I wonder where they are now....?

STATS: Day count=52; Current Illness count=0 (still in full health); theft count=0; rip-off count=0.4 ; tourist screw-up count=1.7 (see below); Chris’ photo count=570; Emma’s photo count=15 Countryside again! After a long bus journey just to get to the bus station in Bangkok, followed by a 7 hour journey to our next stop – Sukhothai – we arrived fairly refreshed and entered countryside and fresh air once more! Shunning the tuk tuk drivers at the bus station as if we were natives, we walked to the guest house via fields and back roads. If it weren’t for the signs blatantly pointing the way to “No. 4 Guest House” I’m sure we would have been mistaken for locals who knew where they were going. Nice guest house – in the middle of farmland, but with trees and plants growing in close proximity making it seem like we were in the middle of a jungle. There were not enough mosquitoes to be a big nuisance, but enough to keep Emma busy hunting them down each evening. Sukhothai’s big touri...

STATS: Day count=44; Current Illness count=0 (still in full health); theft count=0; rip-off count=0.4 ; tourist screw-up count=0.7 (no change); Chris’ photo count=480; Emma’s photo count=15 Those of you who have been to Bangkok before may recognise the title of this post. Phrases we hear about 30 times a day as we wander round the streets of Bangkok. Why a tuk-tuk driver thinks we want a ride in his tuk-tuk, having watched us walk past about 20 identical tuk-tuks without any indication of need or desire to get in one, I’m not sure, but it doesn’t seem to deter them. On day 1 in Bangkok we smiled happily and engaged them in conversation for a while – it was all very pleasant. By the end of day 2 we were just walking past them, ignoring them. I don’t like doing that, but to be polite every time would mean we wouldn’t actually get past the end of the road we were staying in. I think that sort of sums up how we felt about Bangkok. It’s a bit draining. There’s lots to see and do – it ...

As Jonathan was first to guess, we are in Kanchanaburi (that bit was easy – it’s labelled on our map!) at the location of the famous bridge over the river kwai. We have a really great hostel, which is why we have ended up staying here 6 nights – our room is on a raft floating on the river with gorgeous views of the river and surrounding area. Other than the very big (but very empty!) karaoke rafts that are towed up and down the river every few hours with music playing very loudly, it is a very peaceful location. The film “Bridge Over The River Kwai” made the bridge famous, and is the main reason why many tourists come here. The bridge is still here (not a bamboo thing like in the film – a steel and cement one) and this section of the railway is still in use (the complete “Death Railway” went from Burma to Thailand, the section actually between Burma (now Myanmar) and Thailand was dismantled many years ago as it was not needed and there were worries that it would be used to supply Bur...

STATS: Day count=31; Current Illness count=0 (still in full health); theft count=0; rip-off count=0.4 (we’re sure we were overcharged for another bus journey, but again can’t prove it!); tourist screw-up count=0.7 (no change); Chris’ photo count=355; Emma’s photo count=9 The challenge is on – name the film with the above closing line and you’ll have an idea where we are now. First to add a comment with the correct film title gets honour, respect and adulation from all who read this blog. Probably. You’ll have to be quick though – I expect I’ll put another post up in a day or so giving it away – we’ve got good internet access here! Does anybody understand the appeal of karaoke? I mean – if people can sing, great – they can enter talent contests, X-Factor, Britain’s Got Talent or even just pitch up at an open microphone session at a decent local pub that holds such things. If people can't sing (and I definitely count myself in that category) then they simply shouldn’t. Period. Un...