OVERLAND TRIP 12 June- 21 June - Rebak Marina to Chiang Mai

ITS A GIRL!!!!!
Saturday 12 June - Rebak - Alor Setar Malaysia
We left extremely early - caught the 7.30am ferry from Rebak to Langkawi Island. The sea otters put on a little display before we left. We had prebooked a taxi and it was waiting for us to take us the 20 mins to Kuah Jetty. We arrived at 8.05am and the ferry to Kuala Kedah left at 8.30. We managed to catch it and had seats right up the back but at least they were on the aisle. It is quite claustrophobic to sit near the windows as they are at eye level and in this case were painted so you couldnt see out. We snuck out the back door where the smokers stand and found some stairs up to the top. There were no cushions on the stainless steel bar seats and it was windy up there but it was a beautiful day and we could see everything so we stayed up there for the 1 1/4 hr journey. At Kuala Kedah we caught a local bus about 20 mins to Alor Setar where we located the train station and collected our tickets which I had booked on the internet a few days previous. We wandered around the town - a man there told me he didnt like Brisbane as it was too hot (we were melting!) - had lunch at a local eatery and went back to the station around 2.30 when there was a rainfall which cooled the incessant heat. The train came in at 4.50pm. We wondered if it was the right one as we were in carriage 10 but there were only two carriages - the second carriage was number 10! There were 3 girls sitting on my side and two lads on Peter's side and I wondered how we were all goint to fit in the beds! The 3 girls moved - they had just been looking for unoccupied space and the lads got off a few stations down the track. The train stopped at the border and we all got off to check out of Malaysia and into Thailand. We learnt that you dont leave any blanks on the entry form! We had to put an address in Thailand and as we hadnt booked anywhere we left it blank - No! In the end we wrote guesthouses and that kept Immigration happy enough to give us a 15 day visa. They came round and put the beds down around 9pm. Peter had one bottom bed and I had the other across the aisle. The bottom bunks are wider than the top ones and obviously easier to get into and have a beautiful big window with curtains. Each bunk has its own curtain so it is pretty private Slept quite well and the train is rather soothing.

Sunday 13 June - Alor Setar - Kanchanaburi
Contractions!!
Awoke at 6.30 to some wonderful views going past. The bed was really comfortable and the whole train is extremely clean, plenty of space and an all round lovely experience. This is a second class train. Had a text from Amy that contractions had started and it is the 13th. Jessie was born on the 13th (July).

ITS A GIRL!!! - Charlie Ruby Black was born at 11.06am weighing in at 8 lb 9 oz and is as fair as Jessie was dark. She is absolutely beautiful. Family all well. Congratulations Amy, Pete and Jessie!

We arrived at Nakhon Pathom at around 9.30am - the conductor came to tell us it was our stop - just one stop short of Bangkok. We went to look at the huge pagoda in the middle of the town and walked through the grounds and came out the other side to wait for the bus. The lady at the stall there was very helpful and told us we had to catch a No. 81. It was a two hour trip to Kanchanaburi and the bus was quite pleasant - local bus with open windows. We arrived about 1.15 and found the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) and got a coloured map then we humped our packs a couple of kms to where all the guest houses are. We had kind of chosen one on travelfish.org so went to check out the Green View Guest House. It was off the main drag about 250m up a lane with lovely gardens - a lovely bar/restaurant - not really used. We found a lady there named Glam who didnt speak English and asked to see the room. We chose a fan room as we like to have fresh air. The room was basic - holes in the lino but the toilet and bathroom were clean so we took it. The bed was like a brick - no give whatsoever but very good for Peter's back - not so great for Dell but the room was 250 baht a night ($9). We walked down the lane and went to a lovely little restaurant and had the best meal!

Monday 14 June - Kanchanaburi
Had a bit of a late start and wentto the Bridge over the River Kwai and walked across it. Apparently the River wasnt always called Kwai but when the movie came out and people wanted to see the Bridge over the River Kwai they just changed the name of the river!! Then we went to the War Museum and then to the War Cemetery which as always is so very well kept by the Cwlth War Graves Commission. Its all too sad to walk all the way through so made it a quick visit and headed to the train and bus stations to get info for travelling on. The day wore on and we didnt make it to the two other places we wanted to go to. In retrospect we should have hired a scooter but it is a learning experience. We ate at our little restaurant again and learnt that Australia had been womped by Germany in the soccer. We thought of you Brett!!! Had a couple of beers with Glam then had an early night.

