Panic, plans and patches

I must of been lying when I said I wouldn't be going back to Asia for a while because on the 28th of this month at 1.30 pm I'll be taking off for India! I'll have 21 hours there before heading to Bangkok, Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos all in only 5 weeks! 

6 countries in just 5 weeks may seem a little rushed and perhaps it is (I'll be on the move every 1-3 days) but things don't always end up how we planned them to just like how they're not really going to plan here recently either.

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Work short changed me by £150 this month, which means I've only got £100 for the first few days of my trip but I was able to do some begging and get them to agree to pay me early next month and these few hours in India have ended up costing me a lot more than I originally thought they would. Price and red tape varies depending on where you're from but all visitors to India require a visa regardless how long they stay. Silly me thought it would be available for free on arrival for Brits but only decided to check after I brought my flight and it's not, it's £66 in advance. I'm excited of course but the thought of being rejected and having to wait in an airport for 21 hours isn't my idea of a good time. Needless to say I'm feeling rather nervous about this trip, maybe I'll feel better once I know I have permission to enter India...

 It's funny how I feel so little fear about going off to some place new like India (not really I'm terrified!) but sometimes even the smallest of decisions like what to have for dinner can have me undecided for hours. As long as I can remember I've been obsessed with sew/iron on patches, I may ooh and ahhh when I spot a colourful bag covered in stickers or badges but I've always been concerned it might draw unnecessary attention or make me look like a show off. Anyway I finally took the plunge and brought a couple, there's obviously some places you certainly wouldn't want to be seen walking around with them on but for the most part when you're walking with a big bag on your back you stand out anyway, a few patches surely won't make a difference. As you can see I've decided to really let my hair down and be 'crazy' this year :D I can't wait to have a bag filled with them!

Thailand: A death railway, a pass made out of hellfire and large ladies? it's my favorite place in Thailand, kanchanaburi!

I love Kanchanaburi! It's the perfect place to escape busy Bangkok, the vibe is electric and there's a little something for everybody here. Officially three days should be enough but I could easily spend a week or two in this chilled out town. also there's a lot of larger ladies here, I have no idea why and even asking Jeeves didn't get me the answer either but I don't feel quite as balloon like as I do in other parts of Asia.

It's no stay up all night place like Bangkok, Kanchanaburi is more about chill but there are still a number of bars and nightclubs to keep you entertained come nightfall. The bridge on the The River Kwai gets lit up at night to and is well worth a visit.

Erawan National Park 7 tiered falls

Kanchanaburi has loads of natural attractions to visit and one of the most beautiful waterfalls I've seen. 7 tiers of absolute bliss; calm and serene Erawan waterfall is pure paradise. As well as Erawan there's also Chaloem Rattanakosin, Khao Lam, Sri Nakarin, Sai Yok, Thong Pha Phum and Lam Klong Ngu national parks, which feature a variety of waterfalls, mountains, caves and a number of animal and plant species for you to check out. Including the water dog, a rare frog with a croak that sounds just like a dog barking!

Hellfire Pass

It's educational to as there's a lot to learn about here. This was the place where Japan had prisoners of war and slaves build The Thai/Burma Railroad so they could transport  military supplies between Thailand and Burma (now Myanmar) during World War 2. The Death Railroad is still partly operational and you can take a train all the way from Bangkok, through Kanchanaburi, over The bridge on the River Kwai and Wampo Viaduct all the way to Nam Tok. There is a memorial and a number of museums to commerate the dead and learn more about those tragic days. You can also pay your respects at the Chonk-Kai and Don-Rak cemeteries and take an eerie walk along a section of the railroad at The Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum.

Kanchanaburi even has animal parks! Elephant World and Kanchanburi Monkey School where the elephants are free to roam without having to work and the monkeys have been rescued and trained in all manner of things from coconut harvesting to basketball. Also there's the infamous Tiger Temple where you can see and walk with tigers, However, with the exception of Elephant World you'll have to decide if monkeys performing tricks and perhaps doped up tigers are worth the photo opportunities.

How to get here

Air-con/non air-con buses frequently leave Bangkok's Southern and Northern Bus Terminals for Kanchanaburi every 15 to 20 minutes. The journey takes 2-3 hours, costing between 99B-105B and buses run from about 5 am right up until 10.30 pm.

You can also take a tourist minibus from Khao San Road, which costs 120B and takes only 2 hours.

Trains depart from Tonburi Station twice a day at 7:35 and 13:45 and take just over 3 hours to get there. On the weekend and holidays you can take a tourist train from Hua Lampong, tickets cost 75B and the train leaves at 6.30.