68. Golden Triangle Tour - The Golden Triangle

Our next stop is Chiang Saen - where you cruise over to the Laos island of Don Xao. I had been told the boat was a small canoe, being a non-swimmer I didn't fancy my chances in a little canoe so decided against joining in this part of the trip. Because of this I hadn't brought extra cash with me.

Above: Chiang Saen
Yep, here's the notice board which "proves" I was at the Golden Triangle! It seems a bit childish now taking a photo for proof, but hey! people do funny things and I'm pretty sure people have done funnier! All in the name of tourism.☺

Above: Boat to Don Xao Island
I found out the boat is not a little canoe, but this "normal" size boat so then there was a rush of letting the tour guide know that yes, I did want to go on the cruise. That meant I had to hand over 300 baht - don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, had I not been told the boat was a little canoe, I'd have paid the extra when I booked the tour and would have taken extra cash with me for spending.

Above: Thai side
It was lovely sitting in the boat - I love messing about on boats and sitting back watching the water and the river scenery, it is such a peaceful thing to do. Here is the Thai side of the river. Hmm - looks like a work in progress.

Above: Golden Buddha, Wat Sop Ruak
A little further up is the big buddha - Wat Sop Ruak, which I believe is the border point of Laos, Thailand and Burma (Myanmar). The huge golden Buddha rises 40-feet from the stern of an elaborately designed metal pirate boat.

Above: Laos Golden Triangle
On the Laos side. Here we see one of the casinos being built by China. It disappoints me that monstrosities like this are built along a quiet, lovely place all in the name of greed, money and big business.

Above: The Golden Triangle
Where three countries "meet".

Above: Don Xao Island
Here I am - the island where you get mostly black market stuff - grog, tobacco, you name it, they got it. I bought a white handbag for 300 baht. Asking price was 600 baht. Mostly the bags weren't really what I wanted - there were so many, and we had so little time. Anyway, I fell in love with a fuschia pink bag with a grey flower and black plastic beaded handles. Fellow wanted 800 baht. I offered 400, went up to 500 baht, Had left the bulk of cash at the hotel safe and couldn't go higher. He wouldn't budge. He did speak to someone and I caught the words "special delivery" or something like that. I was very disappointed.

If I were to be lucky enough to come back here, I'd be looking at the locally made silk scarves and trinkets and knick-knacks rather than handbags. You don't need your passport, even though this island belongs to Laos.

Above: Ferry
Soon it was time to leave - here we are on the boat heading back. Eating the ice cream I bought on the island. It was a goooood ice cream.

Above: Back to Chiang Saen
Soon we were back on dry land and it's okay everybody, back on the bus - it's time to head to the restaurant for lunch. We drove for a short while, probably no more than a few minutes.

 

Above: Chiang Saen restaurant
The restaurant was fairly large and is set up for tourist groups. I didn't know this at the time, but do now. Anyway, whether the food was "authentic" or an "authentic" experience I had a lovely time here. The food was good, plenty of it and I can honestly say I had a good time. The lower left-hand photo shows food dishes which are from L to R - Fried rice, Fried Chinese noodle, Fried potato, Fried chicken, Chicken curry.
There were also desserts, little confections of sweet stuff. And of course - coffee.

 

Above: Restaurant front entrance
This is the outside of the restaurant - it's just beautiful with all that bougainvillea overhanging, framing the place with a hint of old fashioned mystery. Sitting in one of the chairs under a flowering cover is one of the most enjoyable things you can do. I could have sat there forever. Sipping coffee, sitting in the shade with nothing more to do than pick up the coffee cup, the breeze wafting past your face with a delicate freshness. You close your eyes and live the moment.

 

Above: Verandah Chairs
These are the chairs on the verandah. As I sat on one of these rattan chairs drinking coffee, it looked and felt like British Colonial times.

 

Above: View opposite
There was a school or childcare learning centre opposite with drawing/artwork on the wall and small chairs. I couldn't get the whole lot in one photo, so took three and I've put them together in a collage. If you enlarge the photo, you get a better view. Does anyone reading this know what the Thai writing says?