Tuesday 15 June - Kanchanaburi
We wanted to catch the 5.57am train to Nam Tok so we got up at 4.20am and were at the station by 5.20. We were the only ones there. There were three carriages on a track further over with no engine. A huge family came running in at 6am and got on to the three carriages. So we got on too. About 6.20 the train came in and then backed up and picked up our carriages and off we went. The seats were wooden and all the windows were wide open and hardly anyone else in the carriage so we were able to run from side to side to see the view. This part of the track is part of the Thai-Burma railway (Death railway) built at great human cost during the second world war. It ran along the river for a bit and over a viaduct and the view was lovely. Just as we were coming in to Nam Tok we saw an elephant. We then jumped into the back of a troop carrier ute and were taken to the main road. There was an a/c bus there so we tried to buy a ticket but were told that we would have to catch an orange one so the lady sold us a ticket for 100 baht and we went across the road to see the waterfall and when we came back the lady said we were supposed to be on the a/c bus and gave us our money back and sent us off to find a red bus. We had to stop on the way where the bus went through a checkpoint and all the Asians had to show ID - this is the road to Burma. This is a local fan bus which has all the windows open and cost 50 baht! The conductress told us where to get off and we walked through a military gate towards the Hellfire Pass museum at 10.30am. This was set up by the Australian Government and consists of the museum and the 4km walk. The railway between Nam Tok and Burma was ripped up but they have made 4km of it into a walking track. The viaducts are gone so it was a bit uppy and downy and rough in places and we only saw one snake!! A bit about the railway. It was 415km long and took 20 mths to build through jungle and mountains. The Bridge over the River Kwai was just one of over 400 wooden/steel bridges/viaducts built along this track. Every part of it was built by hand - 60,000 allies and 270,000 Asian labourers. Every rock carried up 7m in some cases to form an embankment was carried by hand. Passes had to be dynamited out. The men worked in extreme heat and in the monsoon rain all day and everything mud. We walked the 4km track (8km return) and the stones were very sharp - the men working on this railway had no shoes - they had rotted. We had excellent audio headphones to walk the track which explained events etc and they gave us a walkie talkie so they could make sure we were ok! It was all free. 12,399 allies and around 90,000 Asians died in the making of this railroad. It is hard to believe any of them survived given the conditions, lack of food, illness - every tropical disease you could think of, mosquitoes, lice, bedbugs and the absolute cruelty they were subjected to. It was a very humbling experience to walk in their footsteps. It is an excellent memorial. It would be a very moving place to spend Anzac Day. We walked back to the road and just missed a bus at 2pm. Caught the next one at 3.15 (they run half hourly!)

Wednesday 16 June - Kanchanaburi - on the train
Happy Birthday Suzanne
Caught the 7.30 local train to Bangkok. Local people jump on the buses and trains to sell food. They had chicken and curry in little bowls made of plaited banana leaves. Railway men have little red and green flags on the platform and all wear very military looking uniforms. We arrived at Thonburi station around 10.30 and caught a taxi to the main railway station. We had no trouble getting our sleeper train ticket - 881 baht each ($30). A girl took us to what was purported to be the TAT and wanted to sell us all sorts of 'good deals' We knew she was on the take but found out later that she was not the TAT. Walked around but could only find ironmongery shops so sat in the station for a while. Found a restaurant across the road that sold a litre of beer for 120 baht ($4) so whiled the time away till the train left at 6.10pm.

Thursday 17 June - on train - Chiang Mai
Slept quite well on the train and the terrain has gotten hilly though it is very dry. Arrived at Chiang Mai at 7.45am and walked 2km to town. Thought we were in the old town and were looking for a guest house we saw on the internet when we turned up a little laneway that looked promising. There were a few guest houses including the Tawan which had gorgeous gardens and advertised 100 - 250 baht. We asked what 250 baht would buy and Mai showed us a lovely little room with fan, bathroom and tv done up like a bamboo cabin on the outside and it was certainly full of character so we were sold. A 100 baht room would buy a single bedroom, with no facilities. Walked all around thinking we were in the old town and Peter was having trouble working out where we were on the map. Stopped at a few Wats then went for lunch at a lovely Chinese man's eatery - he had greeted us earlier in the day. They put the hose on the roof to cool the place down and all the water had gathered in a plastic awning which suddenly gave way and soaked us! The Chinaman though it was extremely funny and it did cool us down - in fact I think I will wet my hat in future as it cools the body! Anyway he felt bad so ran next door and grabbed us a decent map and we finally worked out where we were. Went to the TAT and got good info. Peter lost a second filling! We walked to the old town and found the guest house we had been heading for and we were so pleased we stayed where we did. Came back to our guesthouse and the owner - Tawan - was watering the gardens. I cant describe to you what an oasis it is in a busy city! Its just beautiful. Had dinner here - three lovely courses between us for $4.30 then Peter went to the dentist just down the end of the lane and had a tooth pulled and a temporary filling put in all for around $65. I sat in the garden enjoying the ambience!

Friday 18 June - Chiang Mai
Walked to the local market and bought a shirt and what we thought was a sausage on a stick but it was a rice sausage - very tasty! We walked halfway around the old town which has a moat all the way around and then cut through and looked at a lot of Wats. Met a young Thai who said he lives in Sydney and works in the ANZ bank. He wanted to take us for a drive to meet his paretns but we declined. Saw the ruins of the oldest Wat. Generally just a day of sight seeing and preparing for our trek tomorrow. We have chosen the two day, one night one for 1,400 baht pp ($47 each).

