Wooh, what a relief!

I got up at 5am this morning (that's right Mum, 5am ALL BY MYSELF) so that I could catch the train to a place called Kanchanaburi, about 2 hrs away.

Bangkok was so peaceful, such a change from last night, I could actually walk without fearing for my life or having countless things sold to me. Took the boat across the canal, and while I was waiting at the pier another backpacker showed up and as it turned out, he was going to the same place as me. The walk from the pier on the other side to the train station took us through a riverside village that was almost all built on stilts. Following the signs led us nowhere because a vital connecting bridge had collapsed, so we had to walk across a highway and through a market until finally making it to the station. Five minutes before the train.

Bought the tickets all out of breath and realised (after getting on the wrong train) that we still had 45 minutes to wait... graaah! I was starving after this lond walk with my backpack and everything so went to get some food at the market. Breakfasts here don't come in the Western variety so I bought some baby bananas and a chicken skewer from a vendor. Interesting breakfast!

The chicken ended up being suspicious, I think it was actually baby chickens or tiny little birds or something because they looked whole (but without a head). Munched through it all though, bone and everything. And had like 8 bananas and felt sick...

The train ride was uneventful, I fell asleep a couple times (quite an accomplishment given the noise and the haaard seats) and we pulled into Kanchanaburi around 9. A tuk tuk driver followed us all the way into town, endlessly asking us if we wanted a lift until finally giving up when we had clearly already reached our destination.

The guy I met was a bit older (and a pain in the ass, know-it-all type) so when we chose different accomodations I was relieved.

This town is famous because it is right next to the Bridge over the River Kwai, the start of the Death Railway built during WW2 by Allied POWs and local people. The Japanese were pushing them so hard and the conditions were so horrible that over 200,000 of them died. Of work accidents, injury, lack of food, disease etc. This afternoon (after lounging around all morning) I hired a bike and went to see the various war memorials and museum and such, then rode out to the Bridge itself. The cemetary was huge and really serene, lots of young kids in there.

I kept on riding, rode out of town and into the "suburbs" where clearly not many tourists go (they call us farangs, which I found out today also means guava) because I got a lot of stares. People were much more friendly though - once you get out of the touristy places they loosen up incredibly.

Kept on riding and riding, through villages, saw lots of little kids, this is what Thailand is supposed to be like! Not internet cafes, fake tourist offices and expat bars every block (although, the internet is handy...).