Golden triangle & Bangkok

Hi all, it's been a few days since I last posted so thought I'd better do an update. A lot of the time has been spent travelling so there's not much to say really!







On Thursday we left Tha Ton by longtail boat to Chiang Rai in northern Thailand, from there we caught a bus up to the famous golden triangle where the countries of Myanmar (Burma), Laos & Thailand meet. It was apparently notorious for drug smuggling and trades between countries and they have an Opium museum there telling you about it. Following that we went back to Chiang Rai and ate in the town square where there are loads of food stalls around and a stage with some entertainment (a band and some Thai ladyboy singing)







The next day we caught the bus back to Chiang Mai and then the overnight train to Bangkok which is where I am now until tomorrow evening when we're catching the train down south.

I'm looking forward to going down to the south of the country and to some of the islands away from the busy city and street hawkers of Bangkok.

Tha Ton

This morning we caught the bus fron Chiang Mai to Tha Ton right at the top of Thailand as we're going to catch a boat to the golden triangle tomorrow where the 3 countries of Thailand, Burma & Laos meet.

Tha Ton is only a small village set on the river bank in the countryside next to the Burmese border and has a fantastic hillside temple where you can see for miles. The whole place is really peaceful and pictureque which is just what was needed after the busy and hectic cities.

Earlier on we walked for a few hours up to the temples and took some photos of them and watched the sun set over the mountains - early start again tomorrow to catch the boat along the river and then we're off to Chiang Rai for one night.

Hilltribe & Elephant trekking & Bamboo rafting!

Hi all,

It's been a few days since my last post as I've had no signal or access to the Internet.

Over the last few days a group of us left Chiang Mai by jeep with a couple of local guides and went up into the mountains close to the border of Burma. We trekked for a few hours each day and all slept in a large hut in each village that we stopped in overnight.

It was really good to see how some of the people up in the tribes live with access to just the local stream for water cleverly plumbed in via bamboo pipes to fields and houses and how they lived their daily lives. I expected something quite primative but in reality whilst some of the home comforts that we would come to expect aren't there they lead a pretty good quality of life.

A lot of the huts have solar panels to generate electricity and they have schools to learn in up to 15years old in a nearby (well, within 2hrs walk) village where the kids can stop in the week to let the parents work either in the fields or making handicrafts.

There was plenty of wildlife around, elephants roaming about, chickens, pigs, cows and quite a few snakes and spiders too so it made things fun!

On the second day we went trekking on some elephants - it took a bit of strain off our weary legs and we also managed to get to a lot of places we wouldn't have otherwise been able to - it amazed me how agile elephants are and how they could get up such steep hills or wade through such deep water. I have plenty of cool photos to upload when I get home.







This morning we went water rafting down the river on some rafts made from bamboo canes -this was great fun, particularly when navigating through the rapids or going down some of the small waterfalls - I'm so glad I invested in some good drybags before I left as our stuff got soaked!

All in all it's been an amazing few days - I'm looking forward to a warm shower and a comfy bed though when we get back to Chiang Mai!

Ayutthaya & the night train

I'm writing this note a little later than normal as I've not had chance today as it's been pretty hectic. This morning we caught the bus to Ayutthaya - well, 2 cramped buses, 2 tuk tuks and 5 hours later we eventually arrived.

Ayutthaya used to be the capital of Thailand many years ago and has a few temples and ruins to look around. We went to a great Thai local restaurant earlier where they kept on bringing out dish after dish of food - tasted good!





Tonight we left for the night train to Chiang Mai - it was running a little late but we boarded about 8. We brought some booze on board and we've been playing cards, doing a few drinking games, talking (or at least attempting to talk) german for the german guys that are with us and generally just taking the piss out of the irish guys accent.. ;-)

We should arrive in Chiang Mai about 9ish tomorrow morning where I think we are stopping one night before heading out trekking into the jungle and up close to the Burmese border for a few days. Hopefully I will get chance to update before then, if not it may be a few days before you hear from me.

Erawan Falls & the Safari

This morning we took a taxi about 40km to a Safari range just outside of Kanchanaburi. It was pretty cool and had loads of animals, elephants, tigers, monkeys, lions, giraffes, zebras etc.. The giraffes were great as they kept peering their heads through the open windows to get at the food we had taken.