The village, if that is what it was, was a pleasant, sleepy little place, busy but not crowded.
All too soon it was time to head back to the bus.


Next: Mae Sai/Tachilek

63. Chiang Mai Station

A Tiresome Little Person ~ Beware The "Friendly" Taxi Driver
Chiang Mai station is very pretty and I took lots of photos. I went outside for a smoke - this annoying little git asked did I want a taxi? "No", says I - I'd bought a cappuccino (or what passes for cappuccino in Thailand) and said I wanted to take photos, book a ticket etc.

Next time I'll know to keep my big, fat mouth shut and say, "No thank you" and turn away. He said he'd wait for me. I was wishing he'd go away, I couldn't relax and just take my time soaking up the atmosphere - I'd love to have gone across to the little shop just outside and sat there a while.
I guess I must have had "I'm a first timer here and a bit of a dill - take my money!" stamped on my forehead!

Anyway ... back to my impression of Chiang Mai station -

Elephants and Flowers
As I said, the station was very pretty and as we exited from the platform, there's a huge elephant with white tusks set amid a display of flowers, shrubbery and palms. As you walk a little further on, there are two elephants with a gong in the centre. I was quite taken with a large, wide sign advertising the Chiang Mai Nightsafari. Sadly, I didn't get to see it. But - there's always next time.

Above: Chiang Mai railway platform


The Concourse
There were many people milling around, a vibrant, cornucopia of humanity. There are fruits for sale, cafe foods, souvenirs, even sunglasses for sale. It's a well-appointed station with a tourist information counter, dining facilities, a ticket & information booking office and of course, a large photograph on the King. Lovely decoration hung from the ceiling. As you can see in the photo lower right-hand side, the time is almost 12 noon.

Above: Tickets and Information
I booked my ticket Nong Khai to Bangkok - a second class sleeper, lower berth with air-con. Cost was 758 baht - $24.61. I would advise those wishing to take the train to opt for the lower berth, not only do you not have to climb up and down, (very hard on arthritic knees!), but when you wake in the morning, you can see the pretty mountain scenery as the train enters the highlands and traverses Doi Khun Tan National Park and mountains between Lampang and Lamphun Provinces. A bit of trivia - the old name for Lampang was Khelang Nakhon.


The Gardens

Above: Gardens
This area was visually pleasing and lent an air of charm. There were little ponds water lilies, beautiful flowering potted plants, Victorian-style lamplights, ferns, waterfalls and water features, garden statues in the shape of animals which all added up to a "cottage" effect.

Above: Exterior
The row of shops in the lower left photo consists of a coffee shop, a blind massage place, gifts & souvenir and a food/restaurant shop - to the right of this is an outdoor beer type garden.

Tiresome Little Person ~ Part 2
Remember that annoying little person who I couldn't shake off? You know, the taxi driver person? Well I felt extremely uncomfortable with him hanging around me like a spider waiting to catch a fly, and although one or two other chaps approached, I didn't really get the chance to speak with them, this self-appointed one shooed them off! Anyway, I indicated I was ready to go, he took my suitcase, walked to his vehicle which turned out to be a decrepit looking thing which had no suspension and was none too clean looking. I remembered to ask him how much. He wanted (can't remember just at the mo) but what I thought an outrageous price. He said it's a long way - at least 20 minutes. He lied - it was less than 10!

He dumped a big, heavy folder in my lap and said he could take me around CM and wherever I wanted to go. I leafed though it out of courtesy and there were scores of letters extolling the goodness and wonder of him. Some even dated back to 2003!

I just said I had friends in Chiang Mai and I'd see them first - he kept pressuring me till I finally told him point blank my friends had organised to take me around and they were going with me. This shut him up. He didn't bother to remove the folder either. I put it on the dashboard.
Note: There wasn't anybody who had organised trips - it was a white lie but had the desired effect.
All in all, it was a good learning experience - we live and learn. Next time, I won't be so green!

