Bangkok
In order to get to Bangkok we had to endure a gruelling 16 hour journey. The first three hours was by minibus followed by a 13 hour over night train! The train was just as you'd imagine a Bangkok train to be! It wasn't the safest looking thing so I think we were all a bit apprenhensive about spending the night on it. Fortunately, the seats turned to a bed and a top bunk came from the roof so we could put our head down and try to get some sleep. Unfortunately, sleeping became nearly impossible as it was so bumpy and noisy that I kept thinking we were going to de-rail! But it was a great experience and I really felt like a true traveller!
Bangkok was even more of a dive than I'd expected. It's so dirty and smelly and theres cockroaches running round all over the place! It really is that bad!
On our full day in Bangkok we headed out early and visited the River Kwai. We went to a war museum and a soldiers cemetry where there were soldiers from even Manchester buried. We then took a train along Death Railway. The train was packed full of people and it was excruciatingly hot. To our horror, smoke starting pouring through the windows and the train came to a stand still in the middle of nowhere! Instead of reassuring passengers and doing something to fix it they asked us all to get off and walk! It was hilarious with a couple of hundred passengers clambering out and walking down the railway - it reminded me of refugees fleeing the country! Unlike they would in the UK, everyone saw the funny side of it and everyone was in fits of laughter!
When we finally managed to get to a main road our minibus came to get us and took us to the "The Bridge Over the River Kwai". It was a very emotional experience and I can't say I enjoyed it but I thought is was important to go and gain a better understanding of the impact of the war and what prisoners of war had endured. I certainly won't forget it!
We are now in St Kilda in Melbourne which I was a bit disappointed with on arrival. I think I had imagined it to be just like the Neighbours set but its not quite as pretty! It was cold when we arrived too but its much nicer now and we've found much nicer parts so I'm starting to feel more like I'm in Australia! I even saw Connor from Neighbours last night which was very exciting! (I'm so sad!) We haven't planned much yet as its all a bit pricey so I think a day at the beach is called for! Apparently someone got eaten by a shark here a few weeks ago so I think I'll give swimming in the sea a miss!
Well thats all for now, we're planning on staying in Melbourne for a week so I'll update you again soon.
Thanks for reading
Claire x
Bangkok was even more of a dive than I'd expected. It's so dirty and smelly and theres cockroaches running round all over the place! It really is that bad!
On our full day in Bangkok we headed out early and visited the River Kwai. We went to a war museum and a soldiers cemetry where there were soldiers from even Manchester buried. We then took a train along Death Railway. The train was packed full of people and it was excruciatingly hot. To our horror, smoke starting pouring through the windows and the train came to a stand still in the middle of nowhere! Instead of reassuring passengers and doing something to fix it they asked us all to get off and walk! It was hilarious with a couple of hundred passengers clambering out and walking down the railway - it reminded me of refugees fleeing the country! Unlike they would in the UK, everyone saw the funny side of it and everyone was in fits of laughter!
When we finally managed to get to a main road our minibus came to get us and took us to the "The Bridge Over the River Kwai". It was a very emotional experience and I can't say I enjoyed it but I thought is was important to go and gain a better understanding of the impact of the war and what prisoners of war had endured. I certainly won't forget it!
We are now in St Kilda in Melbourne which I was a bit disappointed with on arrival. I think I had imagined it to be just like the Neighbours set but its not quite as pretty! It was cold when we arrived too but its much nicer now and we've found much nicer parts so I'm starting to feel more like I'm in Australia! I even saw Connor from Neighbours last night which was very exciting! (I'm so sad!) We haven't planned much yet as its all a bit pricey so I think a day at the beach is called for! Apparently someone got eaten by a shark here a few weeks ago so I think I'll give swimming in the sea a miss!
Well thats all for now, we're planning on staying in Melbourne for a week so I'll update you again soon.
Thanks for reading
Claire x
posted by Claire @ 12:37 AM
3 Comments:
At 12:34 PM,
aunty sue said…
That was very interesting and your description was so good i could imagine it. your gradnfather(my dad) had a friend who was a prisoner of the japanese and he was apparently 6 stone when they were liberated.my dad said he would never talk about his experiences,that was uncle jeff your mum will remember him.I didnt imagine Bangkok to be like that you always imagine it to be exotic.Well enjoy Austalia and dont get eaten by a shark! love aunty Sue
At 12:41 PM,
Ian said…
Helloo, Its sounding like you having a pretty amazing time, some of the pictures are quite amazing to look at.
Ive seen thinsg on TV about those trains...im kind of obssesed with thsi program called teh amazing race (shh) and you see them having to take trains like that alot and there pretty horrible conditions so i can deffinately imagine how bad that was.
Its strangely really hot here atm, so im gonna close the blinds, Keep us updated.
Toodles
At 2:53 PM,
Trish said…
I take it that you wouldn't recommend Bangkok as a holiday destination then?
Brian has a golfing friend who, as a POW worked on the bridge...he doesn't talk about his experiences but it has had a very bad effect on his long-term health.
Looking forward to the next exciting installment!
Post a Comment
<< Home