flight to Bangkok.
Day 2: Friday 6th July 00.15 flight Bahrain to Bangkok. Spent ages on the tarmac at Bahrain so further delay let to arriving 12.45pm at Bangkok airport. Here we were met by Jean-Dan our Swiss group leader who has been in Thailand running such trips and
other less challenging sightseeing tours for 20years and his second in command Oh a Thai from Bangkok. Both spoke excellent English. It took about 30/40 minutes to transfer in two mini-buses to our Hotel in Bangkok in the lively Banglamphu district. After a small briefing meeting Kedra and I headed off to narry.com tailors over in the centre of the city. As it was Friday night the traffic was horrendous and we were over 2 hours in the taxi before we gave up and it dropped us off at theskytrain - an overground transport system where 10mins later and 3 stops we arrived at the shop. Spent about 2hours in there 7-9pm being measured and choosing suits. I had a package which included 2 suits 2 shirts 1 dress and 2 scarfs for approx £110. As we had missed the group dinner we headed to the Hard Rock Cafe to add to my pin
collection and decided to eat there too. A taxi back to the hotel followed by a bedtime beverage and we were off to bed!
Day 3: Saturday 7th July Drive by mini-bus up to our starting point for the trek so today was a travel/sight-seeing day. We stopped first a war cemetery for those mainlyEnglish but some dutch who lost their lives in the second world war as prisoners of war forced to build the railway from Thailand to Burma by the Japanese. Then it was the Bridge over the RiverKwai itself where the other side was in Burma. Note the film was shot in Sri Lanka and the story a different one. Other stops were a restaurant lunch stop
and a Dam with a floating village and some tropical trees. We reached out destination of the Burmese Inn atSangklaburi late afternoon. Dinner was provided by our host followed by a few beers.
Day 4: Sunday 8th July All set for the first days' trek. As well as our English speaking guides we had about three Thai guides who were assisting including cutting jungle debris from our route. It started off flat but soon began climbing a slope and after a cave with bats flying though we were well on the way upwards. After a quick break at the top of the first climb it started to pour with rain. As we had seen this coming raincoats and rain covers for the rucksacks were already on. After a further steady climb and a couple of falls by myself we had lunch of rice and chicken wrapped in bamboo leaves. After this followed more muddy inclined terrain with which I continued to struggle. There were a few falls by various members of the group and
one which resulted in a bamboo tree nearly hitting one of us. Eventually after the guides trying to work out the best route we met the road and followed this to complete 10 hours walking getting to our destination in the dark. We were all put up in a barn type building with several sleeping areas under mosquito nets. Washing facilities were the nearby river. We were treated to dinner and a dance by some local girls before everyone went to bed shattered.
Day 5: Monday 9th July. A less difficult terrain saw trekking through rice fields and streams, one of which we stopped near for lunch after a swimming/wading dip. Following on we passed villages, rubber plantations and finally a wade across river to our island campsite with a freshly built bamboo hut containing six bedrooms and an outside campfire where we weregreeted by a can of Chang beer.
Day 6: Tuesday 10th July. A circular walk around the jungle following road and then down to follow a stream sometimes wading in it other times walking around it. This was followed by rafting down the river to our lunch destination on bamboo rafts. This took longer than expected due to first my raft capsizing (which resulted in several bruises a cut on the head a lostbandana and despite fishing them from the river a screw missing from my sunglasses!) followed by a second raft hitting the side of river and one member of the group trapped underneath the raft for a little while. After our late lunch were driven back to the Burmese Inn via Three Pagoda's Pass on the border with Burma. It was here that I started to feel weary. By the time I got back to the Burmese Inn I was shivering and getting hot and cold. However after some hot water and a shower I felt better. After dinner though having already had a little diarrhoea
the weary feeling came back and having got ready for bed I felt very hot and cold. I spent the night trying to sleep sweating a lot drinking a lot and passing water so not really replacing any fluids followed byvomiting in the middle of the night.
