These things have BIG engines. The longtail boats, I mean. I'm riding in one right now. The splash from the boat is higher than the sides of the boat, but it is going outward and it's great to watch.

The elephant ride was something to remember . Now, I am in this longtail boat going up the River Kwai. My destination is a bamboo raft. I will float on the raft back down the river. I have never been on a bamboo raft before and this should be another experience to remember.

After an exhilarating ride in the longtail boat, we reach our goal. Bamboo Rafts! Looks like so much fun. They pull up to the raft and order life jackets on. "Go over many Falls", they joke.

There are 8 or 10 of us that clamber onto the rafts. A Thai boy calls to me to come to his raft. He is young, 10 or 12 maybe. I obey all kids, though, so do as I am told. Later I have pictures of him in the river playing with a bamboo pole.

The current downstream keeps the raft moving along at a nice pace. Not too swift, just a lazy drift. They say, "Can swim." We jump in with life jackets on until one person takes his off and jumps in. They don't say anything about it, so most of us take our off as well, We never have them on again during the trip .

The water is so warm here, even the River water. The current allows us to float on our backs alongside the raft if we want to, or just swim. We pass good scenery and we get out of the water every once in a while to take some photos, but right back in the water as soon as possible.

The water covers the bamboo raft by a few inches. It covers my ankles easily when I stand on the raft. There are little hut like seating places if we want to sit. We use them to keep hold our life jackets out of the water over the raft, so they don't float away. There are several rafts tied together and we have plenty of room to lounge or sit when not swimming. The day couldn't be better, unless you were here.

My friends from Belgium (David and Clara) have come along and the three of us have a ball. We trade off taking pictures with each others cameras so the others can stay in the water. We all get pictures on our cameras but also get to swim a lot.

The guys guiding the raft with bamboo poles are having as much fun as we are. The boy plays with a big bamboo pole in the water. Not sure why he is not in school, as this is a week day, but I guess unlike our kids in the U.S. schools, he would rather be here swimming than in school.

A couple of hours later, all too soon, we see the longtail boat waiting at the spot where we first got on it. We know this part of the adventure is coming to a close.

An afternoon of swimming in the River Kwai has been a awesome adventure for me.