Bangkok Sat 28th Oct - Tues 31st Oct 2006: End of Team Thailand

Journey to Bangkok did not start well. Rebecca was sick on the catamaran to the mainland, and Jen was also turning a certain shade of green. All the while Cathryn slept peacefully, but was not happy at missing the end of the Jodie Foster film as the journey was not long enough for the film. Super human Jenny and Cathryn carried Rebecca's rucksack as well as their own down the longest pier in the world. But worse was to come for Rebecca as our bus at the pier was full - we were transferred to the back of a truck for an hour long journey to catch our bus with the locals at the next town. Slept most of the way to Bangkok. Cathryn and Rebecca did a mean Kiki-Dee/Elton John karaoke duet for Jen, but there was little appreciation from the not-so captive audience. Arrived at Bangkok ready for battle with the tuk-tuk men and taxi drivers.

Next day we went to a huge market of 15,000 stalls - same same tat at every one. But Rebecca did purchase some cushion covers for cushions she doesn't own, for a sofa she hasn't bought, for a flat she doesn't own.

Monday was our last day together. We went on a day trip to Kanchanaburi. After deciding for us all to take shoes with us after hearing how ricketty and unsafe the Bridge over the River Kwai was, we then saw the bridge and decided it was safe enough to cross in our Birkenstocks. Oh what sorrow this would bring for Jen! Impossible to put into words, all we can say is that there was a stumble, a fall, and a fond farewell to one of Jen's favourite pair of shoes. We then played poo sticks with the other one and watched them float away. As we write this, Jen has yet to find comfort for her grief despite wearing a fake replacement pair from Cambodia.

Went on a train journey along death railway. Cathryn was lucky to get on as the train started to pull away from the station with her still on the bottom step as people fought over seats. Jen and Cathryn then hung on to rails to stop us falling out of the train for the hour long journey which took in sheer drops down to the river. Of course this was a joke for two kids on board who took great pleasure hanging their heads out of the door. We then visited and climbed a waterfall before visiting Tiger Temple. We were able to have our photos taken with tame tigers and feed a 9-month old baby bear.

We returned to Bangkok for our last supper with Rebecca - good old Tikka Masala - before Cathryn and Jen were up for their 7am flight to Cambodia.