Day 7: Wednesday 11th July A relaxation day following the 3 day trek. Whilst the others went of on a local boat trip, temple and market visit Oh took me to the hospital. I had woken up feeling not quite as rough as when going to bed but we felt I had better get seen to. The doctors gave me some tests which were negative and someantibiotics and energy giving beverage salts. After a little rest back at the accommodation the rest of the group returned and we headed off to our next accommodation. Upon arrival I had a little sleep again and then tried to join everyone for dinner but again vomited. So I returned to my room and got into bed for the night.
Day 8: Thursday 12th July - Hell Fire Pass trek/Kayaking. As I felt a lot better the next morning I participated in the morning's hike along the remains of the death railway built by the prisoners of war. The day was hot and whilst I was thinking oh no I am sweating so much I'm feverish again everyone else was too so it was just the heat. The walk finished with some steep stairs up to the Hell Fire Pass Museum and by that time I was feeling sick again. I saw a bit of the horrific videos in there but came outside. I couldn't stomach lunch and sat in the van whilst everyone else ate. I therefore gave the kayaking a miss and was taken straight to the nightsaccommodation where I had a sleep with a nightmare that I was getting up walking about not knowing what I was doing and behaving rather mentally!! When my room mate arrived (The kayaking was all the way down river to theaccommodation ) about a minute after waking up I went across to the swimming pool with her for a quick dip and mainly stayed in the circular bit to the side sitting in the water. I managed to eat dinner this night and then just went back to the room for a rest and started the book I had purchased at Heathrow, just managing one chapter!
Day 9: Friday 13th July A morning of elephant trekking and Kayaking followed by the drive back to Bangkok. I was on an elephant on my own which meant I spent longer at the front on top of mine. He did keep stopping to munch on the greenery around though! As I had not been kayaking the day before or anything like this for over 20 years I seemed to be quite a way at the back. Then the rest stopped briefly so I could catch up and then I went past and remained in the front all the rest of the way. I was expecting some of them at least to over take but I didn't realise that
they were not paddling all the time. I took about 3 or 4 brief rests all the journey whereas they were having longer rests! After lunch by the river bank mini-bus back to Bangkok. Upon arrival back to the hotel took a taxi and the sky train back to the tailors. Just a couple of alterations to do and upon finishing these they would drop them back to the hotel. After a quick visit to a nearby shop selling fake football
shirts and a purchase of the new Arsenal away strip for someone at the
cost of 840 bahts which is approx £13, I took the sky train back to national stadium station where I took a couple of pics of the sporting facilities upon descending the station and then taxi to the hotel. A quick look at the nearby shopping street and check of e-mails in the internet cafe and then our group celebratory meal. After the meal we were awarded a charity challenge medal by the guides. Then we went on to a karaoke bar which was tucked away and the only other people in there were locals. After that it was a night club til that closed at 2am. Although I wasn't drinking the lads get a little drunk and Alice tried to steer Matt the short journey back to the hotel!!
Day 10: Those of us that were not too hungover or shattered took a tuk tuk journey at 8.30am to the Grand Palace with a guided tour by Oh. Then back to the hotel by tuk tuk and Alice and I went on a brief shop before leaving the hotel at 11.15am for the airport and the long journey home with a six hour stopover in Bahrain. Pictures to follow. For details of the routes/distances walked, I can obtain the from Jean Dan by e-mail but probably not until August when he is less busy. He had a gprs system with him.
1 comment:
You were so fast in Bangkok, it's a pity you couldn't stay longer and enjoy in this beautiful city. Bangkok is one of Asia's most cosmopolitan cities, known as "Krungthep" which means the City of Angels. Major tourism attractions include glittering Buddhist temples, palaces, timeless 'Venice of the East' canal and river scenes, classical dance extravaganzas, an almost legendary nightlife, and numerous air-conditioned shopping centers. With a tropical climate and cities teeming with culture and colour, Thailand entices visitors back each year. And more and more visitors realize profitability of Thailand property investment. With the unspoiled surroundings and warm climate, this veritable paradise can offer dream property.
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