Kanchanaburi Day Tour

Rule number 37 of traveling in Southeast Asia: No one likes an angry western woman. (Back to that in a minute). On Sunday I took a day long trip to Kanchanaburi that was pretty epic.  I met a fellow American, which is rare here, you meet a lot of Canadians and Europeans but almost no Americans.  Anyways on the trip we went to a WWII memorial, rode a train on the Death Railway, a huge Thai lunch, a bamboo raft ride, elephant rides, and a waterfall.  

After lunch the tour people separated me from the elephant group and told me I hadn't paid for that part, which I knew wasn't true. I tried to explain that I was positive I had. My new American friend chimed in and was rudely told "You no speak for her, go with the group." Sooo I stopped being polite. They told me I could pay the extra now then argue with the booking agency back in Bangkok. I told them there was no f*** way I was forking over anymore Baht. I insisted they call whoever they needed to and refused to give them anything. They tried to explain they weren't given enough baht to even pay the elephant people to add me (boldfaced lie). They put me in the van with the non-elephant peeps and of course right after they get a phone call from their boss saying that I had paid for it! So they started apologizing profusely saying they were just doing their job and not to complain about them when I said something to the agency. I smiled and went to the elephant group. Needless to say I complained about them to the agency annnddd I got to ride the elephants!  Regardless, the day was pretty wonderful and I got some fresh air and social companionship for the day.

WWII memorial for those who died building the death railway

A relative of mine?

Death Railway

I found Waldo!!!

Probably not the safest thing to sit at on open door on a moving train crossing a bridge...

Motorboat to Bamboo raft

Taking my banan slug for a swim

Elephant riding

"Wait you want me to sit on the elephants neck?!?!"

Waterfall and retired train

xoxo

Ps in my time in Bangkok I really didn't see anything in the city so I guess I'll jut have to come back :)

Ayutthaya

For reasons that don't need to be explained, my week long trip to Thailand before heading home is now a solo one. In order to ease the minds of those who care I booked all my hotels in nicer areas, bought some 3G for my phone, and promised to keep in contact.

I am in Bangkok until Aug 4 so I decided to book a couple tours outside of the city through my hotel because I would gladly prefer fresh air and nature to the bustling Bangkok atmosphere.

Today, Aug 2, I took a half day tour in Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand. It's about an hour and a half out of the city and full of temples, elephants, and rivers.  My tour consisted of 2 temples, some elephants, a loonngggg boat ride, a night time temple visit, and a huge Thai dinner. Needless to say it was wonderful even though I was with a giant group of Germans and Koreans all I whom kept to themselves.

xoxo