61. Hua Lumphong Station

Above: My tuk-tuk driver
I just realised I should've put this photo in my previous post - he was my tuk-tuk driver in Kanchanaburi on the morning of my last day, but .... ah well, he's here now and so here he'll stay!

The road back to Bangkok
After being driven back to my guesthouse, I waited around a bit near reception for the driver of the mini-bus that was to take me back to Bangkok. For some reason, I didn't take a photo on that journey. I'm not sure why, but I do remember we stopped along the way while the driver filled the tank up with petrol, and we had a bit of time (not much) to go to the loo, grab a coffee, have a smoke or get a bite to eat.
Only I spoke with the driver, apart from three Thai passengers (the driver was Thai) and I remember thinking why don't any of the other passengers (read farfangs) speak with him too. They were a miserable lot - I've seen more life in a corpse compared to that lot of passengers!

Hua Lamphong Station
The driver dropped me off in Bangkok and said I'd need to get a taxi to the station as he didn't go there. Caught a taxi - 65 baht - and arrived at Hua Lamphong Station. It was pretty hot but not unpleasant. Spent the time taking photos and learning my way around the station.

Left Luggage
After asking a few people, I found the place where you can store your luggage - as you go through the entrance, turn right, walk along and it's right down the end. There's a staffed luggage office which is open from around 4am until 11pm daily. Price was 100 baht for the suitcase and 50 baht for the small hold-all. You get given a ticket with a number - hang on to your ticket, you won't be able to collect your luggage without it.

Above: Hua Lumphong Station
The concourse inside Bangkok Hua Lamphong Station is massive and when I say massive, I mean m.a.s.s.i.v.e - it's huuuuge. So many people, here, there and everywhere. People sitting on seats, people in groups, people talking, laughing, waiting. There was so much life and movement here.

Above: Wall murals
Up high on the walls above the sides are these fantastic murals - a kaleidoscope of colours and pictures. Some very talented artists indeed. And so beautifully executed. A mish-mash, a meandering mixture of marvellous, melodramatic images.

Above: King Rama V
The King's picture hangs above the entrance to the platforms and every day at 8.00am and 6.00pm, the national anthem is played and everyone stands to attention. I knew of this before I went to Thailand and so I, too, stood still at 6pm.

A bit of trivia
King Rama V (reigned 1868-1910) - layed the foundation of the modern Thai state, and is known as the father of Thai railways because he expanded the rail network nationwide.

Above: Leafy garden and greenery
There are plants and lots of greenery near each of the platforms - what a brilliant idea. They look quite charming amid the modern steel of technology and give the place a relaxing air.

Above: Platform 9¾
As soon as I stood here, I felt the urge to walk up to a railway staffer and ask (in an English accent), "Excuse me, can you tell me where Platform 9 and 3 quarters is please?" !
Yes, I saw Harry Potter and that scene always sticks in my memory when he asks that same question and the railway porter answers, "Platform 9 and 3 quarters? Think you're being funny do yer?"

Above: Pink Taxis
I bought Chinese noodles for 25 baht - noticed the bowl was half full yet Thai people got a full bowl. Met a lady called Carol and we struck up a conversation. It was the accent you see - you can tell an Aussie a mile away. She was from Sydney and we had coffee. I had iced coffee (65 baht) and very welcome it was too.

Outside, there are many taxis in all colours of the rainbow - ever seen a pink taxi? No? Well neither had I until I came to Bangkok. What the blokes would say back home I've no idea, but I get a smile on my face thinking of your true Aussie bloke getting into a pink taxi!

Above: Entrance to Hua Lamphong Station
Finding my way outside and navigating the ever present traffic, I stood across the road and admired the station building. Hua Lamphong Station built in the Italian Neo-Renaissance style, was designed by Italian architect Mario Tamagno and opened on 25th June, 1916.

Hua Lamphong has fourteen platforms, twenty-six ticket windows, two electric display boards. More than 130 trains and over 60,000 passengers use this station each day.

