The bridge over river kwae

  Bangkok, Thailand
Friday, December 22, 2006

Kanchanaburri.  My friend Fredericka decided to join me on a trip to Kanchanaburri to see the famous River Kwae.  We nearly missed the bus because we were buying what we thought was chicken on a stick.  Who knew that chicken fat and bones would hold together so nicely on a stick?! (rima - you'd have been thoroughly grossed out).  Kachanaburri is 2 hours west of Bangkok, and the air is cleaner and (finally) it was a bit cooler.  Our first night was spent in a hostel - and - you get what you pay for - we each paid $3 for this room.  What we noted on further inspection (read: after we'd paid) was that masking tape was covering the hole under the window, and the mattress was, at best, 1/2 inch thick.   What we weren't able to discover until sleeping there, however, is that at approximately 2:48am, the neighbor rises to chop wood/coconuts/who the hell cares what for 50 minutes.  Then the roosters every 10 minutes - in chorus.  We left for greener pastures NOT recommended in the lonely planet guide book.
I walked to the bridge, and found a Japanese tour guide explaining the history of the bridge.  Either my Japanese is seriously deteriorating (great possibility) or there was some fuzzy history being given.  anyway, my last day was spent at a national park with 7 waterfalls.  They were gorgeous - my friend Fredericke swam in one, but I was too weirded out my the aggressive monkeys stealing bags and the cold water - so I wussed out.    On the way back I 1) missed by bus, 2) got on the wrong (slow) bus back to Bangkok, 3) left my wallet/change purse/keys to luggage on the bus. Good think those happen in 3s! Things worked out, though, and my taxi driver was able to break open my back w/ some pliers where I still had my passport/$$$$$$$.
I'm off to meet my sister Alison - I think she arrives today!!