eat your dead skin I may add- people pay good money for that!). 

The storms that had threatened stayed away just for us.  There was even one level at which the water had created a perfect "waterslide" that Jon and Greg enjoyed.  Unfortunately, the GoPro camera that Jon was wearing on his head did not remain on his head during that wild ride, but we were thankfully able to recover it. After making it up 5 of the 7 steps, we were tired and hungry and had heard that the last 2 steps were "nothing spectacular."  There is such a thing as being "waterfalled out," so we decided to head out of the park.  We stopped on our way back to town (about an hour ride) for a delicious lunch at a roadside restaurant and then went to see the famed "Bridge over the River Kwai." 

It of course is a remake of the original as the Allies bombed the bridge near the end of WWII, but it was lovely and has been made into quite the tourist attraction, complete with a tacky museum and loads of street vendors.  The rest of the evening was spent on the deck of the guesthouse restaurant with a cool breeze, a refreshing drink, and good company.

The next day, we booked our flights to fly south and got all of our transportation arranged.  Then we headed out on the motorbikes again to the WWII museum.  Unfortunately, pictures weren't allowed in this well done museum and Jon actually decided to follow the rules on that particular day.  The museum told the story of the Death Railway that was constructed by POWs under the rule of the Japanese in order to open routes between China and Burma.  I found it interesting that so much of our travels last summer led us to WWII history, and there we were learning about another aspect of the war in a completely different part of the world.  The war was so huge and had effects in so many places that it's astounding to me. After the museum, we grabbed some lunch at a recommended place on a quiet spot on the river and decided to take a ride on the motorbikes.  We explored lots of the backroads, and ended up finding a quiet monastery and a dirt road (very bumpy, very uncomfortable on the back of a motorbike) to explore. 

After that ride, I was ready to get off of that thing and head back to the guesthouse; so we relaxed and read a bit at the restaurant, went out to grab a bite to eat, then found a great local bar with live music.  The boys stayed out late (too late for me), so Jon brought me back early to rest up for our travels the next day.

Kanchanaburi provided us a restful few days, but was still filled with fun things to do and beautiful, peaceful scenery.  It's a place I would definitely visit again... but for now it was on to the beach!