Above: Water fountain
This water fountain stands in front of the station and I'm sure it's most impressive when the water is going at full blast.

Above: Traffic Jam
If you thought Melbourne or Sydney had traffic jams - think again. Bangkok is filled with vehicle of all descriptions and the roads were packed.

Above: Staghorn Fern
Many of the trees have ferns growing on them which makes for a pleasing picture.

Above: Weird Hairdos
On my way back to the station, I noticed these hair styles.

Above: Goody Num-Nums
There are many food shops at the station - this is one of them. Don't they look scrumdiddlyumptios? I put on half a kilo just looking at them!

55. Death Railway

Namtok Railway Station to Kanchanaburi

The famous, or rather infamous Death Railway which ran for 415 kms was constructed by POW's and forced Asian labourers in WWII. The working and living conditions of those prisoners was horrific and the brutality of their captors was unmatched. At the end of the war, most of the railway was pulled up and it exists today only from Kanchanaburi to Namtok, a distance of around 50 kms.

Above: Harvesting

The views from the train are breath-taking and beautifully scenic. It is an unforgettablbe journey along the river and mountains.

Above: Tall steeple
About 25 minutes into the journey, I saw this pretty little building (a temple?) on the left-hand side.

Above: Wang Pho station
There were many passengers who alighted at this station, many of them school students.

Above: Thamkra Sae Station
The train goes past Thamkra Sae Station just before crossing the Wampo Viaduct.

Above: Wampo Viaduct
Crossing over the shaky bridge, alongside the River Kwai, or more correctly Khwae Noi, sleepers and pillars creaking, is a thrilling experience. The train slows right down and the views are spectacular. The best way to see the Viaduct is by train.

Wampo Viaduct was built in March/April 1943 and completed in "speedo" time (non-stop work). It was rebuilt and strengthened in the original design during the post war years of WWII.

Here is a real life account of building the viaduct by Leo Rawlings.

Above: The viaduct hugs the cliff
Much of the journey was spent with heads hanging out the window, hands madly trying to catch that perfect photo. At certain times however, you had to quickly pull your head back in - unless you wanted to arrive at the end of the trip headless!

Above: Man sitting on sleeper
It was quite astonishing seeing this chap sitting casually on one of the sleepers. I do hope he managed to get some good photos.

Above: Lookout Tower
This is one of the lookout towers which offer wonderful views across the river.

Above: Gardens
A little further along is this pretty garden or park.

Above: Tha Kilen Station
Although the station is small, it seems to be a popular one for people to hop on and off the train.
From Nam Tok station it is eight stops to Kanchanaburi - Koe Mahamongkol, Wang Pho, Tham Krasae, Thakilen, Baan Kao, Wang Yen, River Kwai Bridge then Kanchanaburi.

Above: Temple
I haven't been able to find out the name of this temple, but it is about 20 minutes before the train crosses over the River Kwai Bridge.

Above: Over the river

Above: Topiary
The topiary seems to have been done by a very clever artist.

Above: Kanchanaburi township
As the train approached the River Kwai Bridge, you could see lots and lots of people all out to see the train come in.

Above: Kanchanaburi Station
The journey over, I walked out through the station where the chap from my guesthouse picked me up.

Above: Death Railway map
This map shows where the train line for the Death Railway (Burma-Thailand Railway) ran.



DEATH RAILWAY, NAMTOK TO KANCHANABURI
I rode the train along the Death Railway from Namtok to Kanchanaburi Station over the Bridge on the River Kwai on 9th February, 2011. The scenery is so wonderful, it is easy to forget the horror and suffering endured by the POW's and enforced Asian labourers who built it, but the beauty of the surroundings is their legacy.

52. Erawan Waterfalls

A long drive
It was a very long drive to Erawan, far longer than I had at first realised. I was very glad I had chosen a car over a tuk-tuk. The sun was becoming quite hot and it was nice to sit back and relax in an air conditioned vehicle while enjoying the scenery as we sped along.

