We arrived at Bangkok at around 5am, before sunrise, having left samui at around 11:30am the previous day!

      After the bus dropped us off we sat for a while and contemplated our next move. Should we stay in B.K or travel up north? Since we would be flying to Hanoi from B.K on the 20th we thought we may as well go north and do B.K on the way back.

      So, off we went again- we had an idea that we anted to go to Kanchanaburi first so we had a quick flick through our lonely planet and worked out which station we needed.

       After politely shooing away a tuk-tuk driver, who was asking for way too much, we managed to flag down a metered taxi. We asked him to take us to Thonburi Station, but he obviously had no idea what we were asking so we tried telling him what destination we wanted. No joy, we even tried to explain with 'choo-choo' noises, along with the actions- we must have looked ridiculous! Fortunatley the bemused driver eventually pulled over and asked his friend to interpret- now we ere getting somewhere. The guy first tried to say that he could arrange a bus ticket for us which would cost 250 Baht and would take 2.5hrs, he said the train wasn't a good idea and would take over 4 hrs.

      You begin to get a little wary of people because you read and hear so much about scams and rip-off artists so we stuck to our guns and finally reached the train station at 5:30am.

      We were pleased to see that the train would in fact only take just over 2.5hrs and would cost us only 100 Baht. There wasn't any choice of class you'd prefer to travel, not that it would matter to us- we'd ride along side the pigs and chickens if it was the cheapest option!

      We hopped on the 7:45 am train, clambering over rail tracks and dodging stray dogs to get to the other side. The train was actually quite comfortable considering the seating was wooden benches.

       We arrived at Kanchanaburi at approx 10:20 am, almost 24hrs after leaving Samui feeling filthy, hot, sweaty and tired. We were met on the platform by a pack of taxi/Saamlaw/Sawnthaew drivers whom were all hungry for our custom.

      We opted for, or were we dragged to a saamlaw (three wheeled pedal rickshaw). With our giant packs we had to get on one each and even then we weren't sure guys would manage, but then thay did insist. Kirsty's saamlaw rider was nearly 80 but was as fit as a fiddle. Around half way Julie's driver hopped off and offered her a go in the driver's seat, and being the polite girl that she is she felt obliged to cycle (just what she fancied after having travelled for 24hrs, but it was a laugh and made for a good photo opportunity!) It was only after she got off that he said now you pay 50 Baht (original price 30)- not a chance!

      We found accomadation at the Jolly Frog- 100 Baht each a night, not bad- and we had our own bathroom (ice-cold water of course) but what a treat!!

      We woke up bright and early the following morning, the sun was shining and the sky was denim blue. The Jolly Frog backed onto the River Kwai and bamboo rafts could be seen silently gliding over the water. Upstairs we could hear an elderly guy meditating and someone else was practicing yoga on the lawn infront of our porch- others were whiling away the hours snoozing or reading in their hammocks- idyllic!

      In order to see the town fully we decided that we'd hire a couple of bikes, complete with baskets. Kirst went first very cautiously, (she hasn't been on a bike since the age of 11) with Julie following behind. Soon we were going along at a steady pace singing 'Doh-a-dear' from the sound of music at the top of our lungs, we cycled all over- the locals would stare as we passed them, obviously not used to seeing western girls on bikes.

       We cycled all over taking in the sights and smells, we had planned to visit a museum at one end of town but somehow managed to end up at the complete opposite end, strange considering Kirsty is usually an expert navigator! Anyway, we saw a sign for the River Kwai Bridge and thought we would check it out. We stopped only briefly since we'd be returning the next day- so after we'd rested our aching backsides we headed off again to find The Thailand Burma Railway Museum.

      During WWII captured allied soldiers as well as Burmese and Malay captives were transported to the jungles of Kanchanaburi to build 415km of rail known today as the Death Railway because of the many lives (more than 100,000 men) the project claimed. Japanese engineers estimated that construction would take 5yrs, but the human labourers would be forced to complete it in 16 months. The exhibits outline Japenese aggression in South East Asia in WWII and their plan to connect Yangon (in Burma) with Bangkok via rail for transport of military supplies. We spent a couple of hours exploring the museum, very facinating but disturbing at the same time. You can not even begin to comprehend the suffering these men went through at the hands of their fellow human beings. Definately worth a visit.

      Afterwards we went to have a look at the prisoner of war cemetry that was just accross the road which was very moving. The Thais had donated this piece of land as a gift to remember the the POW's mainly from Britain and Holland, who died on their soil.

      As we wondered amongst the headstones we noticed there were lots of poppies and realised that the day was in fact Rememberance Day.

