The mini-bus is full, but I can take it tomorrow. I tried to decide all last night if I was ready to leave Kanchanaburi today or not. I can decide things as I go along. Solo travel has it's perks!

This morning, after getting my shower, I decided to go ahead and leave (sadly) this wonderful little town .

I checked out of the Jolly Frog Hostel and headed for the tour company (with full backpack) to arrange a mini-bus trip to Ayutthaya. The bus was all booked for today, so I will have to book a seat for tomorrow. It really doesn't matter whether I go today or tomorrow. I don't have to go to work today!

There is a problem though, I have already given up my room at the Jolly Frog. Doesn't it make sense to secure your transportation first, then check out of your $2.63 room? It's okay, though, I don't have to go to work today!

I can go back to the Jolly Frog and ask for my room back or check elsewhere. I decide to head back to the River Raft House. The main reason being, the River Raft House has an easier atmosphere to meet people. The Jolly Frog is a nice place, but lots of rooms have their own balcony or patio and the backpackers do not mingle in a common area as much.

When I got back to Sam's, they only had a room on the upper banks and not on the river . That is okay with me. I have already spent time sleeping on the river. And, what does it matter where I sleep,  I don't have to go to work today.

After dropping my bags, I head toward the Bridge. I have been across it once, but it was very crowded. This early in the morning it probably won't be. It's a 55 minute walk. Someone tells me, "take a tuk tuk". I would rather walk. I see more and I have time. I don't have to go to work today!

Sidewalks in Thailand are not mainly for walking on it seems. If vendor carts are not set up on them, the motorbikes are parked on them. Or, signs are built right in the middle of them. I have to step into the busy streets and dodge traffic more than I get to walk on the sidewalks.

When I finish my walk and reach the area of the Bridge, I walk around the stalls of food, jewelry, and all sorts of souvenirs. I take a lot of close up pictures of some of the merchandise . I see the chips the french couple sitting on the dock had shared with me. They were so good. I started to buy some but then decided to try something different. I found something in a box that had a picture of what I thought was a banana and other fruit. Inside were some black balls of something. The package was in Thai, so I bought it, hoping for the best.

They were shaped like gum balls, but larger and firmer. It took a little bit of chewing and had a taste I cannot describe. It was not sweet like candy but not bitter. After you chewed and then swallowed, it left a hot taste in your mouth. I enjoyed it and still do not know what I ate.

The Thais often seem to spell things the way they say them in english rather than the correct spelling. I took a picture of one such shop. In this case the sign says "sourenir" meaning souvenir.

I noticed a small train, like you see in an amusement park, pull up on the tracks going over the Bridge On The River Kwai .

Lots of people were lining up for tickets, so I got in line to get one too. I pay 20 bahts and board the train. It starts moving, then I notice it is a one way ticket to somewhere. I just thought it was like an amusement park ride and would return. Oh, well, I can just get off and buy a return ticket and catch the next one back I guess. I don't have to go to work today!

As it turned out, it went across the bridge at a snails' pace for people to take pictures. Then, when it reached the river bank it began to pick up speed. The little cars jumped up and down. The people all bounced around, laughing and smiling. It was quiet a ride for a little ways, like an amusement park ride! Then, it stopped and it started back across the bridge. There was an engine on both ends and it was taking us back to our starting point. One way or round trip doesn't matter to me. I don't have to go to work today!

There was the old woman walking back and forth across the bridge again today .

I bought some chicken from a street vendor, just passing time. I don't have to go to work today!

As I walked around, I saw a Thai sleeping. But, this one was sleeping with a tiger. I stopped and bought a bottle of water and sat next to them, watching them both sleep. I have time. I don't have to go to work today.

I took one picture of a vendor that has his merchandise displayed coming out of his store onto the sidewalk. It takes all the sidewalk. To look at what he has, you have to stand in the street of traffic.

I took a walk across the Bridge Over The River Kwai again. It was not as crowded this early in the morning. The views are never tiring. And, I don't have to go to work today!

Tidbits:
1. When you buy sunscreen here, it comes with skin whitener. I understand the Thais think
white skin is beautiful and try to keep their skin as light as possible .
2. It's not uncommon to see thais wearing masks here. It is because the air pollution is so bad.

After a day of wandering around, I am ready to go relax on the docks at my hostel. I'm not in a hurry, I don't have to go to work today!

My 70 year old thai friend that works here is glad to see me back after being away one night at the Jolly Frog. He chats a while. Like I said before, he is very chatty, but fun to talk to. I don't understand everything he says, but enough. He says he likes to talk to me and calls me his friend. He says it is hard to understand the British and other english speaking people, but Americans speak better.

"Mister, Mister, come help." I hear my Thai friend calling. I turn around and he says, "Please help with bacon, ham, sausage."

What's he talking about I wonder? I follow him into the kitchen. Someone didn't come to work and someone wants American food . He doesn't know how to recognize bacon, ham or sausage. They are still wrapped in see-through plastic in the freezer. I take them out and tell him, this is bacon. This is ham and this is ham (2 packs). No sausage.

There are no lockers here to lock valuables like passports, extra cash or such in. I do not want to leave these in the room as I wander around town. I have found the solution. I put all these valuables, ipad, moneybelt, passport, etc. in the ipad case that my nephew Kyle gave me last summer. It's small and is easy to carry and I have all my important things with me at all times. It works really. Thanks Kyle, the ipad case is traveling through SE Asia.

I sit overlooking the river as dusk starts to fall. I work on my blog as two puppies play just a few feet away. They wrestle and jump on each other. A little thai girl is playing nearby and she lets me take her picture. Life is good on the banks of the River Kwai. I will never forget this time in Kanchanauri, and , , , I don't have to go to work today.