Above: Sangchuto Road
These were taken from a moving vehicle so aren't terribly clear.

Above: The King
Everywhere in Thailand are photos and pictures of the King. This is just one example.


Erawan Waterfalls
Erawan National Park was designated in 1975 and covers an area of 550 square kms. Located 65 kms from Kanchanaburi, its major attraction is Erawan Falls named after the erawan, the three-headed white elephant of Hindu mythology. It is said the seven-tiered falls resemble the erawan.

Said to be one of the most beautiful in Thailand, the falls are situated amongst rough jungle and there is an admission fee of 200 baht.


Be back by 12.30
We arrived at Erawan National Park and my driver said to please be back by 12.30pm because it would take an hour to get to our next stop.

Above: Visitor Centre
Walking from the car, the falls were to the left and then you sort of turn right and start your trek upwards. The visitor centre was on my right.

Above: Boy meets Girl
These quaint bamboo? elephants are to the left of the visitor centre and stand about 10 foot in height. I waited an interminable amount of time for this photo - two women were taking photos of each other draped in various poses around them. I have never understood why people have to stand in front of every object they see, whether it be a building, artwork, temple or just a sign post with a "Look, here's me in front of the tower/thing/whatever"!

 

Above: The 7 tiers of the Erawan Waterfalls
Each tier is shown on the information board by name and the number of metres it will take you to get there. It's really very informative, you can decide whether or not to skip certain tiers and go straight to the top or make a stop at each fall.

Above: Erawan Falls, 1st fall - Lai Kuen Rung
The first one seemed fairly shallow and there wasn't anybody else here. Pretty with good shade. After taking a few pics and a rest, it was time to head up to the next level.

Above: The 2nd fall - Wang Macha
The going was a bit more uphill and my head was wet with perspiration. Anyway, I reached the second fall but alas the photo is a bit blurry. Pity I didn't think to use the zoom button. As it was the dry season, the falls weren't as spectacular but they were lovely just the same.

Above: The 2nd fall - Wang Macha
This shot came out clearer. Surprisingly, there is a fellow on the right who appears to be fully clothed bending down under a shower of water. The colour of the water is deeper than it shows and it made a pretty picture.

Above: Erawan Falls - swimming in Wang Macha
You can get a better idea of the water colour here. The area was quite large and these two fellows seem to be enjoying their swim. If you look in the lower left hand side, you can see plenty of fish. Dinner chaps?

Above: Erawan Falls ~ Wang Macha
Another shot - this time taken further back and from a different angle. The sound of water is a refreshing one and had I had a lot more time, I'd have spent far longer exploring the scenic beauty of the place.

Above: The 3rd fall - Pha Nam Tok
By the time I made it up to this fall, I was worn out! Boy was it hot. I had sweat dripping down my face, so much in so that my sunglasses became foggy. I remember looking for and finding a spot in the shade on a wooden seat that looked like it had been a piece of tree cut down. I finished the rest of water and was hanging out for more.

Above: The 3rd fall - Pha Nam Tok
I'd love to have gone ahead and seen the other falls, but looking at my watch, I knew I didn't have time. Now I know why brochures and guide books recommend 3 hours to see all seven.

Above: Signpost
Going back, I spotted the nifty sign - strange that I hadn't noticed it on my way up.

Above: The Little House
Seeing this, I realised that I must have been coming back on a different path. It looks so pretty doesn't it? If it weren't for the signage, you'd never realise it's the toilet block. So beautifull maintained and well kept gardens.

Above: Picnic Tables
Woudln't this be a lovely place to have a picnic? Ah, if only I had the time, but time as they say waits for no man, so it's soldier on and off we go.

Above: Water!
Soon I was back at the beginning, and said to my driver that I needed to buy some more water. It's a funny thing you know how prices go up - the bottle of water from 7-11 in Kanchanaburi that was 7 baht was 10 baht here. Oh well. guess that's tourism for you.

After a wee rest, it was back in the car and off to Hellfire Pass.