Floating Markets, Bridge over the River Kwai and Tiger Temple

Today we traveled 110km west of Bangkok to Ratchaburi.  Our first stop was the floating markets of Damnoen Saduak.  Here we found a small canal bustling with tiny wooden rowing boats.  Little old ladies rowed up and down the canal selling their fruit and souvenirs.  This was especially special to see as all the genuine floating markets in Thailand have died out.  We boarded our own rowing boat and was escorted along the canal by a local thai man.  You couldd tell that this floating market was slowly dying as there was fewer boats than expected and more huts selling souvenirs along the canal.  Sellers would craftily use a hook to pull you in.  They would hold you there trying to sell you goods.  Once they spotted another target they would push you back out and pull the next tourists in.  It was brilliant to see, however, I wasn't keen on the giant snake.  A local seller hooked our boat and pulled us towards the bank.  He had a large box from which he lifted a huge snake.  I screamed and shouted NO.  He soon new to release our boat.

We circled the canal and made our way along the canal past their homes which were run down wooden huts.  It was an unbelievable sight, a brilliant experience.  We also traveled by longtail boat along the river where we saw more homes.  It was then that we spotted reptiles running along the bank.  They were the length of a crocodile but the build of a lizard.  We later found out that it was a monitor lizard, however, the locals call them crocodiles.  My nan has always claimed that she had seen a dragon/lizard type creature whilst in bangkok, running past the Grand palace.  No one believed her, however, now we have proof she is not mad.

Our next stop was Tiger Temple (Wat Pha Luang Ta Bua),  We travel further west of Bangkok.  Here the scenery dramatically changed.  It looked more like southern Thailand with its rising mountains.  They feel changed as we moved through less tourists areas.  We was now in the countryside.  We regularly had to stop to refuel, here we found toilets consisting of a whole in the ground.  Ox's were casually and freely strolling the roads alongside the traffic.

We finally reached tiger temple, a sanctuary where Monks live alongside tigers that have been injured in the wild.  Between the hours of 1 and 3 visitors can stroke and hug the tigers as they are least active at this moment.  They do not attack as they are used to the human hand.  I was brave enough to have my picture with several tigers, one of which rested his head on my lap whilst i stroked him and had photos taken.  It was a magical experience.  Also at tiger temple you can see other wild animals that freely roam the land.  It's an incredible experience, a once in a lifetime.

Our final stop was the bridge over the River Kwai.  This was also amazing to see.  We visited the cemetery and then the bridge which we walked over.  It was a very moving experience.

The trip was excellent, however, badly organised.  There was lots of changing routes and coaches, however, this meant that we met twice as many tourists, the majority being backpackers.  Some were traveling around Asia for a few months whilst others were on a world trip like us.  It was great to hear their stories of where they had been.  The more people we meet, the more places we hear of and the more places we want to see. The travel bug just keeps growing.

After a 3 and a half hour journey, we finally made it back to Bangkok.  We have one final day left in Bangkok and then its off to Singapore.