weekly wrap up

okay, here's what we got:
we tried to take the train to Kanchanaburi, but missed our river ferry, or more like, our river ferry just never came, so we took a taxi that was supposed to take us to the bus station, instead, he took us to his friend's bus station. It's not like we were trying to buy diamonds and got burned alive, but we were a bit 'miffed' if you will. so we took the slow bus to Kanchanaburi-the normal bus takes 1.5 hours, this one took 3.5. but we made it there. Kanchanaburi is where allied forces were forced, as POW's, to build a bridge over the river kwai to allow japanesee to have a rail system that reached Burma and then India. We'll be renting "the bridge over the river kwai" when we get back, don't go and spoil the end if you've seen it.
Em and I enjoyed a bike ride around town and out into the country where we saw an allied cemetary, and further in, we saw our first karaoke barge. here's how it goes: there's a 15 foot long wooden boat sruggling to tug 2 barges. The first is the karaoke part and the second is the double decker chilling spot. Add some drunk japanese on vacation or some thai's celebrating the full moon, and you have yourself one noise making machine. we took our bikes(6 speeds) up to a wat (word for temple) and also went into some caves that were used as a hospital during WWII. now buddah hangs out in there. it was neat, but some of the spaces were a bit tight for you know who. this was not a perfect place for the average overweight american to go. Nine chambers of the sacred buddah later we emerged, sweatier than before, but pleased. We watched the town celebrate the full moon, which only happens once a year over here I guess, whch was cool.. they fold banana leaves and flowers and banana trunks all together and float them down the river to apease the river god for polluting it and to thank it for all that it gives. inscence and candles adorn the tops of these little floating islands of joy and from the bridge above the river we had an excellent vantage point. we actually got to see this super-cute teenage couple pull up on the brige(on a scooter of course), put together a dry-cleaning bag and a candle, and make and successfully launch one of the many lanterns floating in the breeze.
the next day we ran into some great folks from jolly old england in the back of a truck on our way to Erawan falls. there are 7 tiers to the falls and they are the most famously picturesque in thailand. at the top though we came upon a scene like we had never encountered: eastern europeans having a serious photo shoot at the falls. Everywhere you looked some flat top having , banana hammock wearing dude was flexing and spreading his legs whilst leaning into a waterfall. SNL writers dream of this but the only punchline was that it was all serious.
did I mention that Em booked us a floating room? yeah bamboo room floating on the river. beat that disneyland.
we took the train back to bangkok today, which accomodated us much better than the bus. at almost every stop a person would walk by with refreshments, rice and meat, or just plain old fried chicken. yee-haw! the train rulzz.
So, tomorrow we are planning on taking a trip up to mae sot, which is a 8 hour bus ride north of bangkok. From there it's a 2 or 4 hour ride to umphong where we will go a hiking, so we won't be able to write for a bit. getting nervous is not allowed parents!
much love goes out to those special folks who visit our page and write to us, or in this case, to emily hen to me. Yo fam and folks! where you at? holla! anyway I honestly love writing from afar. it's like I'm a freelance writer whose stories never get bought.

hugs and kisses wrapped in pink lacey bows,


Gavin

P.S. sorry about the lack of photos this time and the misspellings thoughout. Maybe I'll post some more with emily's help.