Chaingmai - Bangkok- Kanchanaburi

This was another long leg of the journey from Chaingmai overnight to Bangkok. We got on the night train at Chaingmai station and this time my camera batteries were fully charged. We were followed out of the station by a heavy rain storm which you can see on this picture. Half of the horizon looks like low cloud....this is the rain falling heavily.

 Our train was slightly earlier leaving so we had not eaten and had great fun ordering Thai food on the train. Each compartment has a little table so we all paired off and had a nice meal. This is Ewan and Lucia having a snack later on before the guard came to make the bed.

 

This train was a much newer model thant the one we went up on .....much cleaner and quieter even though we were next to the doors. At about 8pm the guards start to make up the beds especially if you have children.

Even so were they going to go to sleep then....no!! it is much moer fun to play in your little bed area!

Jamie and Phoebe had top bunks so they went up and read quietly or listened to music. Not so Lucia and Ewan. they kept playing for ages. 

 

WE arrived at about 7:30 the next morning in Bangkok and my Dad picked us up from the train station and we went to a Thai friends house where they have been staying for a few days since they flew back in from England. We had breakfast together then they took Jamie and Phoebe and travelled to Kanchanaburi in their truck. We couldnt all go as they had all their luggage so Colin myself and Ewan and Lucia took the slightly longer route.
We had to first get a local bus to the Southern Bus station and then an aircon coach type bus to Kanchanaburi which is about 2 hours northwest of Bangkok (if you look on and up to date map it is near a big lake)

We got to the bus staion and walked over to the ticket booth and found we had 5 mins till next bus so we got the ticket and rushed down with no time for getting snacks or going to the toilet. Unfortunatley we had got the wrong bus type.....the slow one with no toilet, snacks or drinks!!! It took about 3 hours, without any accidents, but we got to Kanchanaburi not lonag after my parents. We all met up at the Pizza Co. for lunch before my parents made the final leg of the journey ahead of us. We were going to spend the night in
Kanchanaburi and get the local bus up the next day.
We spent the rest of the afternoon in Tesco Lotus because it was air-con and nice and cool. The kids wew able to go in a play area which was fun for them after all the travelling.

Pedi-taxi found in Kanchanaburi

Our guest house was interesting and mainly clean. It had all these adverts outside saying it was recommended by lonely planet but it looked like it was past its best. The decor was mint green and pale purple walls with bright aqua curtains and burgandy carpet (the kind you have in hallways) and bright blue blankets on the bed. However it had a fridge, cable TV and air-con and a 7 Eleven shop (like Tesco Express) next door. The kids were happy witht the cartoons some were even in English....we had fun watching Postman Pat and Little Red Tractor! Scooby Doo was dubbed into Thai which was quite funny!

 Just had to take a picture of this brand of toilet paper!!!!!