Friday was a holiday here in Thailand - specifically the Asalha Bucha Day, commemorating the day that the Buddha gave his first sermon expounding the doctrine that came to him following his enlightenment. We're not Buddhists, but we'll take any excuse for a three-day weekend! We decided to make a road trip to Kanchanaburi province, about a thee hour's drive west of Bangkok and close to the Myanmar border. It was actually our first such trip since purchasing our first car just before Rohan's arrival and Luis subsequently getting his driver's license (he never needed one in all those years living in Paris). We opted to go "glamping" (unbeknownst to me, this is an actual word...meaning "luxury" camping). We stayed at the lovely Hintok River Camp at the Hellfire Pass historical site (named for a railway cutting on the former "Death Railway" in Thailand which was built in part by Allied prisoners of war and forced laborers from Malaysia during WWII). Beyond learning about the history (including at the famous Bridge on the River Kwai in nearby Kanchanaburi town, which we visited), we enjoyed a wonderful weekend of clean air, gorgeous green hills and valleys, swimming in the camp's natural spring pool, walking around the famous Erawan Waterfall and a campfire BBQ dinner.