Saturday 19 June - Chiang Mai - Lahu Hill Tribe
We were picked up at 9.30am and got in a troop carrier with five people already in and then we collected another five people so we were packed in like sardines. We drove to a local market where the guide purchased food for our meals and then we were off to the one hour elephant ride. There were seats for two people with a mahout on each elephant. It was a fantastic experience once we realised that they actually are very sure footed and not likely to roll down the slope with us attached! We went up and down some steep slopes and down to the river so they could have a drink. When we got back our lunch was awaiting us and then we started on our trek. The trek was to the Lahu Hill tribe - hill being the operative word but as the day progressed it became abundently clear that these people did not live on a hill but on a very high mountain!!! Our guide was very informative and showed us a leaf which is used in the dying of clothes. Our group comprised two Danish girls, one English girl (working in Aus), one Italian bloke, a young Canadian couple, two German girls, a Mexican bloke and a slightly older Thai man. The walk commenced pleasantly enough and we were all enjoying the countryside and a small waterfall. Then it started going up and up and up relentlessly. It was the hardest walk I have ever been on. I had walking poles but we decided we probably wouldnt need them - big mistake. Peter reminded me of our inspirational couple Lou and Ann off Serannity who are in their 70's. That helped for a little while but my legs had turned to jelly. One of the German girls declared herself an asthmatic (she wasnt), one asked me if child birth was this bad (I actually had to think about that one!) and the English girl was also struggling. Peter had to give me a shove a couple of times as my legs just wouldnt carry me. We finally made it to the 1,100m to our bamboo thatched hut where we all collapsed on the verandah - I wasnt the last one up by the way! The ridiculous thing about it was that all the way up we were walking past planted wild rice and maize. These people work these incredibly steep slopes and go up and down all day! After a little bit of recovery time we all had a cold shower and started to meld as a group. Terrible experiences do bring you closer together!!! Our hut comprised a sleeping room - dormitary - with mattresses on the floor, another room with a fire in the middle of the floor which was where we sat on the floor and had the most lovely meal prepared by our guide. To the other side of this room was a small bedroom and kitchen. The view up there was totally amazing and we began to appreciate our surroundings. Had a wonderful evening with one of the guides entertaining us with his guitar and singing. Slept really well till early morning when the Thai and the Italian's snoring woke me up!!

Sunday 20 June - Lahu Hill Tribe - Chiang Mai
We awoke at 6 and 6.30 and had one of the four pineapples Tawan insisted we bring. The Thai guy also got up early but the young ones slept till they were woken for breakfast at 8am. Meanwhile we had gone for a walk through the village. One lady came out of the tiniest hut - clothes all clean and tidy looking as though they had just been ironed. There is no electricity and everything is by candlelight. A chang beer can with a candle and the ends cut off a plastic bottle make great candle holders! Four of our group were doing the three day trek so eight of us set off down with a different guide who wasnt quite so aware of the stragglers out the back. One thing about stragglers is that the leaders stop to wait so get a rest but by the time the stragglers catch up they are ready to move on so the stragglers dont actually get a break!!! Peter cut me and the German girl a long bamboo pole which helped immensely in getting down. Of course it was as steep down as it was to get up (different path) so down down down we went till we came to a waterfall. The others all had a dip under the waterfall, Peter had a paddle and I dipped my feet till I got stung by two bees - one on each arm at the same spot - talk about collusion!!! We set off again on quite a pleasant walk (much like we had all imagined the trek would be!) until we came to the river. The water wasnt very high but we got in the big blow up boats with the two Danish girls and a guide out the back and off we went. It was so much fun. We were going over rocks and bumping into rocks - all diving to the left and jumping up and down to get it off and then the command 'on the job' and off we go again. Went down backwards over a few rapids. Then the other boat caught up with us and there was a bit of splashing etc. Came to the bamboo rafts so the three of us girls piled on. They are about 8m long and 1 1/2m wide and Peter was at the front poling us down the placid part of the river. Only problem was the raft didnt exactly float and we were sitting in 6 - 8 inches of water! It was so funny. We had a bit of a shower, changed and had lunch then they piled 14 of us into a slightly bigger troop carrier - sardines again and drove about two hours back to our guest house where we were given our old room back. We had left our stuff in a storeroom here. All in all it was a fantastic experience. Peter absolutely loved it. I think I would have been better on a one day trek but I am so pleased I did it. Would I do it again - at this stage no, but the mind is a funny thing and we will look back and think what a wonderful time we had!! No it was a fantastic experience! At 6pm we headed for the walking street (only half a block from our guest house) for the Sunday night markets. They close off the entire street (and others) in the old part of town. Everything was half price and less than the prices we paid in Phuket (especially the gypsy village Debbie) so if you are into shopping it is worth coming here just for the market. Unfortunately, we are on a budget and weight limit but I would definitely come back just for the market.

Monday 21 June - Chiang Mai
Very sore muscles!!! A day of recuperation, computer work and working out the bus to take towards Laos tomorrow. The border crossing is in the golden triangle. We have had a fantastic time so far. We have walked more in the last few days than we have in the last twelve months! I think a nice massage this evening will go down a treat.

Hope you are all in good health. Miss you all. To Rosie, we will be home to see you soon. And we really really look forward to seeing our two granchildren.

Much love

Happy wandering

Dell and Peter