Thursday, February 10, 2005

Kanchanaburi

Wed, 6:45am Feb 9
Last night, sitting at a line of picnic tables talking, I realize the openness of travellers and of our host, Major (retired) Noon, a 68 year old spry man who produces a guitar and Michael (one of our Ausies) leads us in a singsong. There is not the usual suspicion when it's travellers. As one of my dear English friends; Jude, says: "We're all in the same boat".
When I got on the minibus the first two people I met were Jude and Alex, who are Teachers from Britain working in China. I had a very interesting experience when I first said hello. As I looked into Jude's face her face lit up with white light as if a flashbulb had burst. They were my constant companions on my Trek to Kanchanaburi and they took very good care of me, making sure I didn't get lost (since I am world renowned for my lack of sense of direction.)

Canoeing along the River Kwai, Jude and Erin san.
As I write this, I am sitting on a plastic deck chair on the rocky shore of the River Kwai, listening to the roosters crow and the lapping of the waves and the sound inside my own consciousness of the high tension wire sound in a world without electricity.

The best picture I never took yesterday; a little girl who came padding along the parking lot at Ewan Falls carrying two large plastic cups of juice in her hands. She suddenly stops and carefully puts down the cups. I think she is finding it too much and is abandoning her task but I'm wrong. She stands back up facing us and puts her hands together in prayer position and bows to Jude and Alex and me. Then she crouches back down, carefully pics her cups back up and continues her Journey. This is a picture of her with her mother, just after she picked up her cups again.


The Seven Step Falls at the Seventh Level; Ewan Falls.


Lower down on one of the levels of Ewan Falls; watching the fish.

8 comments:

~~ Melissa said...

I LOVE the story of the little girl. So sweet and beautiful.

I'm sure you're making all of us wish we were there. I know I do.

J.P. said...

It is a gift that you recognize the special moments as they happen.
Namaste.

Anonymous said...

I love the elephant. At some point in my life I have to go on an elephant ride :)
Sarah

somsoc said...

a life time of memories, shared

somsoc said...

rather,
memories for a life time,
shared

Steven said...

Squiddy: Well Mom, I had a good role model.

Steven said...

Sarah: You would love the elephants but the washrooms take a bit of getting used to. Wait til I send back pics from Chaing Mai's elephants!

Steven said...

Jude: Mind you, I took so many pics I'm surprized we weren't all having that experience by the end of the Trek. I hope the floating Market is fun, and be sure to tell me about the Golden City.