We had asked around trying to see how to get to Kanchanburi .

they said we would have to take the bus all the way to Bangkok then catch a train or bus back

to Kanchanburi .

that seemed ridiculous to us. There were two shorter routes .

So up at 5:30 our wonderful hostess was determined to feed us breakfast 

We had skipped breakfast yesterday ( I could not face rice and milk with shrimp) 

so today she had wieners fried eggs toast and fruit. 

Wonderful, that I can deal with first thing in the morning.


We had our bags packed and ready to go. Got pics of our hostess and her son.

Watched another blessing , and we are off to see how much fun this day will be.


We walk out the door and there's a taxi sitting in the parking lot!

Yea! We climb in the back of the pickup taxi .

 We only wait about. 5 min. For others to com but just had a small group . 7:30ams a good

  time to catch a taxi. 

He took us into Samut Songkhram. Dropped us at the taxi depot- not a real friendly guy. 

So we start asking around to find out where the buses are.

   We ask one gentleman and he's trying to figure out the map 

another walks up.  

They both start tallking fast in Thai , and here comes another. 

 Pointing at map and talking fast..  

A s a young lady comes walking by and they start talking fast to her.

She comes over with the map annnnnnd"......... English!!! Asks where we wish to go. 

She talks to them for awhile smiles and tells. Us to follow her!

Off we go!

We weave thru the Rail Market (early morning is the time to walk thru that, very little smell)

cross two streets , and walk to an open food market, she starts talking to a guy sitting there

he points to some place to the right , and off we go again .

go around a corner and talk to another guy, she turns around with big smile on her face and

  points

  to orange bus.

Driver comes over and we show him the map,, yes,yes

he motions to get on.  

 

 He takes us to Ratchaburi, 

because we had packs we sat in the back. Man alive, I had no idea I had so many parts that

  could jiggle! 

This is is a 40ft old , old bus. Every crack, rut, pebble, pothole, twig, that it ran over you got

  bounced . 

 Then I think the shocks were not in the best shape, because for each bounce

of the bus the shocks got in a couple extra shimmys .

do they make sports bras for tummys, buns , and thighs, I wonder?

I could have used the extra support!


Ok, so he gets us to the bus depot in Ratchaburi! , everyone gets off ,

 we show him the map and he motions us to stay on bus.

he takes us about eight blocks pulls over behind another bus, the three of us get out, 

and he waves a motion to follow, and so we do.

Roy and I have big grins on our faces.

he talks fast to a gentleman standing there, and motions us to follow him.

Grin, grin. We are more than willing, we walk about two blocks cross a street.

he walks up to a young girl sitting on the bench and starts talking fast.

she shakes her head yes. He says follow and points to her.......ok 

this is easy , we are really good at following...got that down pat!

We sit there maybe 10 min . She taps me on the arm 

  and we are down graded to a old, old ,old yellow bus .

old yeller has the shake and shimmy down pat too! 

 I'm sure this would be considered aerobic exercise ! 

 

You had to be ready to jump on and off fast.

 
This guy didn't believe in coming to a full stop

 We had a very nice 80ish lady beside us. She and the lady that collected the money

for the bus ride got to talking. Thai...fast

after about 45 min Roy asked me if I'd like to trade ears?

this lady had a bunch of wonderful produce , stacked up about half way up the bus wall.

the driver did come to a full stop at her stop to unload onto this

Old motorcycle with a home made side cart. They load it full all but about a 1 ft space , she sits in it.
 
67 miles later , we arrive inKanchanburi.

 we step off the bus 

 and a young man ask if we need cab.

 
We ask if he knows our hotel ,,yup off we go! Wa La just like magic

We arrive at the hotel .

For not being able to get from Amphawa to Kanchanburi without going to 

 Bangkok , I think we did pretty good. 


with  incredible help from some of the nicest people from Thailand.

people that are strangers , yet went really out of there way to help these strange 

American backpackers. I don't think a travel agent could have 

 gotten us here faster or cheaper, $5.50 the whole trip for both of us.

We never waited more than 10 min at any transit change.

What fun and memories!

another treasure to store up.

 

Nice surprise, Really nice hotel, and our first swimming pool!, yea