After that we drove up to Erawan national park, home to Erawan falls. There are 7 main falls up the river to the top, each one increasingly difficult to get to. Out of 9 of us only 3 of us made it to the top - we had to do some climbing and trekking through water and overgrown jungle bits but when we made the top it was worth it.




I've just got back now, going to get a quick shower and then we're off to the night market. I think I'm moving on again tomorrow so will try update at the end of the day.

Bridge over the River Kwai - Kanchanaburi

This morning I woke up feeling a bit worse for wear having got in at 3.30am a little bit drunk... I just remember 5 of us in a tuk tuk hanging on to the side on the way back to the hotel.

We took a taxi to the bus station first thing and then a bus to Kanchanaburi. Our hotel is set in what only can be described as paradise and looks out over the river Kwai where the dragon boats keep zipping past.

Photo from the riverbank:










This afternoon we went to the "death railway museum" - for those of you that didn't really learn much history at school (that was definitely me!) the bridge over the river Kwai at Kanchanaburi and an entire railway line up to Burma was ordered to be built by the Japanese in the second world war to get supplies to the Japanese troops. The Japanese boats sailing around were constantly coming under attack by our forces so the railway was seen as a safer and quicker way for the Japanese to get things to the troops.

The railway and bridge were built by many Japanese along with thousands of prisoners of war, a lot of those actually came from the UK. A lot died whilst building the railway and the allied forces sucessfully bombed the bridge at Kanchanaburi slowing down getting vital supplies to the Japanese. The site now is a memorial to all those that died and is a lasting tribute.

Anyways, history lesson over... ;-)

After that we just went to the bridge, took a few photos and then went fir something to eat in a floating restaurant. I'm probably going to get an early night tonight - compensate fit the late one last night and I've got a pretty early start tomorrow - off to see Erawan falls which is about 50miles from here so setting off earlyish - should be good fun!

Khao San road, Bangkok

Hey, i'm currently in an Irish bar called on Khao San road in Bangkok called Shamrock at midnight with 3 Germans, 1 new Zealander, 1 Australian, n 3 irish people with a really good band. Can life get any better? Maybe... ;-)







Khao San road is like the main going out area, we found a nice little restaurant earlier where I nearly blew my head off with what I thought was a mild curry...! Off to Kanchanaburi tomorrow by bus getting out of the city so will send another update then.

Sunny Bangkok

I've just arrived in Bangkok on my way in the taxi to the hotel and the sun is in the sky and it's nice and warm - result!



I don't know what I was expecting but I'm quite suprised at how clean and well organised the roads are - a lot of the cars are pretty new with some nice looking brand new Toyotas and Hondas about. I was expecting something along the same lines as my culture shock of an arrival into Delhi last year with the chaos of the traffic, dust and dirt and taxi that broke down on the way to the hotel!

The weirdest bit of the airport arrival was every airport worker wearing a surgical mask and I was subjected to a thermal body scan to make sure my body temperature was normal and I wasn't going to spread swine flu about on my visit.

Anyways I better go check into the hotel and work out where everything is!

Grey skies

After a few goodbyes and some reassurances that I would still try keep in touch we hit the motorway to Manchester with the grey skies and bouncing down rain - I've got to say I am going to miss a few things whilst I am away, particularly some certain people and a few home comforts but the weather is definitely something I'm not going to miss!

The lovely UK weather on the way to the airport:




I have just checked the weather forecast for Bangkok however and it's forecast for scattered thunderstorms for the next few days so I may not be able to escape the rain anyway!

Tribal Thailand

Hmm, well - I set off in 2 and a half hours and I'm just about packed, only a few last minute bits to try and squeeze in (brute force... ;-)) and I'll be done.

For those of you that don't know (which from my excitement over the last few weeks I find impossible to believe!) I'm going on a little trip to Thailand today for just over 3 weeks.




I'm flying from Manchester this afternoon, short stopover in Amsterdam to connect flights and should arrive in Bangkok about lunchtime tomorrow.

My plans when I get there are:

- Bangkok
- Kanchanaburi / River Kwai with a visit to Erawan national park
- Ayuthaya
- Chiang Mai
- Hilltribe Trekking
- Chiang Rai
- Back to Bangkok
- Khao Sok national park
- Ko Samui
- Ko Tao
- Return to Bangkok to fly home!




Hmm, quite a lot to fit into a short space of time, should be fun! :o)




I'll try to keep everyone updated on here whilst I am away but not too sure how often I'll get access.

See you all when I get back!