Nam tok to Kanchanaburi: To the Bridge on the River Kwae Yai

January 25, 2017

I left Nam Tok early, just as it was getting light. I had plotted out a route that I expected to take me on some rural roads north of the main road, 323. It was pretty, and I enjoyed watching the sun finish rising over the hills and farmland.

Unfortunately, the rural dogs were not so pleased with my ride. I picked up a dog chase every few hundred meters. I reached a point where I had to commit to the rural route, going around a large hill, or I could turn back to the main road. I was hoarse from yelling at the dogs, and chose to go back to the main road. I had added a few kilometers and a bit of climbing to my ride.

It was a long slow climb for about 15 km, the kind of climb where it doesn't really look like you're going uphill, but you can't get your speed up.

I crossed the railway line I had ridden to Nam tok, a section of the "death railway".

Thailand still has lots of phone booths. This one, not especially close to anything, doesn't look like it gets much use.

The day had started cool, but had warmed up quickly, and I was glad when I crested the hill and could coast down. I passed the Tiger Temple, no longer in business, but stopped for some photos.

Entrance to the Tiger Temple. This facility was shut down last year, and the tigers taken to rescue sites.

It was a facility where people could take selfies with tigers, and apparently was selling animals for profit in violation of CITES.

When I arrived in Kanchanaburi, I went directly to the bridge. That's the bridge of movie fame, Bridge over the River Kwai, although the local name is Kwae Yai. It was actually renamed from Mae Klong after the movie came out.

I grabbed the cyclist's version of a selfie, my bike on the bridge.

Co-motion on the Bridge on the River Kwai.

I had been told I could ride over the bridge, but there were too many people.

Then I went and found a room for the night. I went to Sky Resort, a place I'd seen mentioned on CGOAB. All rooms are 800 baht. My room is okay, showing signs of wear with water stains on the walls that make it look like it flooded, a moldy smell that goes along with it, and not one empty power socket for charging my phone. The noise from the other rooms carries through. Another night for the ear plugs. There is a swimming pool, and all of the rooms look out on the pool. Mine is missing the outdoor furniture, but I've filled the space with my bike. I didn't do such a good job of packing for this mini trip within my big trip, and did not bring my swimsuit. However I went into the pool in my bike shorts and a t-shirt.

I walked over to the Thai-Burma Railway Center. It had much of the same information ad the museum at Hellfire Pass, but was helpful in reinforcing the history. There is a cemetery of Allied POWs who died in the construction of the railway. There are 5000 Commonwealth soldiers and 1900 Dutch. The American remains were repatriated.

The Kachanaburi Cemetery for soldiers who died during the construction of the railway.

I went over to the coffee shop next to the resort to watch the sunset.

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Today's ride: 66 km (41 miles)
Total: 2,931 km (1,820 miles)

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