Howdy from Thailand! Joy and I have made our way out of Bangkok and into the mountains near Burma to see the Deathtrain and the Bridge over the river Kwai. Well nobody mentions that it's a three hour bus ride out of Bangkok to get here but we did get here.Stopping off at the Bridge over the River Kwai for a fast 30 minute visit it was very interesting seeing this historic bridge after seeing in so moany pictures and films.We never really knew about this bridge and the happenings and death that surrounded it.

This was made even clearer as we toured the cemetary of the some of the dead POW's that helped and died building the Death Railway.We were on a buis so we were limited to another 30 minutes to tour the cemetary and museum.Jumping back on the bus we headed off to our hotel/tent. Arriving at the Hintok River Camp we were taken to our tent and I mean tent but with a/c,running water,and a flush toilet.Now this is the way to camp if you want to include me.At day break it was so dark in the tent I thought it was still nighttime.

Our camp was just down from Hell Fire Pass which was named that by the guys who dug this gap in the solid stone.Amazing and sad we walked this railbed with our bottled water snapping pictures of this place where so many men died run into the ground by the Japenese.We jumped in the bed of a pick up truck to catch a ride back to our home before retiring for the night.

Dragging Mrs.Joy out of the tent bright and early we headed down stream in our speed boat passing the Jungle Raft Hotel which was beautiful but we got the skinny on them,no a/c,electricity and in the am the boats go screaming by.Hoping out of our boat we headed into a Mon Tribe on the banks of the Hintok walking up to find our next ride an elephant. Wow they are such great animals and some may be sad that they have to give big dummies like me rides around the forest but this is how they earn a living just like the rest of us and they probaly would be dead otherwise. Okay back to the boats we head to the Lava caves downb stream alittle futher. Crawling out of our speed boat we climb a 114 stairs to arrive at the caves thinking it would be nice and cool down there.Cool yes humid yes.Sweating our butts off we head back to the boat to cross the river and journey to the Tiger Temple and have a look at the tigers that the local Monks take care of.

We were allowed to kneel down next to these sleepy cats took a couple of photo's and off again heading back to our tented homes.After this long day we forgot about our Thai cooking class which we fumbled through making the hottest soup I have ever tasted.Slipping off into a beer induced sleep we were up again for our trip back down the river to meet up with the dreded bus back to Bankok.And the traffic was not kind to us at all we moved about a mile in an hour at one point.So we treated ourselves to a foot massage and I got the fish massage,this is where they put your feet in a tank of skin eating fish and they work on getting the dead cells off your feet.I think it was just is much that you had your feet in water for 15 minutes then the fish cleaned your feet but it was something new anyway.

Well here we are 28 hours later in Madagascar we have already seen Lemurs but that will have to wait as I am going to bed.Hope you all are doing good and cheers.Keith and Joy