Kanchanaburi

So...there’s one really bad thing I forgot about teaching, the fact that you’re sick more often than not. When you put 33 bodies into one small space, have them go outside, get hot and sweaty or wet from the rain before coming in to a nicely chilled air-conditioned classroom, there’s bound to be a lot of sickness, and we always one kid off at a time with something or other. The week before last I had a bad time in my class and seemed to do nothing but shout, by the end of the week I was off with a migraine. I felt like death and the headaches took about 3 days to go. Having recovered from this we decided that the following weekend we needed to take a break from the city and head out to the mountains of Kanchanaburi for some R ‘n’ R. We figured it would be a good idea to get some fresh air and chill out.

We have found an amazing place in Kanchanaburi; it is a small guesthouse on the banks of the River Kwai. We stay in a raft-house right on the river. About a kilometre up river is the bridge over the river Kwai. This is the famous bridge that was built during the Second World War when the Japanese wanted to link Thailand and Burma. It is estimated that 16,000 POWs and 100,000 Asian labourers died whilst working on the bridge, railway and the famous ‘Hellfire Pass’. I have been up to Kanchanaburi at least 15 times and most of those times have included a trip up to the bridge; when you can get a moment free of tourists (and there are many happy snapping visitors at all hours) you get to feel a little of the history of the place. Most of the time however, there are too many tourists having their pics taken so you just have to join in and look gormless with your camera. As you can see from the pictures though, the bridge has been left with a reasonably bare structure. Much to the entertainment of the local long-tail boat drivers, those with slightly less co-ordination and concentration have been known to step right through the gaps and drop 30 feet into the brown river below (not mentioning any names but for once it wasn’t me....).

This most recent trip to Kanchanaburi we decided we wanted to explore the hills a bit more. We hired a moped, stocked up on chicken fried rice and took off in the vague direction of the hills. When you leave the rather large and touristy town of Kanchanaburi behind, you soon get out into really scenic areas with people drying grasses in the road and farmers driving cattle and goats along the verges. The houses get fewer and further between and more and more rustic. It wasn’t until after an hour of riding in the baking sun that we realised we’d forgotten any form of drink and the chance of a shop was quite remote. After rehydrating at a random ‘Pepsi’ stop we then ate lunch under a tarpaulin while sheltering from the rain – very glam. On the way back to town we got caught again and ended up pulling up under a bus shelter as the rain hammered down. We started a trend and were soon joined by 4 others.

Anyway, after our rather wet and chilly drive back we have both spent over a week recovering. We both still have hacking coughs and sore throats, and due to the fact that I have to make myself heard amongst a class full of over-excited 6 year olds, I have been giving Marge Simpson a run for her money all week. So much for a healthy break from the city