      The following morning we got a wake up call at 7am as we had to be ready for 8am, we had decided to join a tour to see the main sites.

      We reached the Erawan Falls after about an hour of driving. There are 7 falls that make the Erawan Falls and each one becomes progressively harder to reach. Our guiode told us that we had to be back at 1200 for lunch which gave us 3hrs to explore. As we walked uphill in the stiffling heat we knew it wasn't going to be easy!

      The trail was very beautiful with lush green surroundings- the first couple of falls were merely plunge pools but each one was a little more impressive than the last. By the time we reached number 5 the game was up for Kirst and we knew that 'regretfully' her flimsy flip-flops would take her no further, so it was decided that she'd wait with our day bag whilst Julie with her trusty Merrel walking sandles would go on.

      Julie clambered up the uneven terrain towards number 6, thinking what the hell was she doing and that she wished that she was back with the Kirstinator! She then hit a very tricky part of the trail which seemed impossible, people were literally having to hoist their partners up the mountain side as there was very little to get a grip on and quite a sheer drop. Acouple of people were thinking better of it and were turning back, Julie was about to follow them when a small group of people appeared whom she and Kirst had befriended earlier on. A young italian guy, and an English man with his 9yr old daughter.

       The English man, (we never learnt his name) persuaded Julie to go on, couldn't get this far and not get to the top, he said we'd all help each other.

      So Julie, a little aprehensively agreed- to proud to back down especially when a little 9yr old girl was prepared to try. Sowe carried on-sweat dripping off our backs. The little girl went between Julie and her Dad. At one point Julie (Aka Tarzan) had to swing accross a ravine holding onto vines-scary but good fun, pulling the little girl (George) up the steeper obstacles.

      Anyway, we finally reached the 7th fall-felt like quite an achievement. The Italian guy, George and Julie decided to have awelldeserved swim, so refreshing-Julie got out after a brief swim as she wasn't toohappy with the fish that were biting at her legs, there were hundreds of them and some were quite large.

      We made our way back to Kirstyand onto lunch,absolutely parched! After lunch we got back on the mini bus and headed off for our next destination- elephants, we werevery excited!

      We climbed onto a wooden platform and two by two we were instructed to climb onto seats that were perched on top of these impressive animals. Once on our elephant, we werepretty petrified, sat rigid- too scared to even move. Sitting bare back on the elephants shoulders was our Thai guide, cane in hand.

      As we began to move away fromthe platform Kirstywas shouting at Julie to move over so as to equalize the weight load- as the mammouth creature plodded silently along Julie and Kirst were moving in a see-saw action and I think at that point, if we could have we would have got off but once you're up there you're stuck for the duration!

      As we began th acent up a rocky hillside we were sure that our time on this earth was up, we were clinging on for dear life, trying not to notice the old and weathered ropes that were keeping us up.

      We gradually relaxed and even managed to take a few pictures. At one point the elephant in front had obviously been spooked by somethingand began trumpetting and went a little crazy-we were worried that our elephant would follow in his footsteps and that they would begin a stampeed! We began to enjoy the experience more as we entered the river- a couple of the elephants stubbornly stopped and wallowed in the water obviously enjoying themselves.

       After a while we dismounted at the platform,rather relieved to be back on land. We were able to take photo's of each other with an elephant, their tusks so smooth and their hide, so thick and wrinkly with spiky hair sprouting here and there. The elephant in the photo's was 78yrs old!

      Now it was onto the bamboo rafting- huge rafts, two passengers at either end perched on low wooden benches. The nimble Thai man sat on his haunches, toes inthe murky water expertly weilding his oar, letting the currrent do most of the work.

      The scenary was beautiful, thick vegatation spilling into the wide river, very tranquil although it was hard to ignore the pesky water insects.

      Kirst's thoughts on the rafting differ somewhat. Not really being at one with nature she summed upthe rafting in one word, 'boring!' She was longing for it to end so that she could dry off and get back into the air-con bus and have a cheeky little nap-unsuprisingly she was tired,in fact she was born tired!

    Our penultanate stop was the "Death Railway.' We were able to walk up the original tracks which was surreal. We explored a huge damp cave which once-upon-a-time had been used as storage as well as a makeshift hospital, housing the injured and dying POW's during WWII, now it houses a Budha and we witnessed locals worshiping there.

      We then boarded a train and actually travelled a portion of the Death Railway- approximately 30mins later we alighted and got back into our mini bus for the final chapter of the day.

      We arrived at the infamous Bridge over the River Kwai a short time later and were free to wander over it and take photo's, we think you'll agree they're pretty impressive!