Day 29 - To Kanchanaburi and Bridge over River Kwai - Sun 24 Mar

Day 29 - To Kanchanaburi and Bridge over River Kwai - Sun 24 Mar

One month overseas complete - 7 left to go on first leg! Guy found woodpecker in a nest in the thicket. Sadly saying goodbye to last of beaches for this leg of GlobalTrek; 'tis all inland from here. Bit stiff from yesterday’s walk, but no problems with knee – bless Or and her magic!

Back on highway north towards Bangkok, stalls and nurseries selling sculpted topiary trees. Through Pretchaburi, becoming more crowded, fun parks, tourist attractions (Swiss sheep farm; coffee hill of love) 

Thai's like the big emblem Big Duck/Big Dinosaur dwarf brightly painted double-decker buses (some have elaborate curtains straight out of the Bedouin tents in Lawrence of Arabia; Guy wants just one of the Michelin men!) Billboards bigger than drive-in screens on complex scaffolding. Passed truck carrying burnt sugar cane, not billets, just long sticks. Ate Japanese food at Tescos, GirlRob got extra T-shirts, can’t keep up with washing in these sweaty days. Had extra key cut for "house" so don’t have to turn off engine/air conditioning to duck in for items or use toilet. White hot burning day, not a breath of air or colour in sky. 

Arrived in Kanchanaburi, explored Chinese cemetery in midst of town, next to town war cemetery, and Catholic War Memorial behind. Drove out across river to Chung Kai war cemetery (Allied forces) – moving reading the plaques, but couldn't find any Aussie memorials.

Bridge over River Kwai impressive, parked underneath. Small boy with a stick helping mother herd cattle. Walked across to town markets, bought long skirt and thongs. Floating bars, party boats, longtails with 6cyl motors on river, but did not see any of the famed floating nuns.Walked down to floating bar for dinner of pork skewers and crab fried rice. Watched train crossing and lights come up on bridge, then took hairy walk back across bridge in dark.