Have been in the road since early dawn, through the City of Bangkok, which, even at that early hour was busy with stop and go traffic all he way to the city limits, about twenty plus km north, Then we were able to make headway northwards, making for the River Kwai, and the city of Kanchanaburi, famous for the notorious Bridge over the River kwai, bombed by the allies during the war,
En route , the bus blew its exhaust and instead of purring along it sounded like a truck - BUT – at our next stop while we were away the drivers fixed the problem’
At the City we made for the Thailand Burma Railway Centre , home of one of the various museums dedicated to those killed during the war and the construction of the railway.
Will add photos later whwn we get to somewhere with a better connection
One of our group, Bob Richardson was searching for the grave of his brother Harry C. Richardson, who had been captured in Singapore two weeks before the end of the war, shipped up to the railway and died on 19th July 1945 aged 30. He had been in the territorial army in the Royal Artillery.
With our help we scoured the graveyard as there was no central registry available, but believe or not it was Mrs. B. who found it. It was a really sad moment when we were able to let Bob see the grave and give him only a few minutes in private before we had to leave - but the contact had been made.
En route , the bus blew its exhaust and instead of purring along it sounded like a truck - BUT – at our next stop while we were away the drivers fixed the problem’
At the City we made for the Thailand Burma Railway Centre , home of one of the various museums dedicated to those killed during the war and the construction of the railway.
Will add photos later whwn we get to somewhere with a better connection
One of our group, Bob Richardson was searching for the grave of his brother Harry C. Richardson, who had been captured in Singapore two weeks before the end of the war, shipped up to the railway and died on 19th July 1945 aged 30. He had been in the territorial army in the Royal Artillery.
With our help we scoured the graveyard as there was no central registry available, but believe or not it was Mrs. B. who found it. It was a really sad moment when we were able to let Bob see the grave and give him only a few minutes in private before we had to leave - but the contact had been made.
We then had a walk over the bridge, which is certainly not the one in the movie, and then took a ninety minute train journey to Tham Krasae Station where the prisoners had built a remarkable bridge round the side of the gorge. The train journey was a bit rattly and the three ticket collectors certainly were certainly efficient !!
We ate at the big restaurant at the Station , which was all local food and surprising good.
Back onto the bus and up to the River Kwai Hotel, in the middle of nowhere – and jammed full as it is an activity centre, lots to do and folks from all over the world.
Problem with the internet so this is being saved for later.
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